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Heaven Can Wait

  • 19431943
  • PassedPassed
  • 1h 52m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
11K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Gene Tierney, Don Ameche, Charles Coburn, Laird Cregar, and Marjorie Main in 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.
Play trailer2:19
1 Video
53 Photos
  • Comedy
  • Drama
  • Fantasy

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

IMDb RATING
7.4/10
11K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Ernst Lubitsch
  • Writers
    • Samson Raphaelson(screenplay)
    • Leslie Bush-Fekete(play "Birthday")
  • Stars
    • Gene Tierney
    • Don Ameche
    • Charles Coburn
Top credits
  • Director
    • Ernst Lubitsch
  • Writers
    • Samson Raphaelson(screenplay)
    • Leslie Bush-Fekete(play "Birthday")
  • Stars
    • Gene Tierney
    • Don Ameche
    • Charles Coburn
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 85User reviews
    • 54Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 3 Oscars
      • 2 wins & 3 nominations total

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:19
    Official Trailer

    Photos53

    Laird Cregar in Heaven Can Wait (1943)
    Gene Tierney and Don Ameche in Heaven Can Wait (1943)
    Don Ameche and Laird Cregar in Heaven Can Wait (1943)
    Gene Tierney and Don Ameche in Heaven Can Wait (1943)
    Ernst Lubitsch in Heaven Can Wait (1943)
    Gene Tierney, Don Ameche, and Charles Coburn in Heaven Can Wait (1943)
    Gene Tierney, Don Ameche, and Charles Coburn in Heaven Can Wait (1943)
    Gene Tierney and Allyn Joslyn in Heaven Can Wait (1943)
    Gene Tierney in Heaven Can Wait (1943)
    Gene Tierney in Heaven Can Wait (1943)
    Helene Reynolds in Heaven Can Wait (1943)
    Marjorie Main in Heaven Can Wait (1943)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Gene Tierney
    Gene Tierney
    • Martha Strabel Van Cleveas Martha Strabel Van Cleve
    Don Ameche
    Don Ameche
    • Henry Van Cleveas Henry Van Cleve
    Charles Coburn
    Charles Coburn
    • Hugo Van Cleveas Hugo Van Cleve
    Marjorie Main
    Marjorie Main
    • Mrs. Strabelas Mrs. Strabel
    Laird Cregar
    Laird Cregar
    • His Excellencyas His Excellency
    Spring Byington
    Spring Byington
    • Bertha Van Cleveas Bertha Van Cleve
    Allyn Joslyn
    Allyn Joslyn
    • Albert Van Cleveas Albert Van Cleve
    Eugene Pallette
    Eugene Pallette
    • E.F. Strabelas E.F. Strabel
    Signe Hasso
    Signe Hasso
    • Mademoiselleas Mademoiselle
    Louis Calhern
    Louis Calhern
    • Randolph Van Cleveas Randolph Van Cleve
    Helene Reynolds
    Helene Reynolds
    • Peggy Nashas Peggy Nash
    Aubrey Mather
    Aubrey Mather
    • Jamesas James
    Tod Andrews
    Tod Andrews
    • Jack Van Cleveas Jack Van Cleve
    • (as Michael Ames)
    Florence Bates
    Florence Bates
    • Mrs. Edna Craigas Mrs. Edna Craig
    • (uncredited)
    Scotty Beckett
    Scotty Beckett
    • Henry Van Cleve - Age 9as Henry Van Cleve - Age 9
    • (uncredited)
    Clara Blandick
    Clara Blandick
    • Grandmother Van Cleveas Grandmother Van Cleve
    • (uncredited)
    Leonard Carey
    Leonard Carey
    • Flogdell - Van Cleve's First Butleras Flogdell - Van Cleve's First Butler
    • (uncredited)
    James Conaty
    • Man in Park with Top Hatas Man in Park with Top Hat
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Ernst Lubitsch
    • Writers
      • Samson Raphaelson(screenplay)
      • Leslie Bush-Fekete(play "Birthday")
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit
    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. —Jeremy Perkins {J-26}
    • comics
    • water poured over someone's head
    • hades the underworld
    • reference to muhammad
    • male police officer
    • 205 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • He believed in Love . . . Honor . . . and Obey - That Impulse!
    • Genres
      • Comedy
      • Drama
      • Fantasy
      • Romance
    • Certificate
      • Passed
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      In a 1983 interview, "A Conversation with Don Ameche", Don Ameche said this movie was his favorite of all the films he worked on.
    • Goofs
      In the breakfast scene just before Martha (Gene 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

      Mademoiselle: In your papa's time, papa kiss mama and zen marry. But this is 1887! Time of bicycle, the typewriter est arrive, soon everybody speak over ze telephone, and people have new idea of value of kiss. What was bad yesterday is lot of fun today. There is a wonderful saying in France: "Les baisers sont comme des bonbons qu'on mange parce qu'ils sont bons." This mean: "Kiss is like candy. You eat candy only for the beautiful taste, and this is enough reason to eat candy."

      Henry Van Cleve: You mean I can kiss a girl once...

      Mademoiselle: Ten times! Twenty times! And no obligation.

    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Schindler's List/Geronimo: An American Legend/Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit/Wayne's World 2/Six Degrees of Separation (1993)
    • Soundtracks
      By the Light of the Silvery Moon
      (uncredited)

      Music by Gus Edwards

      Played during the opening credits and often in the score

    User reviews85

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    Exquisite Lubitsch's work
    "Heaven Can Wait" lies among Ernst Lubitsch's best movies, and that's largely enough to ensure that it is a masterpiece.

    It is the exquisite story of the women-devoted life of a never-repenting Casanova, from childhood through old age, death, and even after-death. We find Lubitsch's trade-mark elegant sense of humor, perfect timing, sharp intelligence. There is also a rather deep, though cheerful, representation of common, typical sides (faults, to say better) of a male character: shallow sentiments, selfish approach to a woman's true love, childish refuse to accept years passing.

    The stars Don Ameche, Gene Tierney, Charles Coburn make a superb work. However, a main credit of the film is the cast of incredibly nice actors (willingly?) gathered by the director. The Devil himself (Laird Cregar) is likeable, with his perfect manners and friendly approach! We are unable to dislike even those shrewish old rich women, who pop out along the movie. It's impossible to give the deserved credit to all those wonderfully talented supporting actors. Let me mention the delightful butler Jasper (Clarence Muse), with his role of ambassador between Mr. and Mrs. Strabel.

    To be personal, I'm very fond of "Heaven Can Wait", since it was my first encounter with Gene Tierney. When she appeared on the screen I couldn't believe my eyes: "Who, who, who is this girl? I'm dreaming or what? Does this girl actually exist?" Honestly, I felt dizzy for the remainder of the movie.

    Only after repeated views of "Heaven Can Wait" I was able to distract my eyes from Gene, and fully appreciate the great merits of this magnificent, highly-recommended Lubitsch's masterpiece.
    helpful•72
    16
    • pzanardo
    • Jan 11, 2001

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 13, 1943 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Ein himmlischer Sünder
    • Filming locations
      • Stage 3, 20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Twentieth Century Fox
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 52 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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