Heaven Can Wait is a 1978 comedy film directed by Warren Beatty and Buck Henry. The screenplay was adapted by Elaine May, Warren Beatty and Robert Towne (uncredited) from the original stage play by Heaven Can Wait by Harry Segall.

Joe Pendleton (Beatty), quarterback of the the American football team Los Angeles Rams, is looking forward to leading his team to the Super Bowl when he is involved in a terrible collision with a truck. An overanxious guardian angel (Henry) plucks him out of his body early in the mistaken belief that his death was imminent, and Pendleton arrives in the afterlife. Once there, he is informed by the mysterious Mr. Jordan (James Mason) that his divinely ordained time of death hadn't yet come, and that his body has been cremated. A new body must be found, and that of recently murdered millionaire Leo Farnsworth is chosen. Farnsworth's wife (Dyan Cannon) and personal secretary (Charles Grodin), who are lovers and the murderers of his new body's former inhabitant, are confused by this development, as Joe/Farnsworth buys the L.A. Rams in order to once again be the star quarterback. In order to succeed, he must first convince, then secure the aid of, long time friend and trainer Max (Jack Warden) to get his new body in shape to lead his team into the Super Bowl. Simultaneously, he also falls in love with a environmental protester Betty Logan (Julie Christie) who wants to confront the billionaire industrialist whose body he now occupies. However, Farnsworth's wife and secretary are not quite ready to give up on their plans to re-murder the body which Joe has lately appropriated...

It won the Academy Award for Best Art Direction, and was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Warren Beatty), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Jack Warden), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Dyan Cannon), Best Cinematography, Best Director, Best Music, Original Score, Best Picture and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium.

This movie should not be confused with the 1943 movie also called Heaven Can Wait. Instead, it is a remake of the 1941 film Here Comes Mr. Jordan.

It was subsequently remade several times, with different titles:

• Heaven's Touch (1983)
• Down to Earth (2001)

credits

(A full list can be found at The Internet Movie Database: Heaven Can Wait (1978).)

• Directed by
  • Warren Beatty
  • Buck Henry
  • Sam Wood (uncredited)

• Written by
  • Harry Segall (stageplay)
  • Elaine May
  • Warren Beatty
  • Robert Towne (uncredited)

• Cast (partial list in credits order)
  • Warren Beatty .... Joe Pendleton/Leo Farnsworth/Tom Jarrett
  • Julie Christie .... Betty Logan
  • James Mason .... Mr. Jordan
  • Jack Warden .... Max Corkle
  • Charles Grodin .... Tony Abbott
  • Dyan Cannon .... Julia Farnsworth
  • Buck Henry .... The Escort