HEAVEN CAN WAIT - DVD review

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."

The film is always predictable, but this is part and parcel of the form: we know where everything is going to wind up, and the fun is simply watching the actors get there. Many reasonable viewers take great pleasure in such craft, and I can understand why. I sometimes find the experience more grating than pleasurable; the characters are just cogs in the intricate machinery of the plot and the rapid-fire dialogue is often too clever for its own good (then again, I can't stand the Rosalind Russell character in "His Girl Friday" either).

"Heaven Can Wait" also possesses a nasty misogynistic streak. In the opening scene in Hell's waiting room, Henry meets an older, slightly overweight woman he used to know; he remembers fondly how nice her legs were. She giggles and lifts her skirt to show her ankles; "His Excellency" grimaces and pulls the lever and she falls through a trap door into the burning fires of the underworld; he quips "Those things are best left to memory" – har har. Meant as a light-hearted joke, it comes across only as cruel, and throughout the film women who have the temerity to be anything but young, thin and pretty are treated with contempt. Is this "the Lubitsch touch" as well?

Still, "Heaven Can Wait" is a fine example of classical Hollywood popular entertainment. If the film feels formulaic in certain aspects, it is important to remember that Lubitsch and Raphaelson were helping to create the formula itself. In the end, Henry is unable to convince "His Excellency" that he really belongs down below, and he takes an elevator ride up to his ultimate reward. Hardly a surprise, of course, but that's OK: it's Don Ameche, after all, and if he can't get into heaven then the rest of us are really screwed.

Video

The DVD is presented in its original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.33:1. There is some digital flicker, most noticeable in the very colorful scenes set in Hell's waiting room. Aside from that, the restored digital transfer is excellent, the colors are vibrant, and the picture quality is clear with only a few artifacts visible from the source print.

Audio

The DVD is presented in Dolby Digital Mono. The dialogue and music are both clear and well-mixed. Optional English subtitles support the audio.

Extras

For a single disc, this DVD package has quite a few interesting special features.

Perhaps the most interesting is a 24-minute conversation between film critic super-couple Molly Haskell and Andrew Sarris. "Heaven Can Wait" is exactly the sort of film Sarris championed when he introduced the auteur theory to America as a means of redeeming Hollywood studio movies as art worthy of study, and he provides an enthusiastic defense of the film with Haskell prompting him along the way. Yes, they talk like a married couple.

"Creativity with Bill Moyers: A Portrait of Samson Raphaelson." (29 min.) A 1982 episode from the PBS show, recorded about a year before the legendary screenwriter passed away. In his post-Lubitsch years, Raphaelson became one of America's leading screenwriting gurus and he is energetic and entertaining in this charming portrait.

"Raphaelson at MOMA." An audio recording of Raphaelson's appearance at MOMA in 1977 with critic Richard Corliss as moderator.

"Ernst Lubitsch: A Musical Collage." Introduced by his daughter Nicola, this short feature (4 min.) offers recordings of Lubitsch playing the piano along with a montage of family photographs.

The disc also includes a Marketing section with a trailer, press book and publicity gallery.

Closing Thoughts

The only Lubitsch film I've enjoyed greatly is his lovely silent film "The Marriage Circle" (1924), which was later remade as the inferior talkie "One Hour With You" (1932). Perhaps I'm just not as appreciative as I should be of "the Lubitsch touch." I enjoyed "Heaven Can Wait", I just can't view it as a comic masterpiece like Sarris and many other critics do. I am often told that I am prejudiced against comedies; my response is that I like the ones that make me laugh; there just aren't very many of them around. "Heaven Can Wait" didn't make me laugh, but it did make me smile and that puts it ahead of most comedies. Even if it's not suited to my taste, it is clearly well-crafted and I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if the majority of viewers like it far more than I do.