{"id":17024,"date":"2011-05-18T20:44:25","date_gmt":"2011-05-19T03:44:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=17024"},"modified":"2022-02-01T00:23:21","modified_gmt":"2022-02-01T07:23:21","slug":"heaven-can-wait-1943","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=17024","title":{"rendered":"Heaven Can Wait (1943)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;I can safely say that my whole life was one continuous misdemeanor.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Poster-201x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"201\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-17025\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Poster-201x300.jpg 201w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Poster-85x128.jpg 85w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Poster.jpg 506w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 201px) 100vw, 201px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nA recently deceased man (Don Ameche) reflects on his womanizing past and troubled marriage to a beautiful midwestern girl (Gene Tierney), as he tries to convince the Devil (Laird Cregar) that he belongs in Hell.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Charles Coburn Films<\/li>\n<li>Death and Dying<\/li>\n<li>Don Ameche Films<\/li>\n<li>Ernst Lubitsch Films<\/li>\n<li>Fantasy<\/li>\n<li>Flashback Films<\/li>\n<li>Gene Tierney Films<\/li>\n<li>Historical Drama<\/li>\n<li>Laird Cregar Films<\/li>\n<li>Louis Calhern Films<\/li>\n<li>Marital Problems<\/li>\n<li>Play Adaptations<\/li>\n<li>Womanizers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary\u2019s Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nCritics remain divided about this late-career outing by Ernst Lubitsch, a film which Peary refers to as &#8220;an immensely enjoyable comedy of manners&#8221;. He notes that, &#8220;with the exception of one early scene&#8221;, it&#8217;s a &#8220;rare Lubitsch film in which the characters don&#8217;t take turns successfully <em>deceiving<\/em> one another into believing they&#8217;re someone they&#8217;re not&#8221; &#8212; yet, ironically, it&#8217;s about a &#8220;<em>self-deluded<\/em> man&#8221; trying (unsuccessfully) to convince the Devil (a perfectly cast yet underused Cregar) that he&#8217;s &#8220;sinned so much in his life playing Casanova that he qualifie[s] for entrance into Hades&#8221;. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Cregar2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Cregar2-1024x762.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"476\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-67272\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Cregar2-1024x762.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Cregar2-300x223.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Cregar2-128x95.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Cregar2-768x572.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Cregar2-363x270.png 363w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Cregar2.png 1377w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Peary argues that while the &#8220;film is a bit too long&#8221;, &#8220;its rewards are plenty&#8221;: in addition to its &#8220;superb&#8221; acting, he calls out the &#8220;consistently splendid dialogue by Samson Raphaelson&#8221;, noting that &#8220;every time anyone says anything, you&#8217;ll think that&#8217;s exactly what should have been said&#8221;. He cites a number of &#8220;wonderfully written, beautifully played two-character scenes&#8221;, and notes that, &#8220;this being Lubitsch&#8217;s first color film, much attention was paid to period detail and art design&#8221;. <\/p>\n<p>Interestingly, the film&#8217;s flashback structure &#8212; beginning and ending in a remarkably tasteful Art Deco Hell &#8212; wasn&#8217;t part of the original play upon which the film is based (<em>Birthday<\/em>, by Leslie Bush-Fekete); yet it firmly grounds this episodic story as the reflective tale of a man who feels deeply guilty for not being more faithful to his gorgeous, loyal wife (Tierney, truly stunning in Technicolor turn-of-the-century outfits). <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Tierney-Gowns.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Tierney-Gowns-1024x769.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"481\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-67271\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Tierney-Gowns-1024x769.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Tierney-Gowns-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Tierney-Gowns-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Tierney-Gowns-768x577.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Tierney-Gowns-360x270.png 360w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Tierney-Gowns.png 1373w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Ironically, it&#8217;s this very premise (Ameche&#8217;s enduring playboy lifestyle) that&#8217;s somewhat lacking in the film&#8217;s screenplay &#8212; perhaps to strategic effect. One&#8217;s first reaction while watching this film is, &#8220;Hey! When are we going to see some <em>evidence<\/em> of Ameche&#8217;s supposed Casanova ways?&#8221;, given that other than his nicely handled wooing of Tierney &#8212; and a later seduction scene with a young chorus girl (in which all is not what it seems): <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Chorus-Girl.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Chorus-Girl-1024x760.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"475\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-67274\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Chorus-Girl-1024x760.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Chorus-Girl-300x223.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Chorus-Girl-128x95.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Chorus-Girl-768x570.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Chorus-Girl-364x270.png 364w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Chorus-Girl.png 1375w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8212; we really don&#8217;t see adult Ameche playing the field at all. Instead, we&#8217;re a witness to his extreme devotion to Tierney over several decades &#8212; a devotion which belies his own belief that he&#8217;s somehow sullied their marriage enough to merit a permanent spot in Hell. And perhaps &#8212; as Peary suggests &#8212; that&#8217;s the film&#8217;s essential point.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Don Ameche as Henry Van Cleve<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Ameche2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Ameche2-1024x763.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"477\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-67268\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Ameche2-1024x763.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Ameche2-300x223.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Ameche2-128x95.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Ameche2-768x572.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Ameche2-363x270.png 363w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Ameche2.png 1379w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Fine supporting performances<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Supporting2-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Supporting2-1-1024x769.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"481\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-67269\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Supporting2-1-1024x769.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Supporting2-1-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Supporting2-1-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Supporting2-1-768x577.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Supporting2-1-359x270.png 359w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Supporting2-1.png 1375w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Vibrant technicolor cinematography<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Technicolor-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Technicolor-1-1024x777.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"486\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-67270\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Technicolor-1-1024x777.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Technicolor-1-300x228.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Technicolor-1-128x97.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Technicolor-1-768x583.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Technicolor-1-356x270.png 356w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Heaven-Can-Wait-Technicolor-1.png 1340w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes, as one of Lubitsch&#8217;s (contested) classics. Nominated as one of the best films of the year in Peary&#8217;s <em>Alternate Oscars<\/em> book. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Genuine Classic<\/li>\n<li>Important Director<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0035979\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/moria.co.nz\/fantasy\/heaven-can-wait-1943.htm\">Moria Review (spoiler alert)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.combustiblecelluloid.com\/classic\/heavcanw.shtml\">Combustible Celluloid Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.chicagoreader.com\/chicago\/heaven-can-wait\/Film?oid=1150577\">Chicago Reader Capsule Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.timeout.com\/movies\/heaven-can-wait\">Time Out Capsule Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;I can safely say that my whole life was one continuous misdemeanor.&#8221; Synopsis: A recently deceased man (Don Ameche) reflects on his womanizing past and troubled marriage to a beautiful midwestern girl (Gene Tierney), as he tries to convince the Devil (Laird Cregar) that he belongs in Hell. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Charles Coburn Films Death and Dying Don Ameche Films Ernst Lubitsch Films Fantasy Flashback Films Gene Tierney Films Historical Drama Laird Cregar Films Louis Calhern Films Marital&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=17024\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17024","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17024","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=17024"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17024\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":80844,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17024\/revisions\/80844"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=17024"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=17024"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=17024"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}