Heaven Can Wait (1943)

Here's my homework assignment after watching this heavenly film.


View another movie that's penned by Samson Raphaelson (Suspicion, The Shop Around the Corner).


HEAVENLY EFFORT FROM LUBITSCH AND RAPHAELSON

heaven can wait 1943 is a delight for the eyes, with its gorgeous use of Technicolor, and the ears with a sharp script that delivers some very funny lines.


A dead Henry Van Cleve (Don Ameche) prepares to meet Satan after his earthly demise. His Excellency (Laird Cregar) isn't familiar with the less-than-saintly actions that prompted Van Cleve to take the down stairs to his desk.


Van Cleve tells his story and all of the women he crossed paths with since entering the world with a very rich New York City family in the late 1800s.

HENRY MEETS HIS GIRL

Henry's main ambition is burning through the money his family has earned. He stays up all hours of the night as a partyboy. He decides to straighten up his ways when he happens upon Martha (Gene Tierney). "I might even go to work," Henry suggests about her powerful sway over him.


There are several standout scenes in this 1943 effort from Ernst Lubisch (The Shop Around the Corner).


An early one happens when Henry pretends to be a bookstore employee when Martha tries to buy a book about making a husband happy. He senses she's not overly keen about the fella she's going to tie the knot with. Turns out her potential better half is Henry's cousin, the all work and no fun Albert Van Cleve (Allyn Joslyn).


Martha is the daughter of a Kansas-based meat packer E.F. Strable (Eugene Pallette). He gets the best opening line of any character in this film. Another scene worth savouring is his verbal tussle, with a butler's help, with his wife (Marjorie Main) over the Sunday funnies.


COBURN IS A DELIGHT


Charles Coburn (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Monkey Business) delivers solid suport as Hugo Van Cleve, the grandfather who earned the family fortune and has a soft spot for Henry, even if he's a lazy oaf.


For all its fun, Heaven Can Wait also explores mortality -- watch for a neat montage of birthday cakes with an ever-growing number of candles -- and relationships. The Strables don't have much of a marriage. Henry loves Martha, but his eye does wonder . . .


Helene Reynolds didn't have a long career in Hollywood. She only appeared in 14 titles between 1941 and 1948. But she has a solid appearance near the film's end as Peggy Nash, a show girl who has caught the affections of Henry's son, Jack (Tod Andrews, Beneath the Planet of the Apes). Nash is on to Henry's ways to prevent a family scandal and quickly turns the tables on him.


Don't put off seeing this film. Make a date with Heaven Can Wait.

RATING: 9/10


FUN FACTS: Spring Byington, who appears as Henry's mother, had guest spots on several 1960s television series including I Dream of Jeannie. Batman and Mister Ed. See if you can find her in the original Mutiny on the Bounty.


Marjorie Main appeared as Ma Kettle in several Ma Kettle films.

Gene Tierney was the star of the great American film noir, Laura.

Film editor Dorothy Spencer's other credits include To Be or Not to Be, also directed by Ernst Lubisch, and My Darling Clementine.


Don Ameche was one of the featured voice talents in Homeward Bound - The Incredible Journey

NOT SO FUN FACT: Laird Cregar's career was painfully short. He only made 16 films before dying in 1944 at 31.

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993)

Homeward Bound - The Incredible Journey isn't the cat's meow, but it's not the dog's breakfast either.

Director Dwaynne Dunham has worked mostly in television and it shows with acting performances that are, to be kind, mostly doggone awful.

OH NO, HERE COME THE CLICHES

Laura Bumford (Kim Griest) is marrying Bob Seaver (Robert Hays). Guess what? Her three kids are less than enthused about the new man in mom's life. The two boys and one girl (Benj Thall, Veronica Lauren, Kevin Chevalia) each have their own pet, pooches Shadow and Chance (voiced by Don Ameche and Michael J. Fox) and a Siamese cat, Sassy (Sally Field).

The trio of furry friends is brought to a ranch owned by a friend of Laura while the family moves, for a short time, to San Francisco.

Chance, abandoned by a family in his younger days, finally has a home with the Bumfords. He fears he'll be back on the streets, or worse, stuck behind bars in an animal shelter. Shadow figures something must be wrong for his master, Peter (Thall), to leave him behind. The elderly pooch vows to return home to be with Peter. Chance and Sassy tag along. But there's a lot of wilderness between them and their home.

GOOD ANIMALS, BAD HUMANS

Homeward Bound is at its best when it explores the travels of the animals. An accompanying documentary, describing how Ben, Rattler and Tiki were trained would have been ideal. They match wits with a porcupine, skunk, bear, mountain lion and fast moving water. There are cracks aplenty about what domesticated animal is better, cats or dogs. And, unfortunately, what's a film for kids these days without references to poop and pee?

There are lessons to be learned too. Shadow stresses the importance of loyalty and patience to Chance. The younger pup learns to appreciate the wisdom of his elder. Sassy, uh, Sassy cracks a lot of jokes. Funny kitty.

YUCK, MOMMY KISSED HIM

Just prepare to wince when humans appear back in the frame. Hope (Lauren) cries. Peter is mad at Seaver for forcing the separation from his beloved Shadow. His position softens when he learns his stepfather actually cares about the animals and is trying to find them. Jamie (Chevalia) gets grossed out when Bumford and Seaver kiss. Snooty wedding guests shoo Chance away. There's not much in the way of neat tricks with this crew.

But in a movie world jammed full of three-dimensional and animated images, it's neat to see a film based outdoors which, given the health of most kids in North America, is where they'd be better off seeing a little more often.

A sequel, Homeward Bound: Lost in San Francisco, followed in 1996 without the participation of Ameche. He died in 1993 at age 85. The Cocoon star died the same year the first film was released. He was 85. Ameche was replaced by Ralph Waite (The Waltons).

RATING: 6/10

FUN FACTS: Director Fletcher Markle (The Man With A Cloak) helmed the first version of The Incredible Journey in 1963. The film was based on Shelia Burnford's book. Homeward Bound was Ameche's second last film. Corrina, Corrina was released in 1994. Ed Bernard, who appears briefly as a police desk sergeant, appeared in The White Shadow and Police Woman. Dunham's only other feature film credit was Little Giants with Rick Moranis and Ed O'Neill in 1994.

UPDATE (July 23, 2011): If you're near Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., Summer Shadows will screen Homeward Bound at Bellevue Park on Queen Street East on Aug. 10. Musical entertainment starts at 8 p.m. with movie to follow. Free admission. Free popcorn. View site at www.shadowsfilmfest.com