Not to be confused with the insipid 1978 fantasy-comedy starring Warren
Beatty of the same title, Heaven Can
Wait is a delightful Hollywood classic from the master of the
quick-fire romantic comedy, Ernst Lubitsch. The film, which is as
much a social satire as a rom-com, was based on the play Birthdays by the Hungarian
playwright Leslie Bush-Fekete, adapted by Lubitsch's frequent
collaborator, Samson Raphaelson.
The appealing colour photography and lavish set design make this
Lubitsch's most visually rewarding film, bringing a sumptuous elegance
which matches Lubitsch's faultless direction whilst heightening the
pleasure that comes from the crackling dialogue and thoroughly engaging
performances from lead actors Gene Tierney and Don Ameche. The
supporting cast also give great entertainment value, particularly
Eugene Pallette and Marjorie Main playing Mr and Mrs Strable, whose
marriage has deteriorated to the point where they can only communicate
via their Negro servant. The unflagging humour is delicately
balanced by some moments of genuine poignancy which effectively carry
the film's moral about the inconsequentiality of minor indiscretions
when set against the splendour and permanence of true love.
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Next Ernst Lubitsch film: Die Augen der Mumie Ma (1918)
Film Synopsis
After a life of dissolute pleasure-seeking, Henry Van Cleve considers
he has earned his place in Hell. But when he arrives in the
entrance hall to Satan's fiery domain, he encounters an imposing figure
who is less certain of his credentials. To convince the
diabolical receptionist that he does indeed deserve eternal damnation,
Henry begins to recount the story of his life. Ever since he was
a boy, he had a fatal attraction for the fair sex. On his 25th
birthday, he eloped with his cousin's fiancée Martha and for a
while was content with one woman. Although Martha was the most
perfect wife a man could hope for, Henry couldn't help himself from
straying up the path of temptation, into the arms of younger women...
Cast: Gene Tierney (Martha),
Don Ameche (Henry Van Cleve),
Charles Coburn (Hugo Van Cleve),
Marjorie Main (Mrs. Strable),
Laird Cregar (His Excellency),
Spring Byington (Bertha Van Cleve),
Allyn Joslyn (Albert Van Cleve),
Eugene Pallette (E.F. Strable),
Signe Hasso (Mademoiselle),
Louis Calhern (Randolph Van Cleve),
Helene Reynolds (Peggy Nash),
Aubrey Mather (James),
Tod Andrews (Jack Van Cleve),
Florence Bates (Mrs. Edna Craig),
Scotty Beckett (Henry Van Cleve, Age 9),
Clara Blandick (Grandmother Van Cleve),
Leonard Carey (Flogdell),
Dane Clark (Elevator Operator),
Claire Du Brey (Miss Ralston),
James Flavin (Policeman)
Country: USA
Language: English / French
Support: Color
Runtime: 112 min
The best French films of 2018
Our round-up of the best French films released in 2018.
In the 1920s French cinema was at its most varied and stylish - witness the achievements of Abel Gance, Marcel L'Herbier, Jean Epstein and Jacques Feyder.