Angel in my Pocket
(1969, U.S.) color 105 minutes
With: Andy Griffith (Rev. Sam Whitehead), Lee Merriweather (Mary Whitehead), Kay Medford (Racine), Jerry Van Dyke (Emery), Edgar Buchanan (Axel Gresham)
Plot Outline (IMDb): A homespun minister (Andy Griffith) and his family move to a small town where he tries to win the support and trust of his new congregation.
***
ANGEL IN MY POCKET is one of the most obscure and eagerly-sought of the 1960's Universal comedies. Sharing much with Don Knotts comedies such as THE GHOST AND MR. CHICKEN (including the same writing team), AIMP turns out to be a badly-titled attempt to recreate the sheltered, closed universe of "The Andy Griffith Show" and "Mayberry R.F.D." On the big screen it doesn't quite make it, and Griffith seems to be straining a bit to be his heartwarming self with that wizzened, self-righteous grin of his.
Still, there's something infectious in this super-sweet fable about a minister in a new town and his bid to unravel the mystery of cemetery ghosts and get a new organ for his church, all the while dealing with a drunken bum of a brother-in-law. It borders at times on the verge of religious or inspirational drama, but elsewhere it is strictly zany Americana all the way.
The highlight of the film is Andy's trip to the big, bad city to get a new church organ, from a strip joint. This unlikely premise leads to an hilarious "Girls of all Nations" dance number which is worth watching in and of itself, with its vaguely pornographic motif. One shocking image features a Dutch stripper with windmill blades rotating on her boobs!
The familiar Universal back-lot village (as seen in many Don Knotts comedies) and the wistful Lyn Murray score manage to uncannily capture the endangered innocence of soon-to-implode small-town America.
Despite bad reviews, ANGEL IN MY POCKET was a modest hit, due to star power and lack of interesting product elsewhere. To our knowledge, ANGEL IN MY POCKET has never been released for home video viewing.
Kevin Butler recently added the following information:
Jack Dodson (best remembered for his portrayal of the couny clerk Howard Sprague on CBS TV's "Mayberry RFD") appeared in ANGEL IN MY POCKET as a member of one of the prominant families that are feuding, and Reverend Whitehead is trying to stop.
Video/DVD availability: VHS (unavailable)
Universal Pictures
Screenplay: James Fritzell, Everett Greenbaum
Music: Lyn Murray
Cinematography: William Marguilies
Produced by Edward Montagne
Directed by Alan Rafkin
(09-25-05)
