Heaven Can Wait (DVD)
APPROX. 112 MINS. - PROD. YEAR: 1943 - MPA RATING: NR
" I admire the extraordinary craft involved in making such a film: it requires a lot of hard work to make comedy seem so easy.
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What was "the Lubitsch touch?" The term was a rather poorly defined one that referred to a certain sophisticated, continental sensibility towards sexuality and social mores in the films of German born director Ernst Lubitsch. His characters often had a somewhat more "open" understanding of what was acceptable in society and in marriage, and his films dealt with material that was somewhat daring (and also quite popular) for its time. Above all, however, "the Lubitsch touch" was a marketing gimmick used by studios to advertise a particular product to audiences; you knew what to expect in a Lubitsch film. This was rather unusual in the pre-auteur era when Hollywood marketed only its stars, leaving directors as anonymous behind-the-scenes figures; by way of "the Lubitsch touch" Ernst Lubitsch became one of the first directors to be widely recognized by name to the America movie-going public.
"The Lubitsch touch" can also be partly attributed to the work of screenwriter Samson Raphaelson. Raphaelson was a self-taught writer who made a name for himself in theater: you´ve probably heard of a little play he wrote called "The Jazz Singer." Raphaelson wrote or co-wrote most of Lubitsch´s best-known features, including "One Hour With You" (1932), "Trouble in Paradise" (1932), and "The Shop Around the Corner" (1940). He became known for his razor-sharp dialogue and rapidly moving comedy plots. The Lubitsch-Raphaelson pairing is one of the best known director-writer collaborations in Hollywood history; "Heaven Can Wait" (1943), made for twentieth Century Fox, was their last completed film as a team (they later worked together on "The Lady in Ermine" (1948) but Lubitsch died during production – the film was later completed by Otto Preminger.)
In "Heaven Can Wait", Henry van Cleve (played by young Don Ameche) has a little problem: he has just died. Henry spent his life chasing women and avoiding work so he figures he isn´t a good bet to make it to heaven; as the opening title card informs us, he saves time and "present(s) himself where innumerable people had so often told him to go." In that particular place, he meets with the boss, called only "His Excellency", who asks Henry to present his credentials. The film unfolds in flashback as Henry recounts his life story to "His Excellency."
Birth and death are the primary motifs of the film, which spans Henry´s lifetime by way of several major birthdays. At his 26th birthday, the irresponsible Henry has fallen in love with a woman he just met, but he doesn´t even know her name. In the sort of coincidence that is lauded in classical films and criticized in modern ones, she just happens to be Martha (Gene Tierney), the fiancée of Henry´s snotty cousin Albert. When Albert holds a party to show off his future wife, Henry quite literally sweeps her off her feet and whisks her off into the night to be his bride.
The story leaps ahead a decade to another birthday, and we see that while Henry and Martha are married and have a child, the marriage is hardly a happy one. Henry is not exactly the ideal husband, and has a wandering eye. He never really cheats on Martha, but he desperately needs to know that young women still find him attractive (handled knowingly in the film by way of "the Lubitsch touch"). Martha leaves him just before his birthday, but Henry tracks her down and manages to convince her to give him a second chance. Henry and Martha manage to navigate the problems that go with married life; it´s not a perfect marriage, but their love endures.
As we jump forward to each birthday, we also learn of a death that has occurred in the interim: Henry´s parents, his grandfather (a show stealing performance by Charles Coburn) and, eventually, Martha herself. "Heaven Can Wait" is a light-hearted comedy, but one also tinged with the sadness that comes with living a long life. Henry inevitably winds up alone, but still tries to make the best of it, always looking for new happiness while still fondly remembering the only real love of his life. I am reminded of the saying: "Growing old is hell, but is sure beats the alternative."
On an extra feature on the DVD, critic Andrew Sarris notes that light comedies such as "Heaven Can Wait" tend to be underrated. I have to agree with him, but I also must plead guilty as charged. I admire the extraordinary craft involved in making such a film: it requires a lot of hard work to make comedy seem so easy. Raphaelson´s script is tightly structured, snappy and clever; admirable craft, but also part of the problem for me. As in many modern sitcoms, the characters always seem to know how a scene is going to end before it begins, and mug their way through it as they lead up to that oh-so-meticulously timed punch line. There is little attempt to create plausible characters here: it is never Henry or Martha speaking, but always Don Ameche or Gene Tierney winking at the camera as they deliver perfectly written, perfectly-rehearsed lines. I can´t help but see the whole affair as pleasant but rather slight entertainment; in Douglas Adams´ words, the movie is "mostly harmless."
