During a flight in a personal airplane, a young boxer by the name of Joe Pendleton crashes into a wooded area - just within the first ten minutes of the beginning of Here Comes Mr. Jordan. Unfortunately, a heavenly escort prematurely plucks his body from the plane before the actual crash, thereby rendering Joe body-less, yet technically alive. Joe's body is promptly cremated, so his new friend, Mr. Jordan, promises Joe a new form and they begin a search for a replacement. The 1941 film centers around Joe Pendleton, an affable man and a capable boxer, who is on his way to a fight whenever he meets his untimely death. With the help of Mr. Jordan, Joe attempts to reverse his misfortune with a new body and a fresh opportunity to enter the title fight. Along the way, however, he meets the unexpected: a beautiful, independent, and charmingly belligerent woman that he falls hopelessly in love with. The film centers around Joe's struggle to realize his dream of winning a title fight, however, it is truly a romantic comedy with themes that tend to focus on love and the fulfillment of our dreams. The makers of the film use Joe's different forms to impart their view that love is a connection between two people, while the body is simply a shell and love is a faceless awareness that sees through physical realities. Don't be turned off by this seemingly heavy theme, because Joe's constant wisecracks and frequent squabbles with the man who took him from his body keep the film light and enjoyable. Despite the occasional sluggish scene, this timeless film offers enough clean-cut comedy and bearable romanticism to warrant a viewing. It deals with an important subject without taking any importance away from keeping the film light and fun to watch.
Review of Here Comes Mr. Jordan
