HEAVEN CAN WAIT

US, 1978, 101 minutes, Colour.
Warren Beatty, Julie Christie, James Mason, Dyan Cannon, Jack Warden, Charles Grodin.
Directed by Warren Beatty and Buck Henry.

Heaven Can Wait is an updated adaptation of Here Comes Mr Jordan, a fantasy bout death, a theme popular in the '30s and '40s and now used for pleasant comedy romance. Warren Beatty stars and produces, co-writes with Elaine May and co-directs with Buck Henry (playing also the nervous escort). Beatty keeps generally light touch to make the events engaging. Playing a nice footballer, he is reincarnated as a wealthy industrialist, giving rise to comedy critical of pomp, wealth and environmental exploitation. Charles Grodin and Dyan Cannon are excellent as a murderous couple and James Mason and Julie Christie very pleasing as Mr. Jordan, the celestial arranger, and the heroine. Genial entertainment.

1. The significance of the title, its tone, indication of fantasy? Implications about death, judgment, heaven? Life on earth and the chances human beings need to fulfil their lives?

2. The film was based on a popular play and film of the '40s. The film reflected the fantasy attitude towards God and life and death of the '40s. Did it translate well into the late '70s? Popularity of the material in both phases, especially of American society? The intrinsic appeal of the material, its treatment?

3. The contribution of Warren Beatty - production, screenplay, direction, acting? How much tone did he give to the film? The impact of his performance and its centrality? The ensemble of stars with whom he worked and the way they worked together for the fantasy and comedy?

4. The plausibility of the plot and audience response to fantasy? Fantasy as letting go and imagining 'what if'? The relationship of fantasy to reality? Fantasy as helpful for imagining and getting insight into reality? Fantasy an insight into the meaning of life, goals, demands. changes, transitory nature of life?

5. How well could the audience identify with Joe? The initial introduction, the strong American hero, the sportsman, his training and jogging? His ability at football and his being a hero in the eyes of Americans? How particularly American was the film? The victor of foot-ball, techniques and tactics, the team, competition, hopes? The various types in the team? The introduction to Max and his role as coach? The importance of this for the later plot? The discussion with Max and the sharing of various pieces of background information, Joe's temperament? The build-up to the accident? The sense of ominous disaster for the audience and the sound of the crash in the tunnel?

6. The popular presentation of heaven - clouds and planes? The introduction to the messengers, Mr. Jordan and James Mason's suave M.C. style? A welcoming committee? The naive messenger and saying that he did not make mistakes? His being discovered in a mistake? Explanations of life, the transition period before heaven, Joe's response and his wanting to get back? The humour intrinsic to the theory of using bodies, going back to earth? The humour of the various possibilities offered to Joe and his reaction against these? What did they really reveal about Joe and his hopes - especially the fulfilment of football, being a hero?

7. Why did he accept the body of Leo Farnsworth? His amazement at its working? The enjoyable premise of the fact that we could see Joe as he was but others could only see him as Leo Farnsworth? How well did this work dramatically, comically? The farcical background of the murder of Leo Farnsworth? Julia and her scheming with Abbott? Her more hysterical personality and his cold unimaginative calm? The changing situation when they discovered he was alive? Betty and her visit from England, her leading with him for social reform, Julia's scream and having to cope? The build-up to a comic situation? Joe's enjoyment in trying out his Leo Farnsworth identity?

8. The introduction of the social theme with Betty - from England, the pollution issues that she was bringing to America, the critique of American big business and their exploitation of other countries? Her attraction towards Joe/ Leo, her love for him, his commitment to her cause, her change of attitude and its repercussions? How attractive a person was Betty? As a teacher, English, her cause? Joe's revelation of himself to her and the attractive couple? The change wrought in Leo Farnsworth by Joe at Betty's influence? The humour of such changes especially in terms of big business and changing plans, abolishing schemes, opening meetings to the press etc?

9. The comic background and its black touch with Julia and her false attitudes towards Leo? Continuing her plots, the wealth, artificial way of life, her plans with Abbott? The formal meals? Joe catching Julia and Abbott out? The bedroom sequence and Abbott's hiding. Julia's pretence? Their continued attempts to kill him e.g. the collapsing bed? The question of divorce, business, Julia and wealth? The final decision to shoot Leo Farnsworth? The cold-bloodedness yet the farcical aspects? Their interrogation, breaking down, mutual blame? Did they get what they deserved? A sub-plot and a satiric portrait of greedy rich go-getters?

10. The film's themes of big business, exploitation, the importance of the sequence when Joel Leo opens the meeting to the press and the way he handled it? Answering questions?

11. The humorous background of Leo Farnsworth's rituals e.g. the cannons going off, the dressing as a sailor, the hats and Joe's being persuaded not to wear them any more? The butlers and their role in the house? The importance of the messenger and Mr. Jordan reappearing, talking in the cupboard and the reaction of the butlers? The build-up to the eccentricity of buying the football team?

12. Joe's decision to train, his revealing himself to Max and Max being persuaded? The scene of the training and getting the executives to train with him and the satire on the unhealthy businessmen? The bond between Joe and Max? The hopes for being in the team, the response of the team, the testing out of Joe, Leo and the big bruisers trying to down him? The reaction of the football officials? The takeover?

13. The building up of happiness for Joe, Leo and his possibilities? As a football player, the achievement, Betty, and hopes for a happy life? His forgetting that he asked for a transitory body? The various reappearances of Mr. Jordan and the messenger and their conversations? Their final appearing at the wrong moment? Joe not wanting to go? The importance that he had to go? The irony of the build-up to Julia and Abbott and their murder attempt, shooting him and his falling in the well? Max and his realisation of what had happened? The comedy delay with the police, the personality of the interrogation and the interrogator, the comedy aspects? Maxis anxiety about the match and his realisation that Joe was not there?

14. Audience response to the final change, that Joe would be lost forever and die? The player and his injury, Joe being transformed into the player? The importance of his last words? The effect of his transformation - Max and his not recognising him, his meeting Betty and discovering her for the first time - especially in the message that he had given her about his disappearance? The possibility for a future for this ball-player - transformed by Joe?

15. How well-drawn were the characters and their depth for such fantasy comedy?

16. The audience regret that Joe was dead and that he was lost? This tempering the humour and the social message of the film? A blending of feelings, insight?

17. How robust a comedy, the charm of the comedy, its enjoyable qualities, humanity, and contemporary social critique?