Dolly plays Ruby Diamond, a less-than-successful country-western bar singer. She dies too soon in an auto accident, after swerving to miss a deer, and becomes sort of an "Angel Second Class". If she doesn't win her wings by 12 midnight Christmas Eve, by doing something "angelic", she may not get to Heaven at all. Not exactly Frank Capra, but very pleasant to watch for "Dolly Fans". (If you aren't one, then you won't like this made-for-TV movie at all.) The story is extremely predictable. There's a lonely family (a dad and two young teenagers) that doesn't celebrate Christmas, because their mom has passed away. Both kids are really too old for a nanny, so she becomes the housekeeper. The father's work relationship with a very nice co-worker is not quite romantic enough and needs to be helped along. Roddy McDowall plays St. Peter and he shows up cleverly in many "Earthly" places. Dolly "pops out" of most of her costumes, of course. Dolly gets to sing a song or two and makes the angelic "Hallelujah" choir at the end. A "squeaky-clean" made for TV movie. Often plays on "Lifetime" and similar channels in December. Enjoyable lightweight Christmas cheer, all the way.
Review of Unlikely Angel
Unlikely Angel
(1996 TV Movie)
Dolly Parton is Angelic in a Cute Christmas Movie
29 December 2014
Warning: Spoilers