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 | Marriage | Hades | Jealousy | Birthday

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 15 (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	...	Nellie Brown - Registered Nurse (uncredited)
Dickie Moore	...	Henry Van Cleve - Age 15 (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
Cyril J. Mockridge		(uncredited)

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)

Editorial Department
Lyman Hallowell	....	apprentice editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Hugo Friedhofer	....	music supervisor (uncredited)
Alfred Newman	....	musical director (uncredited)
Edward B. Powell	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Natalie Kalmus	....	Technicolor director
Georges Jomier	....	diction instructor (uncredited)

Production Companies

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

Distributors

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

Also Known As:

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

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

Filming Locations:

Stage 3, 20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Henry Van Cleve (Don Ameche) was born on October 25, 1872 and died on October 26, 1942, one day after his 70th birthday.

Goofs:

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

Quotes:

Henry Van Cleve:[voiceover] Here was a girl lying to her mother. Naturally that girl interested me at once.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Up (2009)

Soundtrack:

The Sheik of Araby

very funny

This movie shows how wonderful films were back in the 1940's. Heaven Can Wait is a delightful and very funny romantic comedy about a man who retells his life to see if he belongs in heaven or hell.

Don Ameche, as Henry, shows again that he may have been the most underrated actor of his time. Charles Coburn, as Grandfather, is hilarious. Gene Tierney as always is beautiful as always, in my opinion the most beautiful woman in film.

Romantic comedies today are not made like this . You actually get a feeling that this relationship is real and can actually happen. Todays romantic comedies seem so contrived. If u want to spend two hours and laugh, cry and just have a great time, watch Heaven Can Wait.