Movie Cosmos - Heaven Can Wait

Description:

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.

Top Cast >

Don Ameche

As Henry Van Cleve

Gene Tierney

As Martha Strabel Van Cleve

Charles Coburn

As Hugo Van Cleve

Marjorie Main

As Mrs. Strabel

Laird Cregar

As His Excellency

Spring Byington

As Bertha Van Cleve

Allyn Joslyn

As Albert Van Cleve

Eugene Pallette

As E.F. Strabel

Signe Hasso

As Yvette ("Mademoiselle")

Louis Calhern

As Randolph Van Cleve

Helene Reynolds

As Peggy Nash

Aubrey Mather

As James

Tod Andrews

As Jack Van Cleve

Florence Bates

As Mrs. Edna Craig (uncredited)

Scotty Beckett

As Henry Van Cleve - Age 9 (uncredited)

Clara Blandick

As Grandmother Van Cleve (uncredited)

Leonard Carey

As Flogdell (uncredited)

James Conaty

As Man in Park with Top Hat (uncredited)

Jack Deery

As Party Guest (uncredited)

Claire Du Brey

As Miss Ralston - Jack's Secretary (uncredited)

Jay Eaton

As Book Store Clerk (uncredited)

James Flavin

As Policeman (uncredited)

Bess Flowers

As Party Guest (uncredited)

Gary Gray

As Boy in Park (uncredited)

Alfred Hall

As Albert's Father (uncredited)

Grayce Hampton

As Albert's Mother (uncredited)

Marlene Mains

As Mary - Age 9 (uncredited)

Trudy Marshall

As Jane Van Cleve - Jack's Wife (uncredited)

Edwin Maxwell

As Doctor (uncredited)

Michael McLean

As Henry Van Cleve - as Baby (uncredited)

Doris Merrick

As Nellie Brown - Registered Nurse (uncredited)

Harold Miller

As Party Guest (uncredited)

Dickie Moore

As Henry Van Cleve - Age 15 (uncredited)

Bert Moorhouse

As Party Guest (uncredited)

Clarence Muse

As Jasper (uncredited)

Monty O'Grady

As Party Guest (uncredited)

Anne O'Neal

As Day Nurse (uncredited)

Gerald Pierce

As Elevator Operator (uncredited)

Nino Pipitone Jr.

As Jack Van Cleve - as Child (uncredited)

June Preston

As Jack Van Cleve daughter (age 13) (uncredited)

Maureen Roden-Ryan

As Bediliah - Nurse in Park (uncredited)

Anita Sharp-Bolster

As Mrs. Cooper-Cooper (uncredited)

Gerald Oliver Smith

As Smith - Van Cleve's Second Butler (uncredited)

Top Crew >

Ernst Lubitsch

Director, Producer

Samson Raphaelson

Screenplay

Leslie Bush-Fekete

Theatre Play

Alfred Newman

Original Music Composer

Cyril J. Mockridge

Original Music Composer

Edward Cronjager

Director of Photography

Dorothy Spencer

Editor

James Basevi

Art Direction

Leland Fuller

Art Direction

Thomas Little

Set Decoration

René Hubert

Costume Design

Guy Pearce

Makeup Artist

Henry Weinberger

Assistant Director

Eugene Grossman

Sound

Roger Heman Sr.

Sound

Reviews:

CinemaSerf (7/10)

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.

2024-12-22