Heaven Knows Mr. Allison

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Heaven Knows Mr. Allison Photos

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Movie Info

A two-person character study directed by John Huston, Heaven Knows Mr. Allison stars Robert Mitchum as a World War II Marine sergeant and Deborah Kerr as a Roman Catholic nun. Both nun and sergeant are marooned on a South Pacific island, hemmed in by surrounding Japanese troops. Mitchum does his best to make the nun's ordeal less painful, but is torn by his growing love for her. Kerr is equally fond of Mitchum, but refuses to renounce her vows. Their unrealized ardor mellows into mutual respect as they struggle to survive before help arrives. Based on a novel by Charles K. Shaw, Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison was coproduced by Eugene Frenke, who later filmed a low-budget variation on the story, The Nun and the Sergeant (62), which starred Frenke's wife Anna Sten. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating:

NR
Genre:

Action & Adventure, Classics, Comedy, Drama
Directed By:

John Huston
Written By:

John Lee Mahin, John Huston
In Theaters:

Jan 1, 1957 wide
On Disc/Streaming:

May 20, 2003
Runtime:

108 minutes
Studio:

Fox

Cast

Robert Mitchum
as Cpl. Allison, USMC

Deborah Kerr
as Sister Angela

Critic Reviews for Heaven Knows Mr. Allison

All Critics (8) | Fresh (7) | Rotten (1)

Superb performances by Deborah Kerr and Robert Mitchum help make this lightweight survival pic a small gem.

Nov 13, 2013 | Rating: B+ | Full Review…

Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Solider and nun on Pacific isle during WWII. More dutiful than fun.

Oct 10, 2005 | Rating: 2/5

Daniel Eagan
Film Journal International
As with Huston's The African Queen, there is conflict mixed with romantic tension… Here, though, the complicating factor is not fastidiousness, but vocation.

Mar 2, 2004 | Rating: A- | Full Review…

Steven D. Greydanus
Decent Films Guide
Enjoyable, but not very deep, Huston opus.

Jan 21, 2004 | Rating: 4/5

Ken Hanke
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

View All Critic Reviews (8)

Audience Reviews for Heaven Knows Mr. Allison

Aug 18, 2014

One of the more interesting love stories ever, a Marine corporal and a Catholic nun are stranded together on a deserted island in the Pacific towards the end of WWll. With Bob Mitchum as the grunt and Deborah Kerr as the nun you got yer whole blamed chemistry set right there, so much chemistry that for moments in the film the whole war itself seems puny and insignificant. John Huston's the writer/director here and he plays true to both of the lovers, never going for the easy answers or for the hearts and flowers, so respect grows, and it grows in glorious Cinescope. Don't get me wrong, there's some war in here, too, but this is not a typical war film, no, not at all. It's about two lonely people who find each other while there happens to be a war going on.

Kevin M. W Super Reviewer
Oct 10, 2013

As "cute" as a war movie can get. Mitchum and Kerr feed off of each other well as two unlikely companions thrown together by war and forced to cooperate.

John B Super Reviewer
Feb 21, 2009

During World War II, a Marine corporal is shipwrecked on a Pacific Island, whose only other inhabitant is a Catholic nun. Essentially a two-character play set against a tropical background, this is a triumph for all concerned. Stars Robert Mitchum and Deborah Kerr give such convincing, understand performance that you almost feel as if you are an unwanted observer, especially as their two so-very-different character begin to fall in love. John Huston may have been one of the most erratic film directors, but, with the right cast and material, he could achieve greatness, as he does here.

Dean M Super Reviewer
Jan 18, 2009

If you only know Robert Mitchum from his villainous roles (<i>Cape Fear</i>, <i>Night of the Hunter</i>, etc.) then this one is a must-see.

Randy T Super Reviewer