Almost an Angel
Encyclopedia
Almost an Angel is a 1990 comedy film
directed by John Cornell
and starring Paul Hogan
. The original music score was composed by Maurice Jarre
. The film's tagline is: "The guy from down under is working for the man upstairs."
It was made after Paul Hogan
's success with the Crocodile Dundee movies (which were also from Paramount Pictures
). It was a critical and commercial failure.
s, stands before his release from yet another stint in prison. Following a fellow inmate's suggestion, he decides to switch to bank robbery
instead, with a special twist of his own design: first by having the security cameras record TV shows he would connect them to with a modified remote control, then entering disguised as a celebrity; the confusion over this unexpected appearance would serve to confound a detailed description.
Terry's first heist is successful, but shortly afterwards he witnesses a young boy about to be overrun by a van; he impulsively pushes the child away and is himself hit. While in the hospital, he has a nebulous experience (which may have been caused by Highway to Heaven
playing on the room's TV) in which he meets God (Charlton Heston
; this is used as a pun later on) who introduces himself as Terry's 'probation helper'. Though Terry has lived a sinful life, his last deed, impulsive as it was, has earned him a second chance to save his soul - by doing God's work as an angel
in training.
After reawakening, Terry tries another hold-up (this time as Rod Stewart
), but a stroke of bad luck and a gang of amateurs interfere. During this, one of the thugs tries to shoot but fails to kill him (he had loaded his gun with blanks). Thinking himself to be an angel now, Terry reconsiders his ways, seeks advice in a church, and then he follows several 'signs' to another town. In a bar, he meets Steve Garner (Elias Koteas
), an embittered young man and a wheelchair user. In order to bring him out of his self-pity, Terry engages him in a fist-fight — on equal terms, sitting fixed on a stool — Steve, taken with Terry's acceptance of him as a person, not a cripple, strikes up a friendship with Terry and offers him a place to stay at the youth center for children and teens, which he runs with his sister Rose (Linda Kozlowski
).
Rose is at first suspicious about Terry, but Terry proves himself by slyly intimidating two drug dealers into leaving the center's area and helping out as much as he can, and Rose gradually falls in love with him. The center itself, however, is in financial difficulties, since its backer George Bealeman (Parley Baer
), while claiming himself to be a faithful Christian, refuses to provide any more funds. Since he has no angel's powers, Terry uses his technical know-how to convince him otherwise: by recording and re-editing a segment from TV Evangelist
Rev. Barton's (Ben Slack) telecast (which Bealeman watches feverently), and fitting the cross at the rooftop of the center's church with lighting effects, triggered by his universal remote.
At the evening where Bealeman drops by, however, two police detectives close in on Terry. Steve, who happens to overhear them, rushes off in his wheelchair to warn Terry, but during the flight he injures himself critically, slowly bleeding to death. Just after Bealeman has left, he arrives at the center, and while Rose runs to calls an ambulance, Steve delivers his warning. Afraid of death, Steve feels lost, and Terry, recalling his own experiences, gives him last comfort by assuring that he will find a place in Heaven. Reassured, Steve dies in the arms of Terry and Rose.
Terry then announces that he has to leave, and trying to comfort Rose, he reveals that he is "almost an angel"; Rose is understandably skeptical. But after he leaves, she checks Terry's universal remote which he had left her as a keepsake, only to discover that it contains no batteries, and the cross nevertheless begins to shine brilliantly on its own. She runs after Terry and calls out to him. Distracted, Terry slips and falls right before a speeding truck - only to have it pass right through him. Having passed his angel's exam, Terry continues on his quest to do God's work (though not without promising to return), and Rose is left comforted at last.
... Terry Dean
Elias Koteas
... Steve Garner
Linda Kozlowski
... Rose Garner
Doreen Lang ... Mrs. Garner
Douglas Seale ... Father
Ruth Warshawsky ... Irene Bealeman
Parley Baer
... George Bealeman
Michael Alldredge ... Det. Sgt. Freebody
David Alan Grier
... Det. Bill
Larry Miller ... Teller
Travis Venable ... Bubba
Robert Sutton ... Guido
Ben Slack ... Rev. Barton, TV Evangelist
Troy Curvey, Jr. ... Tom the Guard
Eddie Frias ... Young Guard Trainee
Peter Mark Vasquez ... Thug
Lyle J. Omori ... Thug's Crony
Joseph Walton ... Prisoner #1
Steven Brill ... 2nd Male Teller
Richard Grove ... Uniformed Cop
Susie Duff ... Mother
Justin Murphy ... Small Boy
Gregory J. Barnett ... Driver (Van) (billed as Greg Barnett)
Ray Reinhardt ... Doctor
Laurie Souza ... Young Nurse
Hank Worden
... Pop, Hospital Patient
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
directed by John Cornell
John Cornell
John Cornell is a film producer, actor and businessman.Born in Ballygarvan,Cork Cornell once managed Paul Hogan and often appeared alongside Hogan in his popular television show The Paul Hogan Show as Strop, a dim-witted dinkum Aussie surf lifesaver...
