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Heaven Can Wait

Play trailer Poster for Heaven Can Wait 1943 1h 52m Fantasy Play Trailer Watchlist
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89% Tomatometer 18 Reviews 75% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Spoiled playboy Henry van Cleve (Don Ameche) dies and arrives at the entrance to Hell, a final destination he is sure he deserves after living a life of profligacy. The devil (Laird Cregar), however, isn't so sure Henry meets Hell's standards. Convinced he is where he belongs, Henry recounts his life's deeds, both good and bad, including an act of indiscretion during his 25-year marriage to his wife, Martha (Gene Tierney), with the hope that His Excellency will arrive at the proper judgment.
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Heaven Can Wait

Critics Reviews

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Joshua Rothkopf Time Out 06/16/2016
5/5
Count German expat Ernst Lubitsch among the directors whose films require a darkened theater and a willing audience to even work -- you just won't get him at home on your flatscreen. Go to Full Review
Chuck Wilson Village Voice 06/15/2016
Heaven Can Wait may be 73 years old, but it's vibrant and alive, and teaching us anew the central language of film. Go to Full Review
Variety Staff Variety 03/26/2009
... A smooth, appealing and highly commercial production. Lubitsch has endowed it with light, amusing sophistication and heart-warming nostalgia. Go to Full Review
Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand 03/08/2024
Ernst Lubitch’s first film in color is a gorgeous evocation of idealized Americana through three generations and a charming if meandering romantic comedy. Go to Full Review
Edward Porter Sunday Times (UK) 10/24/2022
... This comedy is quite audacious in its liberal idea of what virtue looks like. Go to Full Review
Matt Brunson Film Frenzy 06/07/2021
3.5/4
What begins as a sprightly comedy eventually turns into an affecting look at loneliness, ageism and mortality. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Russ G Dec 26 I scanned this to see if it would be entertaining but didn't see much that appealed. The usually glamorous Miss Tierney looks rather dowdy here and that would be my only reason for watching this all the way through. The humor, if you can call it that, is dated. The technical movie making looks OK but based on the snippets I saw especially the scenes of our protagonist's infancy I can't recommend this dinosaur of a film. See more Scott M Dec 23 Silly movie about what is considered a happy life I assume. Yes a happy marriage is a happy life. Yes having a happy child is a happy life. But the way they show it did not make me happy. Good acting by Don Ameche. See more bao s Jul 23 Beautiful pacing and story... Looks beautiful in high definition.. See more Marit Risto F Feb 21 Women are sent to Hell, because their legs have aged naturally 😱 They believe they have to marry, because they kiss 😵‍💫 Must have been before the dinosaurs died, no? Then the nanny is fired because the young man drank a glass of bubbly? The upper lip might have been way too stiff 😶 All the men look the same, and without subtitles I couldn't undressed what they actually did. Fell asleep too, because it was so boring. The "hero" took a tremendous amount of drugs, and died? But had a 24 years old girlfriend? What was she thinking? That he had money?! See more b v 06/29/2024 When it first starts out, it feels slightly dated perhaps, but once it gets going, I think it's actually quite a beautiful movie. It's not a 9 or a 10. I think it's a 7.5 or an 8.2 out of 10 depending on your frame of mind. Once I gave into the film, it was an 8.2 out of 10 for me. It's a bubble gum romance where, despite the occasional wandering of the husband, the wife forgives him and loves him - and obviously leaves with him with a tremendous feeling of guilt. Have a grilled cheese with some tomato soup, and then watch the movie without thinking too deeply about it. When it ends, you'll have a smile on your face. Then, you'll either go and cheat on your wife knowing she'll forgive you, or you'll think, man, they sure were lucky back in 1943, and then you'll go pick up your kids from soccer. : ) See more Alec B @Alec97 01/15/2024 The ending is a fairly obvious one but the rest of the movie is often operating on a more complex level than you might expect from this type of comedy. It's also very funny which doesn't hurt. See more Read all reviews
Heaven Can Wait

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Movie Info

Synopsis Spoiled playboy Henry van Cleve (Don Ameche) dies and arrives at the entrance to Hell, a final destination he is sure he deserves after living a life of profligacy. The devil (Laird Cregar), however, isn't so sure Henry meets Hell's standards. Convinced he is where he belongs, Henry recounts his life's deeds, both good and bad, including an act of indiscretion during his 25-year marriage to his wife, Martha (Gene Tierney), with the hope that His Excellency will arrive at the proper judgment.
Director
Ernst Lubitsch
Producer
Ernst Lubitsch
Screenwriter
Samson Raphaelson
Distributor
20th Century Fox
Production Co
Twentieth Century Fox
Genre
Fantasy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 11, 1943, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 1, 2012
Runtime
1h 52m
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