Romancefest 3: Sadiefest - Here Comes Mr. Jordan

Now here's one I bet you haven't heard of.

1941's HERE COMES MR. JORDAN stars Robert Montgomery as a dim-witted but good-hearted boxer on the verge of becoming a champ who ends up dying in a plane crash. Due to a mistake on the part of the "messenger" sent to take Montgomery to heaven (Edward Everett Horton), the boss of the celestial messengers, the titular Mr. Jodan (Claude Rains), agrees to furnish Montgomery with a new body to complete his unfinished Earthly business.

Montgomery finds himself in the body of a crooked millionaire, in the position to help out a cute girl (Evelyn Keyes) whose father is in trouble with the law. Unfortunately, the reason Montgomery is able to inhabit the body is because it was recently murdered in a conspiracy between its wife (Rita Johnson) and assistant (John Emery). Both are stupefied to find the millionaire apparently alive and well, as Montgomery takes over his life. The heavenly messengers, Rains and Horton, remain on hand to help Montgomery out. Throughout all of this, Montgomery is bent on continuing his boxing career, and eventually enlists his bewildered manager (James Gleason) for help.

Describing the plot any further would give away a couple neat little developments, but let's just say Montgomery's attempts to romance the girl, keep his would-be killers at bay and continue his boxing career find some unexpected hitches.

For a movie about life, death, reincarnation and destiny, HERE COMES MR. JORDAN keeps things relatively light and surface level, but I think that is to the movie's credit. It moves along at a brisk pace, and although Montgomery often questions the other-worldly machinations at work, the film itself seems to take things rather matter of factly, with a minimal amount of special effects and not much focus on the "importance" of the whole thing.

The cast, as always, makes the picture. Montgomery is totally believable and avoids being boring as the nice guy. Rains brings a touch of friendly and wise class to the affair. James Gleason has some great moments as the increasingly befuddled manager.

The heart of the whole film can be found in the last touching scene in which Montgomery and Keyes finally come together. The way they approach each other, cautiously, as if drawn together by fate, is touching in its simplicity and elevates the movie from a nice afternoon diversion to the realm of a real (if overlooked) classic. And, the way Claude Rains looks on with a big warm-hearted smile on his face seals the deal: this is the definition of a feel good movie.