Heaven Can Wait (1943)

An old roué arrives in Hades to review his life with Satan, who will rule on his eligibility to enter the Underworld.

Director:

Ernst Lubitsch

Writers:

Samson Raphaelson (screenplay), Leslie Bush-Fekete (play) (as Lazlo Bus-Fekete)

Stars:

Gene Tierney, Don Ameche, Charles Coburn

Nominated for 3 Oscars.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Gene Tierney	...	Martha Strabel Van Cleve
Don Ameche	...	Henry Van Cleve
Charles Coburn	...	Hugo Van Cleve
Marjorie Main	...	Mrs. Strabel
Laird Cregar	...	His Excellency
Spring Byington	...	Bertha Van Cleve
Allyn Joslyn	...	Albert Van Cleve
Eugene Pallette	...	E.F. Strabel
Signe Hasso	...	Mademoiselle
Louis Calhern	...	Randolph Van Cleve
Helene Reynolds	...	Peggy Nash
Aubrey Mather	...	James
Tod Andrews	...	Jack Van Cleve (as Michael Ames)

Storyline

Henry Van Cleve presents himself at the gates of Hell only to find he is closely vetted on his qualifications for entry. Surprised there is any question on his suitability, he recounts his lively life and the women he has known from his mother onwards, but mainly concentrating on his happy but sometimes difficult twenty-five years of marriage to Martha.

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Plot Keywords:

comics | hell | money | hades | birthday | 

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Taglines:

He believed in Love . . . Honor . . . and Obey - That Impulse!

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

13 August 1943 (USA)

Also Known As:

El diablo dijo no

Filming Locations:

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

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Gene Tierney recalled that during production, "Lubitsch was a tyrant on the set, the most demanding of directors. After one scene, which took from noon until five to get, I was almost in tears from listening to Lubitsch shout at me. The next day I sought him out, looked him in the eye, and said, 'Mr. Lubitsch, I'm willing to do my best but I just can't go on working on this picture if you're going to keep shouting at me.' 'I'm paid to shout at you', he bellowed. 'Yes', I said, 'and I'm paid to take it - but not enough.' After a tense pause, Lubitsch broke out laughing. From then on we got along famously." (From Gene Tierney's autobiography 'Self-Portrait'.)

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Goofs

When Henry first notices Martha in the department store at the telephones, a shadow of the camera rig falls across Martha as the scene and camera slides from right to left across the partition between the telephones.

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Quotes

Bertha Van Cleve: And when I find a girl for you, she'll be Miss Right. And you know where we'll find her? In the home of Mr. & Mrs. Right.

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Connections

Referenced in Gossip Girl: New Haven Can Wait (2008)

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Soundtracks

Ta-ra-ra Boom-der-é
(uncredited)
Written by Henry J. Sayers
Played when Young Henry tells his mother the six dollars is worth it

User Reviews

Any other director would destroy this.

Ernst Lubitsch, the great European director who immigrated to America and changed movies for the better shows his true light touch in this very original yet very charming story about one man's life and the changes and problems he faces. Don Ameche is perfect as the lead character, Henry Van Cleeves, a man spoiled rotten as a child but grows up and learns many things, mostly from his beautiful wife Martha, played by Gene Tiereny. However, the best role goes to Charles Coburn who plays the rough, frank, outspoken yet lovable grandfather who sympathizes with Henry and strives to make his life better.

The kind of material here could have been used to make an epic story on the level of films like Gone With the Wind or Giant. Nevertheless, we see Henry's life in full motion, always moving ahead even when he is helpless to stop it. And Lubitsch's touch has never been more prominent, taking some scenes any other director would have made disturbing or unsettling and giving them a witty and comical feeling. It's a shame Lubitsch died so early or else we could have gotten more of these classic and moving stories.