and starring Paul Hogan
Paul Hogan
Paul Hogan, AM is an Australian actor best known for his role as Michael "Crocodile" Dundee from the Crocodile Dundee film series, for which he won a Golden Globe award.-Early life and career:...
. The original music score was composed by Maurice Jarre
Maurice Jarre
Maurice-Alexis Jarre was a French composer and conductor.Although he composed several concert works, he is best known for his film scores, and is particularly known for his collaborations with film director David Lean. Jarre composed the scores to all of Lean's films since Lawrence of Arabia...
. The film's tagline is: "The guy from down under is working for the man upstairs."
It was made after Paul Hogan
Paul Hogan
Paul Hogan, AM is an Australian actor best known for his role as Michael "Crocodile" Dundee from the Crocodile Dundee film series, for which he won a Golden Globe award.-Early life and career:...
's success with the Crocodile Dundee movies (which were also from Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
). It was a critical and commercial failure.
Plot
Terry Dean (Paul Hogan), a professional burglar specialized in sabotaging electronic surveillance systemSurveillance
Surveillance is the monitoring of the behavior, activities, or other changing information, usually of people. It is sometimes done in a surreptitious manner...
s, stands before his release from yet another stint in prison. Following a fellow inmate's suggestion, he decides to switch to bank robbery
Bank robbery
Bank robbery is the crime of stealing from a bank during opening hours. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reporting Program, robbery is "the taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of...
instead, with a special twist of his own design: first by having the security cameras record TV shows he would connect them to with a modified remote control, then entering disguised as a celebrity; the confusion over this unexpected appearance would serve to confound a detailed description.
Terry's first heist is successful, but shortly afterwards he witnesses a young boy about to be overrun by a van; he impulsively pushes the child away and is himself hit. While in the hospital, he has a nebulous experience (which may have been caused by Highway to Heaven
Highway to Heaven
Highway to Heaven is an American television drama series which ran on NBC from 1984 to 1989.- Season 1 :- Season 2 :- Season 3 :- Season 4 :- Season 5 :...
playing on the room's TV) in which he meets God (Charlton Heston
Charlton Heston
Charlton Heston was an American actor of film, theatre and television. Heston is known for heroic roles in films such as The Ten Commandments, Ben-Hur for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor, El Cid, and Planet of the Apes...
; this is used as a pun later on) who introduces himself as Terry's 'probation helper'. Though Terry has lived a sinful life, his last deed, impulsive as it was, has earned him a second chance to save his soul - by doing God's work as an angel
Angel
Angels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an...
in training.
After reawakening, Terry tries another hold-up (this time as Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
), but a stroke of bad luck and a gang of amateurs interfere. During this, one of the thugs tries to shoot but fails to kill him (he had loaded his gun with blanks). Thinking himself to be an angel now, Terry reconsiders his ways, seeks advice in a church, and then he follows several 'signs' to another town. In a bar, he meets Steve Garner (Elias Koteas
Elias Koteas
Elias Koteas is a Canadian actor of film and television, best known for his roles in The Prophecy, Fallen and the live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles films.-Early life:...
), an embittered young man and a wheelchair user. In order to bring him out of his self-pity, Terry engages him in a fist-fight — on equal terms, sitting fixed on a stool — Steve, taken with Terry's acceptance of him as a person, not a cripple, strikes up a friendship with Terry and offers him a place to stay at the youth center for children and teens, which he runs with his sister Rose (Linda Kozlowski
Linda Kozlowski
Linda Kozlowski is an American actress. She has been nominated for a Golden Globe Award.-Early life:Kozlowski was born in Fairfield, Connecticut to a Polish family...
).
