Unlikely Angel


Unlikely Angel is a 1996 American made-for-television Christmas fantasy-comedy film directed by Michael Switzer and starring Dolly Parton. It premiered on CBS on December 17, 1996.

Plot

Parton stars as a somewhat-selfish country singer, Ruby Diamond, whose untimely death while driving at night results in her gaining an audience with Saint Peter. He offers her a rather unusual arrangement: she will return to Earth on a mission to reunite the suburban Bartilson family. If she succeeds by midnight on Christmas Eve, then she will be granted her wings as an angel. If not, she will receive a fate much worse.
Masquerading as an out-of-sorts governess, Ruby slowly but surely starts to knit father/widower Ben Bartilson together with his rebellious yet conflicted daughter Sarah and lonely son Matthew. But when Christmas Eve rolls around and Matthew runs away from home, St. Peter arrives to remind Ruby of the deal's terms, to which she replies, "I don't care; I'm fixing this family whether I get into Heaven or not." Upon the successful completion of her mission, St. Peter urges her to leave, despite her protests. But he reminds her that they will no longer remember her, so she reluctantly accepts. As she is awarded her wings, we see the family celebrating their first Christmas together in years.

Cast