JohnnyLee1
Pleasant but hardly exciting. Have two such naive characters ever been put together before? Stars keep it interesting. Maybe Huston was aiming for another "African Queen"! (viewed 11/16)
HotToastyRag
One of my favorite screen couples is Deborah Kerr and Robert Mitchum; not only are they darling together, but they also liked working with each other in real life! They acted together four times, the first of which was in Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison, a fantastic love story from the 1950s.It takes place during the thick of WWII, and it addresses the age-old fantasy of being trapped on a desert island with one person. Lucky for Deborah, she's stranded with hunky marine Robert Mitchum. Unlucky for Bob, Deborah's a nun! Still, during wartime, and when you live through an adventure, you can't help but bond. The two very different characters are drawn together, but you'll have to watch the movie to find out how deep their feelings run.I love this movie, but I also love Robert Mitchum, so if you actively dislike him, you won't buy into the story. Also, you should probably book an appointment with your optometrist. The chemistry between the two leads is fantastic, and it's a true testament to their talents that they're able to carry a two-person movie. I've seen this one twice, and while it's not my all-time favorite romance, it's always very entertaining to watch. After you've watched Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison, check out The Sundowners, where Bob and Deborah are reunited in the Australian outback!
classicsoncall
You have a pretty good idea where the dynamic between the principals is going shortly after the shipwrecked Corporal Allison (Robert Mitchum) meets Catholic Sister Angela (Deborah Kerr) on a tropical island somewhere in the Pacific. What you might not expect is the intelligent handling of their situation without actually having them commit to a physical relationship. The story line did leave room for that when Ma'am Angela stated she hadn't taken her final vows yet, but staying true to her vocation, was able to let Allison down in a way that allowed him to keep his dignity and not look foolish.One of the things in their many conversations that perked my ears was when Sister Angela mentioned a former friend of hers named Sister Fidelis - I had one of those in Catholic high school! I found that kind of interesting. The story no doubt has similarities to the much better regarded "The African Queen" with Bogart and Hepburn, but the one I thought of instead was another Bogie flick from 1955 called "The Left Hand of God". In that one, Bogart's impersonating a priest to save his skin, and winds up falling for a missionary portrayed by Gene Tierney. As in this story, the romantic tension between the players is broached but never fully played out.I haven't seen Deborah Kerr in as many vehicles as Robert Mitchum, who I think is one fine actor. Here he plays somewhat against type, showing a rare sensitive side compared to some of the tough guy roles he's usually associated with. Nevertheless, Kerr demonstrates a resourceful resilience to the character of Sister Angela. This is one of those few movies that left me contemplating what might happen to the characters once they were rescued and returned back to the world, seeing as how they might have been made for each other under entirely different circumstances.
pierre-luthier
When you see that a movie has John Huston as a director, you want to see it.I thought that was true till I saw Heaven knows Mr Allison. I was deeply disappointed and maybe angry after seeing it. I thought it was a cheap advertisement for US navy and for catholicism. I was doubting all movie long if it was ironical, because the nun and mitchum were so caricatured. Of course it is well filmed. Of course the actors are good, even brilliant.But the scenario has a toltal lack of impartiality. I m sorry but I can recommend this movie to no one unless you re a stubborn militar or a non-open minded catholic. PS: I am catholic
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