Heaven Only Knows (1947): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1947, Heaven Only Knows is a comedy, fantasy, adventure and family film directed by Albert S. Rogell, running about 100 minutes. “For an angel... this buckaroo is some guy! He's on a rootin' tootin' mission from above... looking for a lost soul!” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. Also released as Montana Mike, Heaven Only Knows is an offbeat western with fantasy overtones. Hard-bitten gambling boss Brian Donlevy rules his frontier community with brawn and bullets. To his dismay, Donlevy discovers that he has a guardian angel (Robert Cummings), who shows up in the guise of an Eastern tenderfoot. The angel has been sent from Above to save Donlevy's soul, and to that end encourages the one-time villain to squire a minister's daughter (Jorja Curtwright) rather than his usual dance-hall girls. Donlevy is also given tips on winning against his enemies without resorting to gunplay. The gambler finally redeems himself with Heaven by rescuing the angel from a lynch mob (how can you lynch an angel?) Heaven Only Knows deserves an "E" for Effort for bringing a fresh twist to the venerable western genre.

Who’s in it. Heaven Only Knows stars Robert Cummings as Michael, aka Mike, Brian Donlevy as Adam 'Duke' Byron, Marjorie Reynolds as Ginger 'The Copper Queen' and Jorja Curtright as Drusilla Wainwright, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.0/10, Heaven Only Knows has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Heaven Only Knows page.

If you liked it. Fans of Heaven Only Knows tend to enjoy Forrest Gump, Parasite, Life Is Beautiful and Fight Club.