Heaven Can Wait (1943)

Director:

Ernst Lubitsch

Writers:

Samson Raphaelson (screenplay)
Leslie Bush-Fekete (play)

Release Date:

11 August 1943 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | Romance

Tagline:

He believed in Love . . . Honor . . . and Obey - That Impulse!

Plot:

An old roué arrives in Hades to review his life with Satan, who will rule on his eligibility to enter the Underworld.

Plot Keywords:

Hell | Satan | Marriage | Hades | Philandering

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars.

Cast

Gene Tierney	...	Martha
Don Ameche	...	Henry Van Cleve
Charles Coburn	...	Hugo Van Cleve
Marjorie Main	...	Mrs. Strable
Laird Cregar	...	His Excellency
Spring Byington	...	Bertha Van Cleve
Allyn Joslyn	...	Albert Van Cleve
Eugene Pallette	...	E.F. Strable
Signe Hasso	...	Mademoiselle
Louis Calhern	...	Randolph Van Cleve
Helene Reynolds	...	Peggy Nash
Aubrey Mather	...	James
Tod Andrews	...	Jack Van Cleve (as Michael Ames)

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

UK:A (original rating) | UK:U (re-rating) (2005) | USA:Approved (certificate #9073) | Finland:S | Germany:12 | Sweden:15

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Ernst Lubitsch's habit of reining in Gene Tierney's occasional tendency towards emotional excess initially caused friction between the two, though they later resolved their issues.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the breakfast scene just before Martha (Tierney) comes home to her parents Mr. Strabelle is served a large second helping of pancakes. Moments late when the camera gives him a medium shot, the stack is gone and the butler refills his plate.

Quotes:

Henry Van Cleve: If you'd walked into a restaurant I would've become a waiter, if you'd walked into a burning building I'dve become a fireman, if you'd walked into an elevator I'dve stopped it between two floors and we've spent the rest of our lives there... Please forgive me but you can't walk out of my life like that.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Dan in Real Life (2007)

Soundtrack:

Hello! Ma Baby

Underrated masterpiece

Utterly perfect Fox picture with handsome Don Ameche and stunningly beautiful Gene Tierney. It also stars the wonderfully hilarious Charles Coburn as Ameche's grandfather.

A well written, well acted and well directed film that is unjustly underrated and should be rediscovered. The entire film is shot in gorgeous full Technicolor and handled by director Ernst Lubitsch capable hands.

It details the story of a man, played by Ameche, who thinks that he deserves to go to hell after he dies. He then proceeds to recount his life story to the devil (Laird Creger). A true delight that is not to be missed.