To me, this movie is perfection.

Excellent adaptation.

Don't Believe the Hype

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

I just thought this movie was rather boring because I felt like the story was a little over the top and that I couldn't just keep up with it. It was like the main characters storyline was telling a good few stories to the devil rather than his own. It just was so silly like I don't know how anyone can follow this movie, its confusing! I have nothing more to say but this movie was a time waster, never would I recommend this as one of the greatest movies of the 40's.................

Have you ever noticed while watching your favorite films, that in Hollywood they sort of discretely hide the ages of older characters? When you think about it, many motion pictures have quite a few older performers in the most important roles (usually playing much younger). But Ernst Lubitsch's 1943 masterpiece, Heaven Can Wait, is different. It rewrites the rule book on movie star aging and goes against the norm. There are many performers in this picture that are well above forty. And what's so great is that Lubitsch lets them act their own natural age. Take, for example, Charles Coburn. He happens to play a character quite a bit older than he is in real life! And the movie is much richer for it.

The 1978 film gave us a smug-face Warren Beatty, a dead sports star, hopping around like a rabbit and talking about eating his "curds and whey" but unlike Little Miss Muffet a spider does NOT come along and eat Beatty, thus saving the audience.The 1943 film is a very fine comedy, filmed in stunning 3 strip Technicolor, overloaded with clever lines and fine performances.Don Ameche is dead and having his life reviewed by the Devil, for possible admission to Hell; but that doesn't work out.Ameche is a rich playboy, but when he takes one look at Gene Tierney it's love at first sight and marriage ASAP. Similarly, when I first saw Miss Tierney (in "Return of Frank James") I was stunned by her undeniable beauty. Too bad I was 10 years old and she was then 30.Heaven Can Wait certainly sells the idea of taking maybe 10 minutes to decide on a lifetime commitment. Older and wiser now, I can see that marriage with Gene would not have worked out. After a while, I can't long stand her screen personality, and I like a slimmer build in the upper measurement. I'd try to end it, "Gene, dear, you're much older, but..." BUT... I'd look at her beautiful face and be sunk all over again!

I was in my teens when I first saw this film film and it as stayed with me ever since,Don Ameche is brilliant as the leading man and Gene Tieney,as the leading lady is so magical,from start to finish it grips you,make you smile from the moment Ameche steps out of this lift,to tell his life to the Lord Satan to the moment he finish's his story,I would urge any one to see it if they haven't before,and I challenge,you not to be drawn in,the beautiful way this film was made,I'm surprised that no modern director as tried to remake it ,but if they did it would be big task,to even come level,to this masterpiece.Don Ameche was one of the best Actors of our time.