Musings on “Angel on My Shoulder”

Alright folks, let’s chat about “Angel on My Shoulder” from 1946. When I dug this one out, I wasn’t quite expecting a laugh-out-loud moment—hey, we’re talking about a movie from a time when my morfar was probably still convincing everyone Elvis was a passing fad. But this flick! It surprised me—extra points for that!

Directed by the legendary Archie Mayo, he was one of those directors who could actually direct. You’ll notice the magic he creates with the witty script. And then you got Paul Muni. Ah, Paul Muni, the man’s got more talent than a Swede at the midsummer pole. Seeing him pull off the role of the gangster Joe—and then double up as Eric, who’s looking all confused in heaven—really makes you wonder where your own life’s heading. Would I be followed by an angel if I popped into a göksbär in the afterlife? Maybe, maybe not.

Now I’ll be honest. I think I’ve seen better chemistry in a komvux night class than between Muni and Anne Baxter here. Anne Baxter is usually glowing, but here, maybe the script didn’t do justice to her talent. It’s like eating a kanelbulle without sugar. Just a tad flat.

Bringing in Claude Rains as the suave devil character was a genius move. His silky voice and smirky presence! Gave me flashbacks to when my cousin tried to convince me that trying surströmming would be ‘fun’.

One thing that struck me was the odd charm—how the film juggles between existential ponderings and outright comedy, always a tricky balance, don’t you think?

To end, friends, bring a little skepticism and a large portion of curiosity. After all, this film’s got its charms—a classic mix of drama, comedy, and the odd punch of the meaningful. Watch it on a lazy Sunday, with a cold kaffe and a nice cinnamon bun. Skål!

watch the full movie on CinemaOneMovies on YouTube – if you are from Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark