Made in Heaven (1987)

After being dumped by his girlfriend, a boy runs away to California. But he ends up in heaven because he dies after trying to help a family from drowning in a river. In heaven he'll meet a beautiful girl, who has never reincarnated before.

Director:

Alan Rudolph

Writers:

Bruce A. Evans, Raynold Gideon

Stars:

Timothy Hutton, Kelly McGillis, Maureen Stapleton

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Timothy Hutton	...	Mike Shea / Elmo Barnett
Kelly McGillis	...	Annie Packert / Ally Chandler
Maureen Stapleton	...	Aunt Lisa
Ann Wedgeworth	...	Annette Shea
James Gammon	...	Steve Shea
Mare Winningham	...	Brenda Carlucci
Don Murray	...	Ben Chandler
Tim Daly	...	Tom Donnelly (as Timothy Daly)
David Rasche	...	Donald Sumner
Amanda Plummer	...	Wiley Foxx
Willard E. Pugh	...	Guy Blanchard / Brian Dutton (as Willard Pugh)
Vyto Ruginis	...	Lyman McCray
Neil Young	...	Truck Driver
Tom Petty	...	Stanky
Ric Ocasek	...	Shark

Storyline

In 1952 while driving to California to start his life anew, twenty-something Mike Shea accidentally dies while doing a heroic act. Despite floundering in his life - he was having troubles holding a steady job and his supposed girlfriend was about to marry someone else - he was not ready to leave the living. In heaven, he learns that despite it being a fantastical other world existence, he still has human emotions, such as romantic love, which he feels for a "new" soul he meets named Annie Packert (i.e. she has never been among the living on Earth), who in turn loves him. He also learns that one's next life is somewhat predetermined by their stay in heaven. So when Annie is sent to Earth for her first go around as a human, Mike pleads with the man in charge at heaven, Emmett Humbird, to locate him in his next human life at least in the same country so that he can find Annie. Emmett reluctantly agrees, but only gives Mike thirty years in his next life to find her. Those next lives of ...

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Plot Keywords:

heaven | love | angel | afterlife | actress playing male role | 

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Taglines:

How in Heaven did they meet? How on Earth will they find each other?

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Genres:

Comedy | Fantasy | Romance

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 November 1987 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hecho en el cielo

Filming Locations:

Georgia, USA

Box Office

Gross:

$4,572,845 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lorimar Motion Pictures

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Neil Young has a cameo as a truck driver. In the scene where Mike/Elmo is sitting on the side of the road, Neil pulls up in a large truck, asks him where he's going, and then says, "Well, you don't know where you're going, it don't matter what road you take". A slightly different version of those words appear in the song "We Never Danced" which plays near the end of the movie and is sung by Martha Davis of The Motels. The song was written by Neil Young and his own version appears on his 1987 album "Life".

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Goofs

When Ally is being picked up from jail by her father, a sign on the wall reads "SEARCH YOUR PRISONER THOROUHGLY"

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Quotes

Emmett: Remember Heaven, Elmo? All you have to do is think about where you want to be and you're there.

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Crazy Credits

Coincidentally or not Emmett in the Hebrew language means 'Truth'. Seems very appropriate for the lead Angel of the movie to be thus named.

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Connections

Referenced in What Dreams May Come (1998)

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Soundtracks

We've Never Danced
Words & Music by Neil Young
Performed by Martha Davis
Courtesy of Capitol Records
Produced by Richie Zito
©1987 Silver Fiddle Music and Marilor Music / ASCAP

User Reviews

This is one of my all-time favorites!

This movie ranks up there with all those that can be watched time and time again and they never seem to get old or boring. I love this movie and recommend it to everyone.