Rose is at first suspicious about Terry, but Terry proves himself by slyly intimidating two drug dealers into leaving the center's area and helping out as much as he can, and Rose gradually falls in love with him. The center itself, however, is in financial difficulties, since its backer George Bealeman (Parley Baer
Parley Baer
Parley Edward Baer was an American actor in film, television, and radio.-Radio:Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, Baer had a circus background, but began his radio career at Utah station KSL...
), while claiming himself to be a faithful Christian, refuses to provide any more funds. Since he has no angel's powers, Terry uses his technical know-how to convince him otherwise: by recording and re-editing a segment from TV Evangelist
Televangelism
Televangelism is the use of television to communicate the Christian faith. The word is a portmanteau of television and evangelism and was coined by Time magazine. A “televangelist” is a Christian minister who devotes a large portion of his ministry to television broadcasting...
Rev. Barton's (Ben Slack) telecast (which Bealeman watches feverently), and fitting the cross at the rooftop of the center's church with lighting effects, triggered by his universal remote.
At the evening where Bealeman drops by, however, two police detectives close in on Terry. Steve, who happens to overhear them, rushes off in his wheelchair to warn Terry, but during the flight he injures himself critically, slowly bleeding to death. Just after Bealeman has left, he arrives at the center, and while Rose runs to calls an ambulance, Steve delivers his warning. Afraid of death, Steve feels lost, and Terry, recalling his own experiences, gives him last comfort by assuring that he will find a place in Heaven. Reassured, Steve dies in the arms of Terry and Rose.
Terry then announces that he has to leave, and trying to comfort Rose, he reveals that he is "almost an angel"; Rose is understandably skeptical. But after he leaves, she checks Terry's universal remote which he had left her as a keepsake, only to discover that it contains no batteries, and the cross nevertheless begins to shine brilliantly on its own. She runs after Terry and calls out to him. Distracted, Terry slips and falls right before a speeding truck - only to have it pass right through him. Having passed his angel's exam, Terry continues on his quest to do God's work (though not without promising to return), and Rose is left comforted at last.
Cast
Paul HoganPaul Hogan
Paul Hogan, AM is an Australian actor best known for his role as Michael "Crocodile" Dundee from the Crocodile Dundee film series, for which he won a Golden Globe award.-Early life and career:...
... Terry Dean
Elias Koteas
Elias Koteas
Elias Koteas is a Canadian actor of film and television, best known for his roles in The Prophecy, Fallen and the live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles films.-Early life:...
... Steve Garner
Linda Kozlowski
Linda Kozlowski
Linda Kozlowski is an American actress. She has been nominated for a Golden Globe Award.-Early life:Kozlowski was born in Fairfield, Connecticut to a Polish family...
... Rose Garner
Doreen Lang ... Mrs. Garner
Douglas Seale ... Father
Ruth Warshawsky ... Irene Bealeman
Parley Baer
Parley Baer
Parley Edward Baer was an American actor in film, television, and radio.-Radio:Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, Baer had a circus background, but began his radio career at Utah station KSL...
... George Bealeman
Michael Alldredge ... Det. Sgt. Freebody
David Alan Grier
David Alan Grier
David Alan Grier , also known as "D.A.G." , is an American actor and comedian known for his work on the sketch comedy television show In Living Color.-Early life:...
... Det. Bill
Larry Miller ... Teller
Travis Venable ... Bubba
Robert Sutton ... Guido
Ben Slack ... Rev. Barton, TV Evangelist
Troy Curvey, Jr. ... Tom the Guard
Eddie Frias ... Young Guard Trainee
Peter Mark Vasquez ... Thug
Lyle J. Omori ... Thug's Crony
Joseph Walton ... Prisoner #1
Steven Brill ... 2nd Male Teller
Richard Grove ... Uniformed Cop
Susie Duff ... Mother
Justin Murphy ... Small Boy
Gregory J. Barnett ... Driver (Van) (billed as Greg Barnett)
Ray Reinhardt ... Doctor
Laurie Souza ... Young Nurse
Hank Worden
Hank Worden
Hank Worden was an American cowboy-turned-character-actor who appeared in many Westerns.-Biography:...
... Pop, Hospital Patient
External Links
- Almost an Angel at Box Office MojoBox Office MojoBox Office Mojo is a website that tracks box office revenue in a systematic, algorithmic way. Brandon Gray started the site in 1999. In 2002, Gray partnered with Sean Saulsbury and they grew the site to nearly two million readers when, in July 2008, the company was purchased by Amazon.com through...
- Almost an Angel at Rotten TomatoesRotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
- Almost an Angel at The Numbers