Overview
A whimsical exploration of life, love, and the afterlife awaits you.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- witty
- nostalgic
- sophisticated
- classic movie night
- romantic evening
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as an entertaining and sophisticated Lubitsch comedy with warm nostalgia and strong period atmosphere, while finding its central performances less flexible than the material demands.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Henry Van Cleve begins at the gates of Hell, where his eligibility is assessed before his life story unfolds.
The story luxuriates in costume-drama detail surrounding an upper-class family and its romantic conventions.
Henry’s twenty-five-year marriage to Martha is presented through comic difficulties and his unconventional history with women.
Critics specifically identify the film as a sophisticated comedy of manners that pokes fun at nineteenth-century naughtiness.
Films like Heaven Can Wait, and why
The Shop Around the Corner
shared sophisticated comedy of manners, romantic complications, and polished period detail
Trouble in Paradise
shared Ernst Lubitsch wit, romantic intrigue, urbane dialogue, and elegant studio craftsmanship
A Matter of Life and Death
shared afterlife fantasy framing, romantic themes, and bittersweet comic reflection on earthly life
Movie Details
- Director
- Ernst Lubitsch
- Release Date
- 1943-08-05
- Runtime
- 112 min
- Rating
- 6.9 / 10 (254)
Cast
- Don Ameche
- Gene Tierney
- Charles Coburn
- Marjorie Main
- Laird Cregar
- Spring Byington
- Allyn Joslyn
- Eugene Pallette
- Signe Hasso
- Louis Calhern
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- YouTube TV
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Heaven Can Wait about?
- An irreverent afterlife interview opens onto a witty, affectionate portrait of a charming rogue’s unconventional marriage and privileged upbringing.
- What is Heaven Can Wait like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Heaven Can Wait as measured, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Heaven Can Wait violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Heaven Can Wait.
- What did critics think of Heaven Can Wait?
- Critics broadly regard the film as an entertaining and sophisticated Lubitsch comedy with warm nostalgia and strong period atmosphere, while finding its central performances less flexible than the material demands.
- Which films are like Heaven Can Wait?
- Films with a similar feel include The Shop Around the Corner, Trouble in Paradise, and A Matter of Life and Death.
- How long is Heaven Can Wait?
- Heaven Can Wait runs 112 minutes.
- Where can I watch Heaven Can Wait?
- In United States, Heaven Can Wait streams on YouTube TV.
