You Chose... Only Angels Have Wings (1939)
Monday, March 16, 2020 at 11:09AM 
Our reader's choice "streaming film club" is going weekly since we're all soon stuck at home in this brave new world of Covid-19. This week you selected the Howard Hawks adventure romance classic Only Angels Have Wings (1939) starring Cary Grant and Jean Arthur so we'll be discussing that on Monday March 23rd so queue it up on the Criterion Channel. In second place was Disney's Pollyanna (1960) so we'll also discuss that on Wednesday March 25th so watch that one on Disney+ if you'd like to play along. Okay?
Last week's runner up film to Lady in a Cage was the romantic comedy Cactus Flower (1969) and Murtada and I decided to discuss it on the podcast (returning very soon) since it was such a close vote. So see, we're doing double duty to keep you thinking about movies when you're no longer allowed to go see them in theaters! *sniffle*
Stay safe out there and wash your hands.
Previous Readers Choice Posts
Voyage of the Damned (1976)
Lady in a Cage (1964)
Reader Comments (22)
I cannot advocate Pollyanna enough. Imho, it's the second best film of 1960 (behind The Apartment, above Psycho). It is an incredible cast and a much more nuanced script than you expect given the premise. Hayley Mills, Agnes Moorehead, and Jane Wyman are GENIUS.
The Furies! We need to talk about Barbara Stanwyck more.
ONLY ANGELS HAVE WINGS is one of Mike D'Angelos 100 point films. I also love it.
Definitely voted for The Furies. As Bradley said above, we need more Stanwyck, not to mention Judith Anderson, and Walter Huston in his final performance.
A vote for Pollyanna as well. Hayley Mills received the now defuct Juvenile Oscar (also won by Judy Garland, Shirley Temple, and Mickey Rooney, along with a handful of others). It would be a great way to discuss that category. Should it be revived? And had they continued it, who would have received it since Mills in 1961 (she was the last one)?
All good films, though I was less enamored of Only Angels Have Wings than most, and while I voted for The Furies because I agree more Barbara Stanwyck is always welcome I do love Pollyanna.
The news connected to the epidemic is only going to get worse in the coming weeks, so I voted for Pollyanna because we could certainly use a lesson on "how to make a whole unhappy town learn to laugh, to love...to live." (The tag lines from the trailer: https://youtu.be/XVtLP5tfpCA)
With a title like that, it is impossible not to choose Madam Satan
In the middle of a pandemic that may well kill hundreds of thousands of Americans, Elizabeth Warren can’t decide between the candidate fighting for universal health care and the candidate who suggested he’d veto it.
Great selection but I vote for "The Furies" a great Freudian western with Stanwyck giving another Oscar worthy performance. But we can always discuss the gay subtext in "Hans Christian Andersson"
. You are not a part of my revolution with those words. We will eat the rich then use morons like yourself as a latrine.
A Cary Grant piece that isn’t tethered to Katharine Hepburn or Ingrid Bergman by Nathaniel? Sign me up!
I voted for Pollyanna. IMO, Pollyanna was a tough little cookie who used “the glad game” to find balance and irony, propelled by imagination, energy, and empathy. (Plus, Aunt Polly’s house is one of my favourite movie houses).
Although Rita Hayworth is exquisitely lovely dancing with Fred (they used to tour the same vaudeville circuit when they were kids, Fred watching Rita’s Spanish dancer father to pick up dance tips).
And Barbara Stanwyck is always rejuvenating and welcome.
Hayley Mills came from a British acting family.
I always liked the story of how John Mills, Hayley’s actor father, wouldn’t let Walt Disney have Hayley in the part of Pollyanna unless Walt also gave John a good acting role in one of the other Disney movies.
I like Eric's idea.....as a Claudio piece. So I voted for Jean Arthur and co.
^agreed, let’s have a juvenile Oscar discussion and Oscar retro.
I voted for Pollyanna, even though I don't get Disney+. I'm currently on 4 streaming services and i just can't spend money on another. I remember it well from childhood, though, and it harkens back to a Disney era when they didn't seem so hell bent on making money, money, money (even though I'm sure Pollyanna did well at the box office).
It will be an interesting discussion even if Angels was a film I found it hard to connect to.
You certainly couldn't ask for a better cast with Cary Grant, Jean Arthur and Thomas Mitchell right up front. Rita Hayworth in one of the roles that really set her on her path to stardom and two supporting actors who I'm always glad to see show up in any film Allyn Joslyn and John Carroll among many other fine actors.
It has been a while since I watched it, maybe time for a re-evaluation.
Delighted that Pollyanna is going to get the spotlight as well.
Too bad about The Furies but you can't have everything. But any time you're able to include Barbara Stanwyck in any discussion I'm here for it!!
Unlike Voyage Of The Damned and Lady In A Cage being the clear standouts for a Nathaniel piece, this time the winner and Pollyanna were the standout choices. So stoked to get pieces on them both. With Claudio dominating with 10/10 pieces at a near constant clip it will be great to have Nathaniel continuing with his most successful series of writings in a long while. Can't wait!
One oft my favourite 20 movies!
This is an endless treasure and one of the holy grails of cinephilia.
Excited to hear, what you have to say about it.
I voted for The Furies, It was an underrated gem n a superb showcase for Stanwych in a v deliciously complex role!!
The Criterion version has a v insightful n interesting docu on the movie!
A vote for Pollyanna as well. Hayley Mills received the now defuct Juvenile Oscar (also won by Judy Garland, Shirley Temple, and Mickey Rooney, along with a handful of others).
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