7.6/10
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59 user 49 critic

Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941)

Not Rated | | Comedy, Fantasy, Romance | 21 August 1941 (USA)
Trailer
1:38 | Trailer
Boxer Joe Pendleton dies 50 years too soon due to a heavenly mistake, and is given a new life as a millionaire playboy.

Director:

Alexander Hall

Writers:

Sidney Buchman (screen play), Seton I. Miller (screen play) | 1 more credit »
Reviews
Won 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 6 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Complete credited cast:
Robert Montgomery ... Joe Pendleton
Evelyn Keyes ... Bette Logan
Claude Rains ... Mr. Jordan
Rita Johnson ... Julia Farnsworth
Edward Everett Horton ... Messenger 7013
James Gleason ... Max Corkle
John Emery ... Tony Abbott
Donald MacBride ... Inspector Williams
Don Costello ... Lefty
Halliwell Hobbes ... Sisk
Benny Rubin ... Bugs
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Storyline

Boxer Joe Pendleton, flying to his next fight, crashes...because a Heavenly Messenger, new on the job, snatched Joe's spirit prematurely from his body. Before the matter can be rectified, Joe's body is cremated; so the celestial Mr. Jordan grants him the use of the body of wealthy Bruce Farnsworth, who's just been murdered by his wife. Joe tries to remake Farnsworth's unworthy life in his own clean-cut image, but then falls in love; and what about that murderous wife? Written by Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

A picture different from anything ever screened before! See more »


Certificate:

Not Rated | See all certifications »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Minor adjustments had to be made to the screenplay as the Breen Office objected to any suggestion of predestination. See more »

Goofs

Just before Joe Pendleton and the messenger arrive at Joe's apartment, looking for his body, they pass a woman coming from the other direction. She moves her shoulder back and to the left to let Joe pass and also steals a quick glance at him. According to the messenger's comments just a moment later, neither he nor Joe can be seen or heard, so the woman should not have moved to let them pass or noticed them at all. See more »

Quotes

Joe Pendleton: [Joe and Mr. Jordan are looking for a body for Joe to inhabit] You can't palm off a second-rater on me. You gotta remember I was in the pink!
Mr. Jordan: That is becoming a most obnoxious color, Joe.
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Connections

Featured in Sports on the Silver Screen (1997) See more »

Soundtracks

The Last Rose of Summer
(1808) (uncredited)
Music: traditional Irish melodies
Played often on saxophone by Robert Montgomery (probably dubbed)
Played also in the score
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User Reviews

 
Charming comedy/fantasy
20 February 2004 | by preppy-3See all my reviews

Boxer Joe Pendleton (Robert Montgomery) is all set to fight to become the Champion. Unfortunately he's in a plane crash and a collector (Edward Everett Horton) "takes" his soul to Heaven. But the collector acted too quickly...Joe WASN'T supposed to die! The Head Collector Mr. Jordan (Claude Rains) gets him the temporary body of Bruce Farnsworth--whose wife and secretary are trying to kill. And he falls in love with Bette Logan (Evelyn Keyes). How long will he be in Farnsworth---and will he want to leave and will he live?

I caught this on TV when I was a kid in the 1970s. I loved it! Soon after I saw the lousy 1978 remake "Heaven Can Wait" with Warren Beatty as Pendleton (he's no Montgomery). I just saw it again and I still love it!

The plot is pretty silly but the whole film is done with a very light touch and the cast pulls it off. Nobody seems to be taking it too seriously (which is good). Montgomery is very good in his role--if a little too over the top at times. Keyes is sweet and charming--she does wonders with the "good girl" role. Horton is very funny as one of the collectors and Rains is just fantastic as Mr. Jordan--a perfectly done performance (no surprise coming from Rains). More screen time with Jordan could have helped. But as it is it's just very good. I'm only giving it an 8--it's funny...but not enough. The jokes made me smile once in a while, but that's about it. A huge hit in it's day.

This (understandably) won two Academy Awards for Best Story and Screenplay. It was nominated for Best Picture, Actor, Supporting Actor, Director and Cinematography.

Worth seeing.


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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 August 1941 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

Heaven Can Wait See more »

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures See more »
Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1
See full technical specs »

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