Manna from Heaven (film)

2002 American film

September 14, 2002 (2002-09-14)

Running time

119 minutesCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishBox office$505,675 (USA)

Manna from Heaven is a 2002 American religious comedy film written by Gabrielle B. Burton and co-directed by her daughters Gabrielle C. Burton and Maria Burton. The film won awards at four film festivals.^[1] It was actor Jerry Orbach's final film before his death from prostate cancer in 2004 and Shelley Duvall's last film prior to her return to acting in 2022.

Plot

Manna From Heaven is a comedic fable about what happens when you get a gift from God (a financial windfall), but many years later, you find out that it was a just a loan and it is due immediately.

Once upon a time, many years ago, a neighbourhood in Buffalo, NY, is mysteriously showered with 20-dollar bills. Theresa, a young girl who everyone thinks is a saint, doesn't have much trouble with convincing her loose-knit "family" that the money is a gift from Heaven. Years later, Theresa, who has become a nun, has an epiphany that it is time to pay the money back, so she calls the eccentric group together to repay the "loan".

The problem is … nobody wants to give back the money, nobody has the money, they don't know to whom it belongs, and most of them cannot stand each other.

Along the way, the characters learn about family, romance, reconciliation and redemption, and by working together they begin to realize their full potential.

Principal cast

Shirley Jones as Bunny
Cloris Leachman as Helen
Louise Fletcher as Mother Superior
Ursula Burton as Sister Theresa
Seymour Cassel as Stanley
Frank Gorshin as Ed
Austin Pendleton as "Two-Digit" Doyle
Shelley Duvall as Detective Dubrinski
Jerry Orbach as Waltz Contest Announcer
Maria Burton as Ramona
Jill Eikenberry as Dottie
Harry Groener as Tony
Vincent O'Neill as Monsignor Dailey
Drew Pillsbury as Mac / Bake
Wendie Malick as Inez
Cameron Watson as Patrick

Critical reception

Dave Kehr of The New York Times liked the film overall:

A product neither of Hollywood nor the New York-Sundance indie axis, Manna From Heaven is a true outsider film, and while it would be easy to fault its lack of technical polish, somewhat discursive script and uneven performances, it is also refreshingly sincere, gentle and good-natured.^[2]