Heaven Can Wait

Heaven Can Wait (1978)

  • 87% of critics liked it
    (30 reviews)

  • 60% of users liked it
    (12,684 ratings)

Opting for light entertainment after the critical satire of Shampoo (1975), producer-director-writer-star Warren Beatty remade the 1941 comic fantasy Here Comes Mr. Jordan. Dimly amiable L.A. Rams quarterback Joe Pendleton (Beatty) is prematurely called to Heaven by an over-eager escort (Buck Henry,… More

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In Theaters
Jun 28, 1978 Wide
Paramount Home Video

Critic Reviews

  • Variety Staff, Variety

    Heaven Can Wait is an outstanding film.

  • Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

    It's certainly likable enough and was a big hit when it came out, but one could hardly call it an auspicious artistic debut -- a crafty commercial entertainment with a certain amount of intelligence is more like it.

  • Derek Adams, Time Out

    The film drags its feet uncertainly from beginning to end.

  • Vincent Canby, New York Times

    There's nothing worse than a pushy narrative.

  • Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

    This is the kind of upbeat screwball comedy Hollywood used to do smoothly and well.

Read all 10 critic reviews

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Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • AJ V


    Does the story sound familiar? Yes, it's been played around with in many films, but this one is good too. The movie has a good cast, and is directed by Warren Beatty as well. This movie has good comedy, and it's enjoyable.

  • Tim S


    I know this movie has been done umpteenth amount of times, but this one is good because of the cast. Warren Beatty is stellar as always and he has his old buddy Jack Warden and the beautiful Julie Christie at his side, so you forget the plot holes that you could drive a fleet of Mack… More

  • Chris G


    The reluctant ghost is a tried and true tale in Hollywood and it repeated itself in 1978's Heaven Can Wait, a film that was a remake of 1941's Here Comes Mr. Jordan and had a backbone made of its star Warren Beatty. The film is about the quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams… More

  • Cassandra M


    Heaven Can Wait is a milestone in Warren Beatty's long career. He produced, co-directed, co-written, and starred in this fantasy comedy of "probability and outcome". Originally Muhammad Ali was supposed to be cast for the role, but he turned it down, and it's a… More

  • Leigh R


    It was funny and the ending was so romantic.

Read all 13 featured audience ratings

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Cast

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