One Foot in Heaven

One Foot in Heaven is a 1941 American biographical film starring Fredric March, Martha Scott, Beulah Bondi, Gene Lockhart and Elisabeth Fraser. The film was adapted by Casey Robinson from the autobiography by Hartzell Spence. It was directed by Irving Rapper.

In Stratford, Ontario in 1904, William Spence Fredric March, a medical student on the verge of becoming a doctor, receives The Call while passing a Methodist church one Sunday. His bridetobe, Hope Morris Martha Scott, accepts his decision to enter the ministry with a whole heart despite the disappointment of her prominent and affluent parents. Will dives right in, but with no vacancies in Canada, is posted as a circuit minister to a small town in rural Iowa, beginning a life for them of frequent moves around the district, dingy parsonages, and scraping a living from poor boxes and performing weddings. Hope yearns for a decent parsonage and a sense of permanence for their children, but uncomplainingly provides them a good life and a supportive home for Will. For his part, Will understands his own nature and laughs at his own foibles, bending where he can in good conscience. He often enters situations in anger or to instruct but leaves humbled and renewed in spirit. While Will sincerely lives by and teaches by example which includes his family the tenets of the Methodist Discipline, he also learns from his congregations to be flexible and change with the times.When their third child, a boy, is born, Hope and Will cannot agree on a name and he remains unbaptized for three months. Hope wants to name the baby William Spence, Jr. but Will does not like the idea of his son going without a middle name as he did. He wants the boy to have and be called in the good old Canadian custom by the middle name of Frazer. Will seems to give in to Hope but the following Sunday baptizes him William Frazer Spence. Hope serenely accepts the change. Oldest son Hartzell named for Wills guiding bishop has a hard time coping with the idea that a ministers son should be an example to the other boys. Will explains that a pastors family walks a tightrope, balancing with one foot on earth and one foot already in Heaven. After learning that Hartzell has been sneaking into the movies, a pastime se

Source: Wikipedia