Heaven Can Wait
“He believed in Love… Honor… and Obey – That Impulse!”
Synopsis
Spoiled playboy Henry van Cleve dies and arrives at the entrance to Hell, a final destination he is sure he deserves after living a life of profligacy. The devil, however, isn't so sure Henry meets Hell's standards. Convinced he is where he belongs, Henry recounts his life's deeds, both good and bad, including an act of indiscretion during his 25-year marriage to his wife, Martha, with the hope that "His Excellency" will arrive at the proper judgment.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Heaven Can Wait (1943) ORIGINAL TRAILER
Type: Trailer • Published 2018-11-17
Top Cast
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Don Ameche
Henry Van Cleve
Gene Tierney
Martha Strabel Van Cleve
Charles Coburn
Hugo Van Cleve
Marjorie Main
Mrs. Strabel
Laird Cregar
His Excellency
Spring Byington
Bertha Van Cleve
Allyn Joslyn
Albert Van Cleve
Eugene Pallette
E.F. Strabel
Signe Hasso
Yvette ("Mademoiselle")
Louis Calhern
Randolph Van Cleve
Helene Reynolds
Peggy Nash
Aubrey Mather
James
Tod Andrews
Jack Van Cleve
Florence Bates
Mrs. Edna Craig (uncredited)
Scotty Beckett
Henry Van Cleve - Age 9 (uncredited)
Clara Blandick
Grandmother Van Cleve (uncredited)
Leonard Carey
Flogdell (uncredited)
James Conaty
Man in Park with Top Hat (uncredited)
Release History & Theatrical Window
New York City, New York
Festival / Special Debut
August 5, 1943
Wide Cinema Exhibition
August 2, 2006
Physical Home Media
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Ernst Lubitsch
- Screenplay & Story
- Samson Raphaelson
- Original Score
- Cyril J. Mockridge, Alfred Newman
- Original Title
- Heaven Can Wait
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English, French
- Runtime
- 1h 52m
- Production Studios
- 20th Century Fox
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Ernst Lubitsch
Samson Raphaelson, Leslie Bush-Fekete
Cyril J. Mockridge, Alfred Newman
Edward Cronjager
Dorothy Spencer
Ernst Lubitsch
Department Leadership Roster
Samson Raphaelson
Screenplay
Ernst Lubitsch
Director
Ernst Lubitsch
Producer
Cyril J. Mockridge
Original Music Composer
Alfred Newman
Original Music Composer
Edward Cronjager
Director of Photography
René Hubert
Costume Design
Dorothy Spencer
Editor
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Universal — Suitable for all audiences.
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Heaven Can Wait.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Heaven Can Wait.
Criterion Collection
The Complete Criterion Collection. The Criterion Collection is a video distribution company that sells 'important classic and contemporary films' in editions that offer the highest technical quality. This list contains only the featured films released on DVD, BluRay and 4K Criterion releases — no supplements are included. Organized by spine number with the newest releases first. CC标准收藏完整收录版： 收录标准收藏（Criterion Collection）发行的重要经典及当代电影。仅包含正片（涵盖 DVD、蓝光及 4K 版本），已排除花絮补充内容。按 CC 发行编号倒序排列（最新发行在前）。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#214] Mangrove (2020) • [#215] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#216] Red, White and Blue (2020) • [#217] Alex Wheatle (2020) • [#486] Eight Hours Don’t Make a Day (1972) • [#647] Dekalog (1989) • [#944] World on a Wire (1973) • [#1187] Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) • [#1338] Fanny and Alexander (1984) • [#1341] Tanner '88 (1988) • [#1371] Scenes from a Marriage (1973) *注：以下影片因 TMDB 尚未收录，暂不在此片单中展示：* • [#531] First (2012) • [#1699] Ulysse (1983) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-11 07:39:08 UTC+8)*
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Frequently Asked Questions About Heaven Can Wait
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Heaven Can Wait about?
Spoiled playboy Henry van Cleve dies and arrives at the entrance to Hell, a final destination he is sure he deserves after living a life of profligacy. The devil, however, isn't so sure Henry meets Hell's standards. Convinced he is where he belongs, Henry recounts his life's deeds, both good and bad, including an act of indiscretion during his 25-year marriage to his wife, Martha, with the hope that "His Excellency" will arrive at the proper judgment.
Who directed Heaven Can Wait?
Heaven Can Wait was directed by Ernst Lubitsch.
Who stars in Heaven Can Wait?
The principal cast of Heaven Can Wait includes Don Ameche, Gene Tierney, Charles Coburn, Marjorie Main, Laird Cregar.
When was Heaven Can Wait released and how long is it?
Heaven Can Wait was released in 1943 with a total runtime of 1h 52m.
Who composed the musical score for Heaven Can Wait?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Heaven Can Wait was composed by Cyril J. Mockridge, Alfred Newman.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Heaven Can Wait?
Heaven Can Wait holds official age classifications: GB: U (Universal — Suitable for all audiences.); US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).