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Heaven Can Wait

1978 Directed by Warren Beatty, Buck Henry

Joe Pendleton... the only guy who ever raised Hell about going to Heaven.

Joe Pendleton is a quarterback preparing to lead his team to the superbowl when he is almost killed in an accident. An overanxious angel plucks him to heaven only to discover that he wasn't ready to die, and that his body has been cremated. A new body must be found, and that of a recently-murdered millionaire is chosen. His wife and accountant—the murderers—are confused by this development, as he buys the L.A. Rams in order to once again quarterback them into the Superbowl.

Warren Beatty Julie Christie James Mason Jack Warden Charles Grodin Dyan Cannon Buck Henry Vincent Gardenia Joseph Maher Hamilton Camp Arthur Malet Stephanie Faracy Jeannie Linero Harry D.K. Wong George J. Manos Larry Block Frank Campanella Bill Sorrells Dick Enberg Dolph Sweet R. G. Armstrong Ed Peck John Randolph Richard O'Brien Joseph F. Makel Will Hare Lee Weaver Roger Bowen Keene Curtis Show All…

Alternative Titles

Der Himmel soll warten, Der Himmel kann warten, 天国から来たチャンピオン, Az ég tud várni, O Céu Pode Esperar, 천국의 사도, Il paradiso può attendere, 上错天堂投错胎, El cielo puede esperar, Le ciel peut attendre, Ép testben épp, hogy élek, השמיים יכולים לחכות, Niebiosa mogą zaczekać, Cennet Beklesin, Nebe může počkat, Небеса могут подождать, Himlen kan vänta, Небо може да чека, El Cielo Puede Esperar, Nebo može čekati, El cel pot esperar, Taivas saa odottaa, สวรรค์ต้องรอ

Genres

Comedy Fantasy Romance

Themes

Relationship comedy Crude humor and satire Inspiring sports underdog stories Charming romances and delightful chemistry Laugh-out-loud relationship entanglements Gags, jokes, and slapstick humor Underdog fighting and boxing stories Show All…

Theatrical

28 Jun 1978

USAPG

07 Sep 1978

UKPG

08 Sep 1978

IrelandPG

26 Oct 1978

Germany12

13 Dec 1978

FranceTP

20 Jan 1979

JapanG

02 Feb 1979

ItalyT

France

13 Dec 1978

TheatricalTP

Germany

26 Oct 1978

Theatrical12

Ireland

08 Sep 1978

TheatricalPG

Italy

02 Feb 1979

TheatricalT

Japan

20 Jan 1979

TheatricalG

UK

07 Sep 1978

TheatricalPG

USA

28 Jun 1978

TheatricalPG

101 mins More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by Patrick Willems ★★★★ 4

Every movie should have a subplot where Charles Grodin keeps trying unsuccessfully to kill the main character
Review by matt lynch ★★★

Warren Beatty's ghost leaves a trail of bodies behind in an attempt to win the Superbowl.
Review by Brianna

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

why would they let him keep living if he can’t keep his memories tf kind of logic 😭
Review by Rafael "Parker!!" Jovine ★★★½ 9

Anchored by a great premise, the film directed by its star (and, as I recently learned, Shirley MacLaine's brother) Warren Beaty and Buck Henry is a sports movie with some charm and an interesting concept that Hollywood has managed to wring out later on, but which unfortunately attempts to tackle too many ideas and clichés in a somewhat uneven way. When our protagonist dies and we get into the murder plot and so on, the sports part becomes so secondary that when it is reintroduced, it felt a little forced to me. Nonetheless, our characters are great, and there are some amusing moments. I must confess that the idea with the plane and everything in the sky was also rather clever.
All in all, although its handling of the romantic and sporty aspect feels a bit messy, there's enough to love here to warrant a watch.
TODAY SCHEDULE
Secret Agent
Young and Inocent
Phantom of the Paradise
Heaven Can Wait
Review by Megan Bitchell ★★★★★

this movie is the best himbo resprentation out there
Review by Josh Lewis ★★★ 1

Curious to see a movie with such an absurd premise remain as lowkey as this does. personally prefer the screwball antics and energy of elaine may's A New Leaf which I think would've lent themselves well to some of the sillier elements here (like the thwarted murder subplot) but there's still much to like. Beatty especially is very charming and every time he enters a new body but doesn't change his appearance/performance as a good-hearted, can-do football bro (like in the big boardroom scene) it's quite funny watching everyone else react to him. the ending is also very cute. Good movie.
Review by Josh Gillam ★★★ 2

When the soul of promising quarterback Joe Pendleton (Warren Beatty) is taken from the afterlife too early by an overcautious angel, he has to find a new body in order to achieve his ambitions of playing in the Super Bowl, falling in love in the process, in this fantasy comedy co-starring Julie Christie, James Mason, Charles Gordon, Dyan Cannon, Buck Henry and Jack Warden.
The film is an adaptation of the 1938 play by Harry Segal which had been previously filmed in 1941 as Here Comes Mr Jordan, and definitely feels like a throwback to the classic era. Like the comedies of the golden age, the film makes the most of a witty high concept script and a starry cast…
Review by Ayo Edebiri

I’m sorry but “PAGGLESHAM?”
Review by Aaron Michael ★★★★

The last ten minutes of this movie take it from good to great.
Review by Megan Bitchell ★★★★★

“They don't have a football team in Heaven, so God couldn't make me first string.” 🥺🥺🥺🥺
Review by fran hoepfner ★★★½ 3

told Harris I had to watch all of the Beattys before getting to Bulworth, which I guess just means this + Dick Tracy, but still. eager to delve into whatever the Beatty/Dick Tracy web special nonsense everyone indulges. this is the kind of shit we used to make in this country before someone would post a 19 minute long Youtube video about the interior logic of its afterlife system – stop asking questions about this kind of shit, IT'S JUST LIKE THAT BECAUSE IT'S FUNNY. I love Charles Grodin AND I love Buck Henry.
Review by The Reel House ★★★★

“Haven't you learned the rules of probability and outcome? Aren't you aware that every question of life and death remains a probability until the outcome?”
The concept alone is something that we have all seen a dozen times but it is still absolutely genius. A man who died unexpectedly, is given the chance to come back as a different person. The possibilities are endless.
The film is directed by Warren Beatty and the fantastic comic screenwriter, Buck Henry. Having seen, Beatty’s second film : ‘Reds’, it is apparent that Beatty’s direction evolved and matured a lot shortly after this. The films direction is good but nothing spectacular.
This is Beatty’s and Henry’s directional debut and it is very apparent at…

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Heaven Can Wait

Synopsis

Joe Pendleton... the only guy who ever raised Hell about going to Heaven.

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Alternative Titles

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Themes

Theatrical

28 Jun 1978

07 Sep 1978

08 Sep 1978

26 Oct 1978

13 Dec 1978

20 Jan 1979

02 Feb 1979

France

13 Dec 1978

Germany

26 Oct 1978

Ireland

08 Sep 1978

Italy

02 Feb 1979

Japan

20 Jan 1979

UK

07 Sep 1978

USA

28 Jun 1978

Popular reviews

Similar Films

Directors

Producer

Writers

Original Writer

Casting

Editors

Cinematography

Assistant Directors

Additional Directing

Executive Producers

Lighting

Camera Operator

Production Design

Art Direction

Set Decoration

Special Effects

Title Design

Stunts

Composer

Sound

Costume Design

Makeup

Hairstyling