At the top of the list of Don Ameche's best films, in that first five, Heaven Can Wait is always listed. As a film with that inimitable Ernest Lubitsch touch, how could it miss?
The very dapper an elegant Mr. Henry Van Cleave has arrived at the entrance to the underworld where he feels given the risqué life he's led on earth, he feels he belongs. To convince the Prince of Darkness, Laird Cregar, that he should be his guest for eternity. And he tells him his life story to prove his case.
We see Don Ameche at the various stages of his life during this film and the picture we get of him is a very decent man, but one who could not resist a pretty face or a pretty ankle, depending on which order he noticed them. Nevertheless he does meet the girl of his dreams, Gene Tierney, and while she kept him on the straight and narrow, it wasn't without a look here and there to the side.
Some of Hollywood's favorite character actors show up in this film which is one of the reasons it's such a favorite. It's hard to pick from a cast that includes Signe Hasso, Spring Byington, Marjorie Main, Louis Calhern, Eugene Palette, Allyn Joslyn, and Charles Coburn any particular favorite.
But I'd have to say my favorite is Laird Cregar. There has never been a more cultivated or civilized Satan on the screen before or since. Cregar's performance more than anything else is symbolic of the Lubitsch touch.
Heaven Can Wait is an interesting commentary on our system of morals. Don Ameche's character is absolutely sure he's going to hell and if you listened to fundamentalist ministers he sure would be. Apparently for Laird Cregar's place though, if you spread some happiness in life you certainly don't qualify for admission. An interesting criteria, don't you think.
Don Ameche is charming, Gene Tierney is beautiful, the script is witty and bright, the direction faultless. Can't do better than that.
The very dapper an elegant Mr. Henry Van Cleave has arrived at the entrance to the underworld where he feels given the risqué life he's led on earth, he feels he belongs. To convince the Prince of Darkness, Laird Cregar, that he should be his guest for eternity. And he tells him his life story to prove his case.
We see Don Ameche at the various stages of his life during this film and the picture we get of him is a very decent man, but one who could not resist a pretty face or a pretty ankle, depending on which order he noticed them. Nevertheless he does meet the girl of his dreams, Gene Tierney, and while she kept him on the straight and narrow, it wasn't without a look here and there to the side.
Some of Hollywood's favorite character actors show up in this film which is one of the reasons it's such a favorite. It's hard to pick from a cast that includes Signe Hasso, Spring Byington, Marjorie Main, Louis Calhern, Eugene Palette, Allyn Joslyn, and Charles Coburn any particular favorite.
But I'd have to say my favorite is Laird Cregar. There has never been a more cultivated or civilized Satan on the screen before or since. Cregar's performance more than anything else is symbolic of the Lubitsch touch.
Heaven Can Wait is an interesting commentary on our system of morals. Don Ameche's character is absolutely sure he's going to hell and if you listened to fundamentalist ministers he sure would be. Apparently for Laird Cregar's place though, if you spread some happiness in life you certainly don't qualify for admission. An interesting criteria, don't you think.
Don Ameche is charming, Gene Tierney is beautiful, the script is witty and bright, the direction faultless. Can't do better than that.