Heaven Can Wait

Theater date: 1978-06-28

Blu-ray release date: N/A

Rated: N/A

6.60 (IMDB)

Genre: FantasyComedyRomance

Language: en

Status: Released

Length: 1h 41min

Languages:

English

Description:

Joe Pendleton is a quarterback preparing to lead his team to the superbowl when he is almost killed in an accident. An overanxious angel plucks him to heaven only to discover that he wasn't ready to die, and that his body has been cremated. A new body must be found, and that of a recently-murdered millionaire is chosen. His wife and accountant—the murderers—are confused by this development, as he buys the L.A. Rams in order to once again quarterback them into the Superbowl.

Top Cast >

Warren Beatty

As Joe Pendleton

Julie Christie

As Betty Logan

James Mason

As Mr. Jordan

Jack Warden

As Max Corkle

Charles Grodin

As Tony Abbott

Dyan Cannon

As Julia Farnsworth

Buck Henry

As The Escort

Vincent Gardenia

As Krim

Joseph Maher

As Sisk

Hamilton Camp

As Bentley

Arthur Malet

As Everett

Stephanie Faracy

As Corinne

Jeannie Linero

As Lavinia

Harry D.K. Wong

As Gardener

George J. Manos

As Security Guard

Larry Block

As Peters

Frank Campanella

As Conway

Bill Sorrells

As Tomarken

Dick Enberg

As TV Interviewer

Dolph Sweet

As Head Coach

R.G. Armstrong

As General Manager

Ed Peck

As Trainer

John Randolph

As Former Owner

Richard O'Brien

As Advisor to Former Owner

Joseph F. Makel

As Haitian Ambassador

Will Hare

As Team Doctor

Lee Weaver

As Way Station Attendant

Roger Bowen

As Newspaperman

Keene Curtis

As Oppenheim

William Larsen

As Renfield

Morgan Farley

As Middleton

William Bogert

As Lawson

Robert E. Leonard

As Board Member

Joel Marston

As Board Member

Earl Montgomery

As Board Member

Robert C. Stevens

As Board Member

Bernie Massa

As Coliseum Security Guard

Peter Tomarken

As Reporter

William Sylvester

As Nuclear Reporter

Lisa Blake Richards

As Woman Reporter

Charlie Charles

As Highwire Performer

Nick Outin

As Chauffeur

Jerry Scanlan

As Hodges

Jim Boeke

As Kowalsky

Marvin Fleming

As Gudnitz

Deacon Jones

As Gorman

Les Josephson

As Owens

Jack Snow

As Cassidy

Curt Gowdy

As TV Commentator

Al DeRogatis

As TV Color Analyst

Benjie Bancroft

As Reporter (uncredited)

Arline Bletcher

As Woman in Line (uncredited)

Charlie Cowan

As Football Player (uncredited)

Garrett Craig

As Swimmer (uncredited)

Paul D'Amato

As Swimmer's Friend (uncredited)

Robert Fortier

As Wealthy Man in Restaurant (uncredited)

Allan Graf

As Football Player (uncredited)

Bryant Gumbel

As TV Sportscaster (uncredited)

Jim Healy

As TV Sportscaster (uncredited)

Chick Hearn

As Radio Announcer (uncredited)

Ray Pourchot

As Board Member (uncredited)

Nick Raymond

As Reporter (uncredited)

Elliott Reid

As Waiter (uncredited)

Byron Webster

As Waiter (uncredited)

Top Crew >

Warren Beatty

Producer, Director, Screenplay

Buck Henry

Director

Dave Grusin

Original Music Composer

Robert C. Jones

Editor

Elaine May

Screenplay

Don Zimmerman

Editor

William A. Fraker

Director of Photography

Hawk Koch

Executive Producer, Assistant Director

George Gaines

Set Decoration

Lee Harman

Makeup Artist

Lynda Gurasich

Hairstylist

Charles H. Maguire

Executive Producer, Unit Production Manager

Richard Oswald

Sound Effects Editor

Richard Bruno

Costume Design

Milton Lustig

Music Editor

Theadora Van Runkle

Costume Design

Edwin O'Donovan

Art Direction

Tom Overton

Sound Mixer

Peter Sorel

Still Photographer

Doug Pentek

Gaffer

Karen Hale Wookey

Script Supervisor

Alan Levine

Property Master

Nick McLean

Camera Operator

Craig Huston

Second Assistant Director

Sam Bernstein

Production Accountant

John Wilkinson

Sound Re-Recording Mixer

Patricia Mock

Casting

R.A. MacDonald

Special Effects

Wayne Fitzgerald

Title Designer

Robert Towne

Additional Writing

Robert Samuels

Second Assistant Camera

Dick Ziker

Stunts

Paul Sylbert

Production Design

Craig R. Baxley

Stunt Coordinator, Second Unit Director

Harry Segall

Theatre Play

Arthur Brooker

Key Grip

Reviews:

CinemaSerf (6/10)

Maybe Warren Beatty was also a fan of Powell & Pressburger as this has shades of "Matter of Life and Death" (1946) to it. Rather than a fighter pilot though, it's quarter-back "Joe" (Beatty) who is erroneously selected to take the Concorde to heaven. He protests to supremo "Jordan" (James Mason) who discovers that his new charge is still supposed to have another fifty-odd years with his mortal coil. OK, let's just put him back. Ah, well no - he has already been cremated. That's just one jigsaw puzzle too much, even for the celestial. "Jordan" decides that he can borrow the body of someone next in the queue, and he settles on millionaire industrialist "Farnsworth". This man has more enemies that he'd care to count, not least his scheming wife (Dyan Cannon) and the pesky British campaigner "Betty" (Julie Christie) who is adamant that her local village isn't going to be demolished to make way for an oil refinery. Now safely ensconced his new body, he only has thoughts of going back to playing ball - only now he can afford to actually buy a team. Re-uniting with coach "Max" (Jack Warden) whom he manages to convince of his true identity, we now embark on a gentle comedy that extols the virtues of team building and environmentally aware business practice. Cannon steals this as the plotting spouse, but Mason doesn't really make much impact and otherwise it's all just a rather blandly predictable offering that has it's moments but just not enough of them. Watchable, though, on a wet afternoon if it's on the telly.

2024-11-23