Heaven Can Wait
Spoiled playboy Henry van Cleve dies and arrives at the gates of Hell, certain that the punishment he earns matches a lifetime of profligacy. The devil, however, questions whether Henry truly belongs in Hell. Confident he deserves judgment, Henry recounts the arc of his life, with its triumphs and transgressions, including an indiscretion during his 25-year marriage to his wife, Martha, as he hopes that 'His Excellency' will deliver the appropriate verdict.
Director(s)
Ernst Lubitsch
Henry Weinberger
Cast & Crew
Details
Reviews
CinemaSerf
I kept seeing Clifton Webb in the role of "Henry Van Cleve" here, but Don Ameche manages it well enough as he arrives in the waiting room "downstairs" for an interview with Laird Cregar. He thinks he has lived his successful life in such a fashion as to merit refusal up where Mozart and Beethoven still play, but his interviewer decides to let him tell his own story and that's where we come in. "Henry" comes from a wealthy New York family where he is expected to conform to society rules by his father "Randolph" (Louis Calhern) and mother "Bertha" (Spring Byington). Well suffice to say he doesn't ever really want to play that game, but nobody quite expects him to pinch his cousin's bride-to-be "Martha" (Gene Tierney) just as they get engaged. What now ensues sees the couple's trials and tribulations as they bring up their own son "Jack" with the assistance of their grandpa "Hugo" (Charles Coburn) before sadness tinges his life. At the start we all make assumptions about "Henry", but gradually we realise that he's actually quite a decent cove whose instinctive behaviour is refreshing amongst the formality and pseudo-snobbishness of a society that's long since forgotten it's own shoot from the hip roots. Coburn is on good form, Eugene Palette - and his instantly recognisable tones - turns in a few fun cameos as her father and though maybe a bit long, it tells us a story of true love in a gently amiable, quite personable fashion that allows the chemistry between Ameche and Tierney to gently simmer.
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Heaven Can Wait FAQs
The directors of Heaven Can Wait are Ernst Lubitsch and Henry Weinberger.
The cast of Heaven Can Wait includes Clara Blandick as Grandmother Van Cleve (uncredited), Gerald Pierce as Elevator Operator (uncredited), Charles Coburn as Hugo Van Cleve, James Conaty as Man in Park with Top Hat (uncredited), Harold Miller as Party Guest (uncredited), Bert Moorhouse as Party Guest (uncredited), Don Ameche as Henry Van Cleve, Trudy Marshall as Jane Van Cleve - Jack's Wife (uncredited), Jack Deery as Party Guest (uncredited), Monty O'Grady as Party Guest (uncredited), Bess Flowers as Party Guest (uncredited), Edwin Maxwell as Doctor (uncredited), and more.
The duration of Heaven Can Wait is 1h 52 mins.
Yes. You can watch the Heaven Can Wait trailer on this Fanbiz page on Fanziz.
Heaven Can Wait was released on 05 Aug 1943.
Heaven Can Wait is listed under Comedy, Romance, Fantasy, and Drama on Fanbiz.
Heaven Can Wait has 1 review on Fanziz, with an average rating of 7.0/10. One reviewer wrote: "I kept seeing Clifton Webb in the role of "Henry Van Cleve" here, but Don Ameche manages it well enough as he arrives in the waiting room "downstairs" for an interview with Lair..."
