Manna from Heaven (film)
Manna from Heaven is a 2002 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 final film before her retirement from acting in 2002.
| Manna from Heaven | |
|---|---|
 Movie Poster | |
| Directed by | Gabrielle Burton Maria Burton |
| Produced by | Gabrielle Burton Charity Burton Ursula Burton |
| Written by | Gabrielle B. Burton |
| Starring | Shirley Jones Cloris Leachman Seymour Cassel |
| Music by | Timothy Jones James T. Sale |
| Cinematography | Edward Slattery |
| Edited by | Andy Peterson Robert Tate Mattie Valentine |
Production company | Five Sisters Productions |
Release date |
|
Running time | 119 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $505,675 (USA) |
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 it was a just a loan and it's due immediately. Once upon a time, many years ago, a neighborhood 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 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 can't 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
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Shirley Jones | Bunny |
| Cloris Leachman | Helen |
| Louise Fletcher | Mother Superior |
| Ursula Burton | Sister Theresa |
| Seymour Cassel | Stanley |
| Frank Gorshin | Ed |
| Austin Pendleton | Two-Digit Doyle |
| Shelley Duvall | Detective Dubrinski |
| Jerry Orbach | Waltz Contest Announcer |
| Maria Burton | Ramona |
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]