Heaven Can Wait (1978 film)
| Heaven Can Wait | |
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Theatrical release poster by Birney Lettick | |
| Directed by | |
| Screenplay by |
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| Based on | Heaven Can Wait by Harry Segall |
| Produced by | Warren Beatty |
| Starring |
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| Cinematography | William A. Fraker |
| Edited by | |
| Music by | Dave Grusin |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release date |
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Running time | 101 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $6 million |
| Box office | $98.8 million |
Heaven Can Wait is a 1978 American sports fantasy comedy-drama film directed by Warren Beatty and Buck Henry about Joe Pendleton, a young man (played by Beatty) mistakenly taken to heaven by his guardian angel The Escort, and the complications involved in undoing the mistake after his earthly body has been cremated. It was the second of three film adaptations of Harry Segall's 1938 play of the same name.
The film was nominated for nine Academy Awards, with Beatty becoming the first and to date only person to be nominated for producing (Best Picture), directing (Best Director with Henry), writing (Best Adapted Screenplay with May) and acting (Best Actor) for the same film, and the film won for Best Art Direction. The cast includes Beatty, Julie Christie and Jack Warden, all of whom had appeared in Shampoo (1975). Jack Warden received a nomination for Best Supporting Actor, his second nomination after his nomination for his performance in "Shampoo".
The film was released on June 28, 1978, by Paramount Pictures, and received positive reviews from critics, while earning a total of $98.8 million against a budget of $6 million, making it a financial success.