Heaven Can Wait (1943)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

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:

Hades | Marriage | Hell | Satan | Singing

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)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Florence Bates	...	Mrs. Edna Craig (uncredited)
Scotty Beckett	...	Henry Van Cleve, Age 9 (uncredited)
Clara Blandick	...	Grandmother Van Cleve (uncredited)
Leonard Carey	...	Flogdell, Van Cleve's First Butler (uncredited)
Dane Clark	...	Elevator operator (uncredited)
Claire Du Brey	...	Miss Ralston, Jack's Secretary (uncredited)
James Flavin	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Gary Gray	...	Boy in park (uncredited)
Alfred Hall	...	Albert's Father (uncredited)
Grayce Hampton	...	Albert's Mother (uncredited)
Dickie Jones	...	Albert Van Cleve - Age l5 (uncredited)
Marlene Mains	...	Mary, Age 9 (uncredited)
Trudy Marshall	...	Jane Van Cleve, Jack's Wife (uncredited)
Edwin Maxwell	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Michael McLean	...	Henry Van Cleve, as Baby (uncredited)
Doris Merrick	...	Night Nurse (uncredited)
Dickie Moore	...	Henry Van Cleve in his Teenage Years (uncredited)
Bert Moorhouse	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Clarence Muse	...	Jasper - Strable's Butler (uncredited)
Anne O'Neal	...	Day Nurse (uncredited)
Nino Pipitone Jr.	...	Jack Van Cleve, as Child (uncredited)
Maureen Roden-Ryan	...	Bediliah, Nurse in Park (uncredited)
Anita Sharp-Bolster	...	Mrs. Cooper-Cooper (uncredited)
Gerald Oliver Smith	...	Smith, Van Cleve's Second Butler (uncredited)

Directed by
Ernst Lubitsch

Writing credits
Samson Raphaelson		(screenplay)
Leslie Bush-Fekete		(play "Birthday") (as Lazlo Bus-Fekete)

Produced by
Ernst Lubitsch	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Alfred Newman

Cinematography by
Edward Cronjager		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Dorothy Spencer

Art Direction by
James Basevi
Leland Fuller

Set Decoration by
Thomas Little

Costume Design by
René Hubert		(as Rene Hubert)

Makeup Department
Guy Pearce	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Henry Weinberger	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Walter M. Scott	....	associate set decorator

Sound Department
Eugene Grossman	....	sound
Roger Heman Sr.	....	sound (as Roger Heman)

Special Effects by
Fred Sersen	....	special photographic effects

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sam Benson	....	wardrobe supervisor (uncredited)

Other crew
Natalie Kalmus	....	technicolor director

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (presents) (as Twentieth Century - Fox)

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1943) (USA) (theatrical) (released through)
• CBS/Fox (1990) (USA) (VHS)
• Fox Video (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• Criterion Collection, The (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Fox Pathé Europa (2005) (France) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox (1946) (Germany) (theatrical) (as Films Fox-Europa)
• M.P.E.A. (1949) (Austria) (theatrical)
• CBS/Fox (????) (USA) (VHS) (laserdisc)

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.

Quotes:

Martha: I didn't want to be an old maid. Not in Kansas!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Film Geek (2005)

Soundtrack:

By the Light of the Silvery Moon

Exquisite Lubitsch's work

"Heaven Can Wait" lies among Ernst Lubitsch's best movies, and that's largely enough to ensure that it is a masterpiece.

It is the exquisite story of the women-devoted life of a never-repenting Casanova, from childhood through old age, death, and even after-death. We find Lubitsch's trade-mark elegant sense of humor, perfect timing, sharp intelligence. There is also a rather deep, though cheerful, representation of common, typical sides (faults, to say better) of a male character: shallow sentiments, selfish approach to a woman's true love, childish refuse to accept years passing.

The stars Don Ameche, Gene Tierney, Charles Coburn make a superb work. However, a main credit of the film is the cast of incredibly nice actors (willingly?) gathered by the director. The Devil himself (Laird Cregar) is likeable, with his perfect manners and friendly approach! We are unable to dislike even those shrewish old rich women, who pop out along the movie. It's impossible to give the deserved credit to all those wonderfully talented supporting actors. Let me mention the delightful butler Jasper (Clarence Muse), with his role of ambassador between Mr. and Mrs. Strabel.

To be personal, I'm very fond of "Heaven Can Wait", since it was my first encounter with Gene Tierney. When she appeared on the screen I couldn't believe my eyes: "Who, who, who is this girl? I'm dreaming or what? Does this girl actually exist?" Honestly, I felt dizzy for the remainder of the movie.

Only after repeated views of "Heaven Can Wait" I was able to distract my eyes from Gene, and fully appreciate the great merits of this magnificent, highly-recommended Lubitsch's masterpiece.