A loyal reader pointed out that in my list of Hollywood movies about football I had left off the classic film Heaven Can Wait. In correcting this over-sight I decided to screen the film, which coincidentally stars James Mason and Charles Grodin, two actors featured in previous movies I watched this week.
Heaven Can Wait is a remake of the 1940's movie Here Comes Mr. Jordan, which was based on a play called Heaven Can Wait by Harry Segall. Warren Beatty produced, directed and stars in this romantic comedy-fantasy. He also wrote the screenplay with assists from Robert Towne, Elaine May and Buck Henry. Henry was also co-director and had a role in the film as the novice guardian angel.
Beatty plays Joe Pendelton, a rising star quarterback on the Los Angeles Rams foot ball team. His goal is to lead the team to a super bowl championship. Unfortunately, just as he gets the word he has been picked to be the starting quarterback, he is involved in an auto accident. His guardian angel, in an attempt to spare him any pain, removes his soul from his body just before the crash. This turns out to be premature since Joe was not going to die in the accident. The effort to return Joe back to his body becomes problematic when his remains are cremated. Mr. Jordan (James Mason) steps in to help Joe find a suitable body. Joe temporarily takes the body of millionaire tycoon Leo Farnsworth who has been murdered by his wife (Dyan Cannon) and personal executive secretary (Charles Grodin). Events become even more complicated when Joe, as Leo, begins to fall in love with Miss Betty Logan (Julie Christie) an opponent of Farnsworths' corporate activities.
A comedy like this could easily become a farce, just look at the 2001 remake Down To Earth, starring Chris Rock. The jokes and situations hit precisely the write note without going over the top. The film ends on a bittersweet note with Joe's final destiny revealed, but with the possibility of true love finding a way.
Heaven Can Wait was a huge hit when released in 1978. The film received nine Academy Award nominations which included four for Warren Beatty; Best Picture, Best Director, Best Writer and Best Actor. Beatty is the only person in Oscar history to achieve this quartet of nominations and he would repeat the feat in 1981 for Reds.
At The Movie House rating **** stars
2 comments:
Mr MH...Great review and aplso one of my favorite comedies and a poignant movie too...Charles Grodon is very good too
Huge football movie you missed...the one about Gale sayers replacement played by James Cahn...i forget the name...huge hit in the 70's..although it was a TV movie
The movie you are talking about was Brian's Song. It was an ABC Movie of the week in 1971. It is widely considered one of the best made-for-TV movies ever produced.
I agree it is a great movie about football but I left it off the list because it was a TV movie and not a thatrical release.
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