Synopsis
Deceased turn-of-the-century playboy Henry Van Cleve (Don Ameche) presents himself to the outer offices of Hades, where he asks a bemused Satan for permission to enter the gates of hell. Though the devil doubts that Henry’s sins qualify him for eternal damnation, Henry proceeds to recount a lifetime of wooing and pursuing women, his long, happy marriage to Martha (Gene Tierney) notwithstanding. Ernst Lubitsch’s Heaven Can Wait, nominated for Academy Awards for best picture and director, is an enduring classic that showcases his trademark blend of wit, urbanity, and grace.
Cast
| Henry Van Cleve | Don Ameche |
| Martha | Gene Tierney |
| Hugo Van Cleve | Charles Coburn |
| Mrs. Strable | Marjorie Main |
| His Excellency | Laird Cregar |
| Bertha Van Cleve | Spring Byington |
| Albert Van Cleve | Allyn Joslyn |
| E. F. Strable | Eugene Pallette |
| Mademoiselle | Signe Hasso |
| Rudolph Van Cleve | Louis Calhern |
| Peggy Nash | Helene Reynolds |
| James | Aubrey Mather |
Credits
| Director | Ernst Lubitsch |
| Screenplay | Samson Raphaelson |
| Based on a play by | Lazlo Bus-Fekete |
| Cinematography | Edward Cronjager |
| Technicolor director | Natalie Kalmus |
| Music | Alfred Newman |
| Editing | Dorothy Spencer, James Basevi and Leland Fuller |
| Set decoration | Thomas Little and Walter M. Scott |
| Costumes | René Hubert |
Disc Features
- New, restored high-definition digital transfer
- New video conversation between film critics Molly Haskell and Andrew Sarris
- Creativity with Bill Moyers: A Portrait of Samson Raphaelson (1982), a 30-minute program exploring the screenwriter’s life and career
- Audio seminar with Raphaelson and film critic Richard Corliss recorded at the Museum of Modern Art in 1977
- Lubitsch home piano recordings
- Original theatrical trailer
- A new essay by film scholar William Paul
- English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
From the Current
Heaven Can Wait
by Jun 13, 2005Ernst Lubitsch was a big-city director. The historical dramas that he made in Germany in the late teens and early twenties were known around the world for their distinctively urbane approach, focusing on the private lives of public people. This was historical drama set free from its usual heaviness...
Related Films
The Auteurs Forum
Displaying 0 discussion topics.
