Heaven Can Wait (1978)

Heaven Can Wait (1978)

This remake of the classic Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941) won an Oscar for Art Direction-Set Decoration. The film’s producer co-director (with Buck Henry) & co-screenwriter (with Elaine May) Warren Beatty stars as football quarterback Joe Pendleton who’s mistakenly taken early to the afterlife by an escort (Henry). So he’s put back on Earth (by James Mason) in the person of a billionaire named Farnsworth whose wife (Diane Cannon) and lover (Charles Grodin) have just murdered him as a placeholder until a more appropriate body can be found. After surprising the co-conspirators by still being alive Farnsworth meets a pretty Brit (Julie Christie) who’s protesting against the billionaire’s anti-environment plans. When Pendleton as Farnsworth changes these she falls in love with him. Only Pendleton’s friend Max (Jack Warden) knows his true identity; Farnsworth asks Max to help him get into football playing shape. Vincent Gardenia appears as the police officer investigating the strange goings-on. Nominated for Best Picture Director Screenplay Cinematography and Score. Actors Beatty Cannon and Warden also received Academy Award nominations.

Purchase this DVD now at