It takes a special kind of movie star to step into the shoes of Cary Grant, particularly when those shoes are made for a charming angel in The Bishop’s Wife. Happily, Denzel Washington decided to try them on for size, and to me, it’s a perfect fit. Penny Marshall’s The Preacher’s Wife (Disc/Download) is the rare update on a classic that feels every bit as delightful as the original, and for that I’m grateful. If you thought nobody could make a modern movie about faith seem both poignant and funny, Denzel is here to make you a believer.

I wasn’t an enormous Whitney Houston fan before watching the biopic Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody, but this 2022 under-appreciated gem has converted me. The sheer number of hits this woman had in her brief lifetime is staggering, and although she didn’t act in many movies, The Preacher’s Wife was tailored to Whitney’s specific talents. Playing a gospel singer in her husband’s church choir, she’s certainly magnetic in the role of Julia, but then she does the torch song “I Believe in You and Me”, and both Dudley the Angel and every single audience member watching this movie falls instantly in love with her. As with the original, the best scenes are the ones with Julia and Dudley, though Courtney B. Vance does a perfectly fine update on the David Niven role of a tortured clergyman. However, the reason I watch this movie isn’t because I want to see if a preacher will find his faith again; I want to see if an angel will give up everything for love. Or if instead, this impossible love will stay impossible.

Because this is an old-fashioned story about faith and love at Christmas, it seems appropriate to watch it with an Old Fashioned! This one uses gingerbread syrup, and it’s so good that I wish Dudley would use his special touch to keep my glass full all season long.  While watching The Preacher’s Wife, I recommend drinking a Gingerbread Old Fashioned.

Gingerbread Old Fashioned

2 oz Bourbon

½ oz Gingerbread Simple Syrup

2-3 dashes orange bitters

Orange twist (garnish)

Cinnamon Stick (garnish)

Prepare glass by filling with one large ice cube or ball. Pour in bourbon, gingerbread syrup, and bitters. Stir to combine and chill. Garnish with an orange twist, and a cinnamon stick (I used Trader Joe’s rock sugar-dipped Cinnamon Swizzle Sticks).

I’d also like to give a shout-out to the film debut of Lionel Richie, who pops up as the owner of “Jazzies”, site of Julia and Dudley’s unofficial date. Julia’s husband gets jealous when they return from the outing (which he practically forced them into), and I want to scream at him, “What did you expect?? It’s Jazzies! And it’s DENZEL! Of course she had a great time!” This Christmas, believe in miracles, believe in Denzel, and above all, believe in the power of an old-fashioned love story. Cheers!