291 Heaven Can Wait

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Matt
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 12:58 pm

Re: 291 Heaven Can Wait

#76 Post by Matt » Tue Jan 06, 2009 5:14 pm

I think the likability of this film rests almost entirely on how charming you find Don Ameche (and possibly on how much you adore stalwart character actors such as Louis Calhern, Marjorie Main, Charles Coburn, and Eugene Pallette). I love this sweet, gentle film, but I certainly would not put it in the same class as Meet Me In St. Louis.

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Napier
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Re: 291 Heaven Can Wait

#77 Post by Napier » Tue Jan 06, 2009 5:18 pm

Matt wrote:I think the likability of this film rests almost entirely on how charming you find Don Ameche (and possibly on how much you adore stalwart character actors such as Louis Calhern, Marjorie Main, Charles Coburn, and Eugene Pallette). I love this sweet, gentle film, but I certainly would not put it in the same class as Meet Me In St. Louis.
Finally, some positive words about this film. Definitely not the Lubes best, but I am utterly charmed by it every time I watch it. If you don't like this one there is always Warren Beatty's version. :wink:

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Noiretirc
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Re: 291 Heaven Can Wait

#78 Post by Noiretirc » Wed Jan 07, 2009 12:10 am

Napier wrote:Finally, some positive words about this film. Definitely not the Lubes best, but I am utterly charmed by it every time I watch it. If you don't like this one there is always Warren Beatty's version. :wink:
Did you see the first 3/4 of this thread? As for Beatty's "version", :wink: indeed. (Edit: Because, that is not a version of the 1943 film. It is however, a version of what Domino notes below.)
Last edited by Noiretirc on Wed Jan 07, 2009 3:14 am, edited 2 times in total.

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domino harvey
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Re: 291 Heaven Can Wait

#79 Post by domino harvey » Wed Jan 07, 2009 1:14 am

This isn't the Here Comes Mr Jordan thread

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justeleblanc
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Re: 291 Heaven Can Wait

#80 Post by justeleblanc » Wed Jan 07, 2009 1:19 am

domino harvey wrote:This isn't the Here Comes Mr Jordan thread
I want that on a t-shirt!!!

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Agnes of God
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Re: 291 Heaven Can Wait

#81 Post by Agnes of God » Wed Jan 07, 2009 4:11 pm

I can't say this is my favourite Lubitsch, but I will agree with it's supporters that it certainly is charming. I'm not even a fan of Don Ameche under most circomstances, but here, he is subdued and charming. The bookends are delightful, and I think it's a rather down to earth love stories with reasonable ups and downs. Doesn't hold up against something like To Be or Not To Be or Cluny Brown, but how many films do?

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HerrSchreck
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Re: 291 Heaven Can Wait

#82 Post by HerrSchreck » Wed Jan 07, 2009 5:44 pm

justeleblanc wrote:
domino harvey wrote:This isn't the Here Comes Mr Jordan thread
I want that on a t-shirt!!!
You'll lose the respect of friends & family though.

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Max von Mayerling
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Re: 291 Heaven Can Wait

#83 Post by Max von Mayerling » Wed Jan 07, 2009 10:28 pm

You're assuming that he had their respect in the first place.

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HistoryProf
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Re:

#84 Post by HistoryProf » Sun Dec 27, 2009 7:39 pm

domino harvey wrote:the first five minutes of this film are the best first five minutes of any film
bzzzzzt! That award goes to the opening of P&Ps Matter of Life and Death (AKA Stairway to Heaven) :)

However, it is right up there....and I was pleasantly surprised by the clever naughtiness of the dialog. good stuff all around. and yes, Gene Tierney is one of the most underrated actresses of all time.

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zedz
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Re: Re:

#85 Post by zedz » Mon Dec 28, 2009 3:26 pm

HistoryProf wrote:
domino harvey wrote:the first five minutes of this film are the best first five minutes of any film
bzzzzzt! That award goes to the opening of P&Ps Matter of Life and Death (AKA Stairway to Heaven) :)
Pah! That's not even the best five minutes of a Powell / Pressburger film. I Know Where I'm Going!

