Ernst Lubitsch's HEAVEN CAN WAIT (1943) Half-Sheet Gene Tierney & Don Ameche

Description

This is a
vintage original 22x28 in. US half-sheet poster
from the classic 1940's fantasy comedy/drama romance,
HEAVEN CAN WAIT
, released in 1943 by 20th Century-Fox and
directed by Ernst Lubitsch
. Henry Van Cleve (Don Ameche) presents himself at the gates of Hell, only to find he is closely vetted on his qualifications for entry. Surprised there is any question on his suitability, he recounts his lively life and the women he has known from his mother onwards, but mainly concentrating on his happy but sometimes difficult twenty-five years of marriage to Martha (Gene Tierney). The cast includes Charles Coburn, Marjorie Main, Laird Cregar, Spring Byington, Allyn Joslyn, Eugene Pallette, and Signs Hasso.
Unrestored and folded as originally issued, this vintage original half-sheet is in very good+ condition with the main items being approximately seven pieces of clear Scotch tape which have yellowed over time that were placed on various portions of the edges. Several additional pieces of this yellowed Scotch tape have been removed and you can see the outline of where the tape once was. There are also random signs of light wear along the edges with more wear on the left corners. The rich color tints are fresh and vibrant without any signs of fading.
Heaven Can Wait
was nominated for three Academy Awards, including "Best Cinematography, Color" (Edward Cronjager), "Best Director" (Billy Wilder), and the "Best Picture" award. This was Ernst Lubitsch's only completed film in Technicolor. The lead was written with Fredric March or Rex Harrison in mind. Ernst Lubitsch was most disappointed when 20th Century Fox boss Darryl F. Zanuck insisted on casting Don Ameche for commercial reasons. Lubitsch later recanted his opposition to Ameche, won over by the actor's dedication and professionalism.  In a 1983 interview, "A Conversation with Don Ameche", Don Ameche said this movie was his favorite of all the films he worked on.
Gene Tierney recalled that during production, "Lubitsch was a tyrant on the set, the most demanding of directors. After one scene, which took from noon until five to get, I was almost in tears from listening to Lubitsch shout at me. The next day, I sought him out, looked him in the eye, and said, 'Mr. Lubitsch, I'm willing to do my best but I just can't go on working on this picture if you're going to keep shouting at me.''I'm paid to shout at you,' he bellowed. "Yes," I said, "and I'm paid to take it - but not enough." After a tense pause, Lubitsch broke out laughing. From then on we got along famously." (From Gene Tierney's autobiography, "Self-Portrait"). Although Tierney had difficulties with Lubitsch at the beginning of the shooting of this film, they later got along famously and Tierney went on to call Lubitsch "A Brilliant Director" in her 1985 interview in Houston.