Synopsis:
Herbert Ross's PENNIES FROM HEAVEN is a lavish adaptation of the BBC series of the same name; it's a contemplative avant-garde musical in which drab everyday surroundings magically become movie sets and everyday speech suddenly turns into song. Steve Martin stars as Arthur, who sells sheet music--and the dreams promised in their lyrics--in 1930s depression-era Chicago. He's not always the most pleasant of fellows: He cheats on his wife, lies to his lovers, and seduces an innocent schoolteacher, Eileen (Bernadette Peters). But his spirit still has a sweetness and innocence--the sweetness of the Tin Pan Alley tunes he hawks and the innocence of the fantasy-filled Hollywood musicals he sees. When Arthur and Eileen set out on a series of misadventures, their bleak world turns to song and dance in a series of lavish Busby Berkeley-style musical numbers. The film features stunningly versatile performances by Steve Martin and Bernadette Peters.

Notes:
Bob Hoskins played Arthur in the BBC version. Christopher Walken's striptease number took two months to rehearse.

Reviews:
"...[The] film is a virtuoso piece of studio craftsmanship..." - 12/09/1981 Variety

"...An eccentric show....[It] will become something of a cause among people who like to go to movies at midnight." - 12/11/1981 New York Times, p.C16

"Christopher Walken's 'Let's Misbehave' tap dance is masterful..." - 08/06/2004 Entertainment Weekly, p.65