Marc Eliot’s Art of Film

Warren Beatty’s 1978 Heaven Can Wait

The hugely successful remake of Here Comes Mr. Jordan, released through Paramount Pictures. This is a great opportunity to compare the two versions.  Beatty, at the height of his career, following his leap to superstardom after his appearance in Arthur Penn’s 1967 Bonnie and Clyde and in Hal Ashby’s 1975 Shampoo, produced, directed (with Buck Henry), wrote (with the legendary Elaine May), and cast his then-girlfriend, Julie Christie as his romantic interest in the role played by Evelyn Keyes in the original, the great character actor Jack Warden as “Max,” and Art of Film favorite James Mason as Mr. Jordan, played by Claude Rains in 1941. Nominated for nine Academy Awards, it won for Art Direction (Paul Sylbert, Edwin O’Donovan and George Gaines). From a $6 million budget, Heaven grossed a phenomenal $99 million in its initial release. A must-see chance to experience late ‘70s independent movie-making at its most expansive.