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ComedyRomanceFantasyDrama

Heaven Can Wait

- He believed in Love… Honor… and Obey – That Impulse!

Spoiled playboy Henry van Cleve dies and arrives at the entrance to Hell, a final destination he is sure he deserves after living a life of profligacy. The devil, 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, with the hope that "His Excellency" will arrive at the proper judgment.

Release Date : 1943-08-05

Language :EnglishFrench

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : 20th Century Fox

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Don Ameche

Character Name : Henry Van Cleve

Original Name : Don Ameche

Gender : Male

Gene Tierney

Character Name : Martha Strabel Van Cleve

Original Name : Gene Tierney

Gender : Female

Charles Coburn

Character Name : Hugo Van Cleve

Original Name : Charles Coburn

Gender : Male

Marjorie Main

Character Name : Mrs. Strabel

Original Name : Marjorie Main

Gender : Female

Laird Cregar

Character Name : His Excellency

Original Name : Laird Cregar

Gender : Male

Spring Byington

Character Name : Bertha Van Cleve

Original Name : Spring Byington

Gender : Female

Allyn Joslyn

Character Name : Albert Van Cleve

Original Name : Allyn Joslyn

Gender : Male

Eugene Pallette

Character Name : E.F. Strabel

Original Name : Eugene Pallette

Gender : Male

Signe Hasso

Character Name : Yvette ("Mademoiselle")

Original Name : Signe Hasso

Gender : Female

Louis Calhern

Character Name : Randolph Van Cleve

Original Name : Louis Calhern

Gender : Male

Helene Reynolds

Character Name : Peggy Nash

Original Name : Helene Reynolds

Gender : Female

Aubrey Mather

Character Name : James

Original Name : Aubrey Mather

Gender : Male

Tod Andrews

Character Name : Jack Van Cleve

Original Name : Tod Andrews

Gender : Male

Florence Bates

Character Name : Mrs. Edna Craig (uncredited)

Original Name : Florence Bates

Gender : Female

Scotty Beckett

Character Name : Henry Van Cleve - Age 9 (uncredited)

Original Name : Scotty Beckett

Gender : Male

Clara Blandick

Character Name : Grandmother Van Cleve (uncredited)

Original Name : Clara Blandick

Gender : Female

Leonard Carey

Character Name : Flogdell (uncredited)

Original Name : Leonard Carey

Gender : Male

James Conaty

Character Name : Man in Park with Top Hat (uncredited)

Original Name : James Conaty

Gender : Male

Jack Deery

Character Name : Party Guest (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack Deery

Gender : Male

Claire Du Brey

Character Name : Miss Ralston - Jack's Secretary (uncredited)

Original Name : Claire Du Brey

Gender : Female

Jay Eaton

Character Name : Book Store Clerk (uncredited)

Original Name : Jay Eaton

Gender : Male

James Flavin

Character Name : Policeman (uncredited)

Original Name : James Flavin

Gender : Male

Bess Flowers

Character Name : Party Guest (uncredited)

Original Name : Bess Flowers

Gender : Female

Gary Gray

Character Name : Boy in Park (uncredited)

Original Name : Gary Gray

Gender : Male

Alfred Hall

Character Name : Albert's Father (uncredited)

Original Name : Alfred Hall

Gender : Male

Grayce Hampton

Character Name : Albert's Mother (uncredited)

Original Name : Grayce Hampton

Gender : Female

Marlene Mains

Character Name : Mary - Age 9 (uncredited)

Original Name : Marlene Mains

Gender : Male

Trudy Marshall

Character Name : Jane Van Cleve - Jack's Wife (uncredited)

Original Name : Trudy Marshall

Gender : Female

Edwin Maxwell

Character Name : Doctor (uncredited)

Original Name : Edwin Maxwell

Gender : Male

Michael McLean

Character Name : Henry Van Cleve - as Baby (uncredited)

Original Name : Michael McLean

Gender : Male

Doris Merrick

Character Name : Nellie Brown - Registered Nurse (uncredited)

Original Name : Doris Merrick

Gender : Female

Harold Miller

Character Name : Party Guest (uncredited)

Original Name : Harold Miller

Gender : Male

Dickie Moore

Character Name : Henry Van Cleve - Age 15 (uncredited)

Original Name : Dickie Moore

Gender : Male

Bert Moorhouse

Character Name : Party Guest (uncredited)

Original Name : Bert Moorhouse

Gender : Male

Clarence Muse

Character Name : Jasper (uncredited)

Original Name : Clarence Muse

Gender : Male

Monty O'Grady

Character Name : Party Guest (uncredited)

Original Name : Monty O'Grady

Gender : Male

Anne O'Neal

Character Name : Day Nurse (uncredited)

Original Name : Anne O'Neal

Gender : Female

Gerald Pierce

Character Name : Elevator Operator (uncredited)

Original Name : Gerald Pierce

Gender : Male

Nino Pipitone Jr.

Character Name : Jack Van Cleve - as Child (uncredited)

Original Name : Nino Pipitone Jr.

Gender : Male

June Preston

Character Name : Jack Van Cleve daughter (age 13) (uncredited)

Original Name : June Preston

Gender : Female

Maureen Roden-Ryan

Character Name : Bediliah - Nurse in Park (uncredited)

Original Name : Maureen Roden-Ryan

Gender : Male

Anita Sharp-Bolster

Character Name : Mrs. Cooper-Cooper (uncredited)

Original Name : Anita Sharp-Bolster

Gender : Female

Gerald Oliver Smith

Character Name : Smith - Van Cleve's Second Butler (uncredited)

Original Name : Gerald Oliver Smith

Gender : Male

Reviews

C

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2024-12-22

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.