Heaven Can Wait (1978)

Directors:

Warren Beatty
Buck Henry

Writers:

Harry Segall (play)
Elaine May (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

28 June 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy | Romance | Sport

Plot:

A Los Angeles Rams quarterback, accidentally taken away from his body by an over-anxious angel before he was supposed to die, comes back to life in the body of a recently-murdered millionaire.

Plot Keywords:

Quarterback | Heaven | Millionaire | Angel | Death

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 8 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Warren Beatty	...	Joe Pendleton
Julie Christie	...	Betty Logan
James Mason	...	Mr. Jordan
Jack Warden	...	Max Corkle
Charles Grodin	...	Tony Abbott
Dyan Cannon	...	Julia Farnsworth
Buck Henry	...	The Escort
Vincent Gardenia	...	Det. Lt. Krim
Joseph Maher	...	Sisk
Hamilton Camp	...	Bentley
Arthur Malet	...	Everett
Stephanie Faracy	...	Corinne
Jeannie Linero	...	Lavinia
Harry D.K. Wong	...	Gardener
George J. Manos	...	Security guard
Larry Block	...	Peters
Frank Campanella	...	Conway
Bill Sorrells	...	Tomarken
Dick Enberg	...	TV interviewer
Dolph Sweet	...	Head coach
R.G. Armstrong	...	General manager
Ed Peck	...	Trainer (as Ed V. Peck)
John Randolph	...	Former owner
Richard O'Brien	...	Advisor to former owner
Joseph F. Makel	...	Haitian ambassador
Will Hare	...	Team doctor
Lee Weaver	...	Way station attendant
Roger Bowen	...	Newspaperman
Keene Curtis	...	Oppenheim
William Larsen	...	Renfield
Morgan Farley	...	Middleton
William Bogert	...	Lawson
Robert E. Leonard	...	Board member
Joel Marston	...	Board member
Earl Montgomery	...	Board member
Robert C. Stevens	...	Board member
Bernie Massa	...	Coliseum security guard
Peter Tomarken	...	Reporter
William Sylvester	...	Nuclear reporter
Lisa Blake Richards	...	Woman reporter
Charlie Charles	...	Highwire performer
Nick Outin	...	Chauffeur
Jerry Scanlan	...	Hodges
Jim Boeke	...	Kowalsky
Marvin Fleming	...	Gudnitz
Deacon Jones	...	Gorman
Les Josephson	...	Owens
Jack T. Snow	...	Cassidy
Curt Gowdy	...	TV commentator
Al DeRogatis	...	TV color analyst
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Allison Caine	...	Additional voices (voice) (uncredited)
Joe Corolla	...	Football player (uncredited)
Charlie Cowan	...	Football player (uncredited)
Garrett Craig	...	Swimmer (uncredited)
Paul D'Amato	...	Swimmer's friend (uncredited)
Robert Fortier	...	Wealthy man in restaurant (uncredited)
Bryant Gumbel	...	TV sportscaster (uncredited)
Jim Healy	...	TV sportscaster (uncredited)
Chick Hearn	...	Radio announcer (uncredited)
Elliott Reid	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Byron Webster	...	Waiter (uncredited)

Directed by
Warren Beatty
Buck Henry

Writing credits
Harry Segall		(play)
Elaine May		(screenplay) and
Warren Beatty		(screenplay)
Robert Towne		uncredited

Produced by
Warren Beatty	....	producer
Hawk Koch	....	executive producer (as Howard W. Koch Jr.)
Charles H. Maguire	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Dave Grusin

Cinematography by
William A. Fraker

Film Editing by
Robert C. Jones
Don Zimmerman

Casting by
Patricia Mock		(as Pat Mock)

Production Design by
Paul Sylbert

Art Direction by
Edwin O'Donovan

Set Decoration by
George Gaines

Costume Design by
Richard Bruno

Makeup Department
Lynda Gurasich	....	hair stylist
Lee Harman	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Charles H. Maguire	....	unit production manager
Lindsley Parsons Jr.	....	executive production manager: Paramount (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Craig Huston	....	second assistant director
Hawk Koch	....	assistant director (as Howard W. Koch Jr.)

Art Department
Alan Levine	....	property master (as Allan Levine)
Ralph Votaw	....	labor foreman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Richard Oswald	....	sound effects editor
Tom Overton	....	sound mixer (as Tommy Overton)
John Wilkinson	....	sound re-recording mixer (as John K. Wilkinson)
Ken Dufva	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Robert MacDonald	....	special effects
Ken Speed	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)

Stunts
Craig R. Baxley	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)
Craig R. Baxley	....	stunt double: Warren Beatty (uncredited)
David Sharpe	....	stunts: van driver (uncredited)
Dick Ziker	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Arthur Brooker	....	key grip (as Art Brooker)
Nick McLean	....	camera operator
Doug Pentek	....	gaffer
Peter Sorel	....	still photographer
Robert Samuels	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)
Richard Walden	....	additional first assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Arlene Encell	....	costumer: women
Michael W. Hoffman	....	costumer: men (as Mike Hoffman)
Theadora Van Runkle	....	costumes: Julie Christie and Dyan Cannon

Editorial Department
Elyane Bretherton	....	assistant editor
Battle Davis	....	assistant editor (as T. Battle Davis)

Music Department
Milton Lustig	....	music editor

Transportation Department
James Davis	....	transportation (as Jim Davis)

Other crew
Sam Bernstein	....	production accountant
Helen L. Feibelmann	....	assistant: Mr. Beatty (as Helen Feibelmann)
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	titles
Karen Hale Wookey	....	script supervisor (as Karen Wookey)
Les Josephson	....	technical consultant
David Leigh MacLeod	....	administrative associate (as David L. McLeod)
Frank O'Neill	....	technical consultant

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures
• Shelburne Associates

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1978) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1983) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (video)
• Paramount Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)

Other Companies

• Sportsrobe  costumes

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Canada:PG (Ontario) | South Korea:15 | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | Iceland:L | Norway:11 | Norway:12 (1978) | Singapore:PG | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Exposition Park, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

In this movie the Rams play the Steelers in the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl in the season following this movie's release featured the Steelers against the Rams.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Max carries in Joe's birthday cake, the candle is lit, but the flame slowly goes out. In the next shot, the candle is lit again.

Quotes:

Mr. Jordan: He's been drugged by those two downstairs. This is a murder. See how he's slowly sliding into the water?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "NYPD Blue: Heavin' Can Wait (#3.4)" (1995)

Soundtrack:

Sonata No 3

a romantic classic.

I remember as a kid, I loved this movie. I had seen it in the theatre and liked it so much I saw it again! I think the appeal here is the same as in many of these types of films-it's a sweet whimsical fairytale of a movie that is pure entertainment but manages to be lovely without being corny at the same time.

There aren't to many movies like this around now. Of coarse, not having seen this since I was a child who knows whether I'd still be such a fan but at that time, I wept buckets and since it was one of the first films that I saw that stuck with me, I have fond memories of it.

People shouldn't put this movie down for realism or not having realism etc. It's a fantasy type movie. It's the type of movie you know your wtavhing a movie while you watch it but you cry anyway! I don't think this movie can be dismissed as being lightweight or unimportant. Where would film be without romance? This is up there in that category and many I know feel the same. It's a breath of fresh air and should be seen by anyone who likes warm sentimental (yeah OK sappy!!) movies!