Videos
Heaven Can Wait
Heaven Can Wait
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.
rating
6.606
runtime
101 min

Release

1978-06-28

Cast

Warren Beatty
Warren Beatty
as Joe Pendleton
Julie Christie
Julie Christie
as Betty Logan
James Mason
James Mason
as Mr. Jordan
Jack Warden
Jack Warden
as Max Corkle
Charles Grodin
Charles Grodin
as Tony Abbott
Dyan Cannon
Dyan Cannon
as Julia Farnsworth
Buck Henry
Buck Henry
as The Escort
Vincent Gardenia
Vincent Gardenia
as Krim
Joseph Maher
Joseph Maher
as Sisk
Hamilton Camp
Hamilton Camp
as Bentley
Arthur Malet
Arthur Malet
as Everett
Stephanie Faracy
Stephanie Faracy
as Corinne
Jeannie Linero
Jeannie Linero
as Lavinia
Harry D.K. Wong
Harry D.K. Wong
as Gardener
George J. Manos
George J. Manos
as Security Guard
Larry Block
Larry Block
as Peters
Frank Campanella
Frank Campanella
as Conway
Bill Sorrells
Bill Sorrells
as Tomarken
Dick Enberg
Dick Enberg
as TV Interviewer
Dolph Sweet
Dolph Sweet
as Head Coach
R.G. Armstrong
R.G. Armstrong
as General Manager
Ed Peck
Ed Peck
as Trainer
John Randolph
John Randolph
as Former Owner
Richard O'Brien
Richard O'Brien
as Advisor to Former Owner
Joseph F. Makel
Joseph F. Makel
as Haitian Ambassador
Will Hare
Will Hare
as Team Doctor
Lee Weaver
Lee Weaver
as Way Station Attendant
Roger Bowen
Roger Bowen
as Newspaperman
Keene Curtis
Keene Curtis
as Oppenheim
William Larsen
William Larsen
as Renfield
Morgan Farley
Morgan Farley
as Middleton
William Bogert
William Bogert
as Lawson
Robert E. Leonard
Robert E. Leonard
as Board Member
Joel Marston
Joel Marston
as Board Member
Earl Montgomery
Earl Montgomery
as Board Member
Robert C. Stevens
Robert C. Stevens
as Board Member
Bernie Massa
Bernie Massa
as Coliseum Security Guard
Peter Tomarken
Peter Tomarken
as Reporter
William Sylvester
William Sylvester
as Nuclear Reporter
Lisa Blake Richards
Lisa Blake Richards
as Woman Reporter
Charlie Charles
Charlie Charles
as Highwire Performer
Nick Outin
Nick Outin
as Chauffeur
Jerry Scanlan
Jerry Scanlan
as Hodges
Jim Boeke
Jim Boeke
as Kowalsky
Marvin Fleming
Marvin Fleming
as Gudnitz
Deacon Jones
Deacon Jones
as Gorman
Les Josephson
Les Josephson
as Owens
Jack Snow
Jack Snow
as Cassidy
Curt Gowdy
Curt Gowdy
as TV Commentator
Al DeRogatis
Al DeRogatis
as TV Color Analyst
Benjie Bancroft
Benjie Bancroft
as Reporter (uncredited)
Arline Bletcher
Arline Bletcher
as Woman in Line (uncredited)
Charlie Cowan
Charlie Cowan
as Football Player (uncredited)
Garrett Craig
Garrett Craig
as Swimmer (uncredited)
Paul D'Amato
Paul D'Amato
as Swimmer's Friend (uncredited)
Robert Fortier
Robert Fortier
as Wealthy Man in Restaurant (uncredited)
Allan Graf
Allan Graf
as Football Player (uncredited)
Bryant Gumbel
Bryant Gumbel
as TV Sportscaster (uncredited)
Jim Healy
Jim Healy
as TV Sportscaster (uncredited)
Chick Hearn
Chick Hearn
as Radio Announcer (uncredited)
Ray Pourchot
Ray Pourchot
as Board Member (uncredited)
Nick Raymond
Nick Raymond
as Reporter (uncredited)
Elliott Reid
Elliott Reid
as Waiter (uncredited)
Byron Webster
Byron Webster
as Waiter (uncredited)
REVIEWS
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Geronimo1967

Maybe Warren Beatty was also a fan of Powell & Pressburger as this has shades of "Matter of Life and Death" (1946) to it. Rather than a fighter pilot though, it's quarter-back "Joe" (Beatty) who is erroneously selected to take the Concorde to heaven. He protests to supremo "Jordan" (James Mason) who discovers that his new charge is still supposed to have another fifty-odd years with his mortal coil. OK, let's just put him back. Ah, well no - he has already been cremated. That's just one jigsaw puzzle too much, even for the celestial. "Jordan" decides that he can borrow the body of someone next in the queue, and he settles on millionaire industrialist "Farnsworth". This man has more enemies that he'd care to count, not least his scheming wife (Dyan Cannon) and the pesky British campaigner "Betty" (Julie Christie) who is adamant that her local village isn't going to be demolished to make way for an oil refinery. Now safely ensconced his new body, he only has thoughts of going back to playing ball - only now he can afford to actually buy a team. Re-uniting with coach "Max" (Jack Warden) whom he manages to convince of his true identity, we now embark on a gentle comedy that extols the virtues of team building and environmentally aware business practice. Cannon steals this as the plotting spouse, but Mason doesn't really make much impact and otherwise it's all just a rather blandly predictable offering that has it's moments but just not enough of them. Watchable, though, on a wet afternoon if it's on the telly.