Heaven Can Wait
1978 film by Warren Beatty, Buck Henry
Film · TMDB
6.6Joe 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.
Released: 1978-06-28101 minDir: Buck HenryFantasy, Comedy, RomanceBudget: $15.0MBox office: $98.8M
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Cast
- Warren Beatty as Joe Pendleton
- Julie Christie as Betty Logan
- James Mason as Mr. Jordan
- Jack Warden as Max Corkle
- Charles Grodin as Tony Abbott
- Dyan Cannon
~11 min read
Article
Heaven Can Wait is a 1978 American sports fantasy comedy-drama film directed by Warren Beatty and Buck Henry about Joe Pendleton, a young man (played by Beatty) mistakenly taken to heaven by his guardian angel The Escort, and the complications involved in undoing the mistake after his earthly body has been cremated. It was the second of three film adaptations of Harry Segall's 1938 play of the same name.
The film was nominated for nine Academy Awards, with Beatty becoming the first and to date only person to be nominated for producing (Best Picture), directing (Best Director with Henry), writing (Best Adapted Screenplay with May) and acting (Best Actor) for the same film, and the film won for Best Art Direction. The cast includes Beatty, Julie Christie and Jack Warden, all of whom had appeared in Shampoo (1975). Jack Warden received a nomination for Best Supporting Actor, his second nomination (the first was for Shampoo).