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Title: Great Idea, Lousy Execution
Review: I had bought this movie a few years ago and never watched it until recently.I was disappointed by the plot and by the characters, the premise itself is fascinating.The premise is that this unlikely black angel (Belafonte) comes to this suffering Jewish man (Mostel) and his wife and tries to get him to believe in the angel. The theme of a man's need to believe in something resonates.But the plot goes in a different direction, much of it is about the angel. And the language is often harsh and the movie itself resembles The Pawnbroker in its cynical and harsh view of New York life at that time.Mostel is perfect, I believe every word and action of him. Belafonte would be a great choice as the angel if the plot eliminated the earthiness and self-pitying of his character and stressed the idea of him as an angel. As for the rest of the cast, Milo O'Shea as a Jewish doctor?
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