One Foot in Heaven1941One Foot in Heaven
1941
Canadian William Spence gives up medicine to become a Methodist minister, and his bride Hope follows him from one poor parish to the next. They raise their children through petty parishioners, lean salaries, and their son's troubles.
The default: films the whole family can watch together; any scary or intense moments for the littlest viewers are flagged in the Context Notes.
Why it’s here
A pastor's family shown honestly: poverty, petty church members, and a wife who sacrifices alongside her husband. Faith and marriage stay intact through it all.
Context notes
For parents, before you press play.
Gossiping church members cause the family pain; the film shows the gossip as wrong, and the minister answers it with integrity. There are brief fistfights and a fire.
One Foot in Heaven (1941)
Discussion questions
When the credits end, go around the room. Each person gives the film a score out of ten and says why.
- What did Hope give up to marry William?
- How did William handle the gossips?
- What was hardest about being a minister's child?
- Which parish was your favorite?
Content advisory
Movieguide (via WebSearch): brief fistfights, gunshots, and burning buildings; brief alcohol; no foul language.
Best edition
The disc comes first.
One Foot in Heaven DVD (Warner Archive Collection)
DVD · March 3, 2015
Edition link coming soon.
Listing on Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)Coming later
Where to stream
Streaming services are not listed yet. When they are, this note stays secondary to the disc.