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Saarijas
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Re: 291 Heaven Can Wait

#86 Post by Saarijas » Thu Jan 07, 2010 7:44 pm

I hate to have this thread descend into a discussion of best movie openings, but it's really an interesting topic. A lot of the time the first 5 minutes are a make it or break it moment for me. Like first impressions, if the first few minutes really snag me, I'm engrossed for the whole film (even if the rest is relatively disappointing) while a laborious opening, or anything that makes me doubt my viewing decision means the film really needs to work uphill for me to get full engrossed in it.

And for my money, Ace in the Hole has the greatest opening.

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bugsy_pal
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Re: 291 Heaven Can Wait

#87 Post by bugsy_pal » Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:46 am

I watched this again a couple of weeks ago. I have seen it a number of times over the years, on an old VHS copy and now on the Criterion disc. It was my introduction to Lubitsch and I have a soft spot for the film. I can see why some people may not like it - I think both Don Ameche and Gene Tierney are rather stilted in their roles, and everything about the movie seems very stitched up. But I still think it's a very clever and witty film - not much in the way of laugh-out-loud moments, but I still got some nice chuckles. My wife saw it for the first time just recently and she enjoyed it greatly, and had a tear in her eye during a couple of key moments.

I particularly like the use of colour in the film - it's all very choreographed, but I would think it was pretty novel in that respect in its day, given that colour was fairly new.

I still prefer Shop Around the Corner - the acting of the Stewart and Sullivan is so much more convincing to me. But Heaven Can Wait is definitely worthy of the Criterion treatment.

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FrauBlucher
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Re: 291 Heaven Can Wait

#88 Post by FrauBlucher » Sat May 24, 2014 11:45 am

Has there been any suggestion of an upgrade or news of a restoration for this?

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swo17
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Re: 291 Heaven Can Wait

#89 Post by swo17 » Tue May 15, 2018 4:16 pm


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hearthesilence
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Re: 291 Heaven Can Wait

#90 Post by hearthesilence » Tue May 15, 2018 4:21 pm

Nice! And it took long enough - the Film Foundation screened a sparkling 35mm print of their brand new restoration back in 2015 at the NYFF (in Alice Tully Hall too, which has an enormous screen). I figured it would be available on BD within a year, but regardless, three years is better than never.

KJones77
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Re: 291 Heaven Can Wait

#91 Post by KJones77 » Tue May 15, 2018 4:41 pm

So happy this is getting an upgrade. Long overdue.

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domino harvey
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Re: 291 Heaven Can Wait

#92 Post by domino harvey » Tue May 15, 2018 7:48 pm

Thank you Jesus, one of my all time favs. Hope this looks as amazing as Mrs Cooper-Cooper's aria sounds to Cousin Albert

muchogris
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Re: 291 Heaven Can Wait

#93 Post by muchogris » Wed May 16, 2018 3:14 pm

Hi guys. I'm new here and was wondering why this extra:
Home recordings of director Ernst Lubitsch playing the piano
Is it somehow related to this movie? I havent seen it and it truly intrigues me as I loved The shop around the corner and Trouble in paradise.

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FrauBlucher
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Re: 291 Heaven Can Wait

#94 Post by FrauBlucher » Fri Jul 20, 2018 6:22 pm


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domino harvey
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Re: 291 Heaven Can Wait

#95 Post by domino harvey » Mon Oct 01, 2018 4:10 pm

Rewatched this old favorite over the weekend and thought the restoration looked terrific-- the color choices in Hell unintentionally being the same as faded technicolor makes it at first look suspect, but of course that's how the set's supposed to look and the increased detail is quite impressive.

Not sure there's any movie character I love more than Charles Coburn's Grandpapa. Also, I always forget the perversity of the scene where Gene Tierney's reveal is not shown but instead expressed through the words of the butler slowly describing her exact location and movements-- such a bizarre joke!

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FrauBlucher
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Re: 291 Heaven Can Wait

#96 Post by FrauBlucher » Sun Mar 26, 2023 10:23 am

There are times when supplements make me appreciate the film even more than I initially did. This is the case after hearing Sarris and Haskell have a wonderful, insightful 24 plus minute discussion on the film, Lubitch and Raphaelson. I watched it twice. Before and after watching the film.

The one aspect that jumps out to me about Lubitsch's style is his actors deliver their dialogue in kind of a lilting, almost singsong manor. It's a commonality in all his films I've seen. It's very endearing to me

I have to agree with Domino. The first 5 minutes are truly great.

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