Movie Type: Heaven-Can-Wait Fantasies, Romantic Fantasy
Themes: Supernatural Romance, Reincarnation, Fish Out of Water
Main Cast: Timothy Hutton, Kelly McGillis, Maureen Stapleton, Don Murray, Ellen Barkin, Marj Dusay
Release Year: 1987
Country: US
Run Time: 102 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
Alan Rudolph directed this offbeat, boy-meets-girl romance in which boy dies, dead boy meets dead girl, dead boy loses dead girl, and dead boy tries to find dead girl again. The tale begins is a small Pennsylvania town, where Mike Shea (Timothy Hutton) dreams of escaping small town life and moving to California with his girlfriend Brenda (Mare Winningham). But Brenda leaves him with his motor running and Mike takes off alone. On the way, he rescues a woman and her children from an icy river but perishes himself. He finds himself in Heaven, where he is greeted by Aunt Lisa (Maureen Stapleton), who explains the rules and regulations. Once in the ethereal realm, Mike falls in love with a heavenly lass with flaxen locks named Annie (Kelly McGillis). But their love is torn asunder because Annie has not yet earned her wings on Earth; she must leave on a tour of duty and put in time inhabiting a human body. Mike is beside himself in despair, but the heavenly powers, in the form of Emmett (Debra Winger), chain-smoking and sporting an orange crewcut like a ghostly Laurie Anderson, offer him a deal. Mike can return to Earth, but only on the stipulation that neither he nor Annie will remember each other. They then have thirty years in which to find one another again. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
Ray Gideon - Mr. Packert; Debra Winger - Emmett; Zack Finch - Billy Packert; Ann Wedgeworth - Annette Shea, Mike's Mother; James Gammon - Steve Shea, Mike's Father; Mare Winningham - Brenda Carlucci; Neil Young - Truck Driver; Tom Robbins - Mario the Toymaker; James Tolkan - Mr. Bjornstead; Ric Ocasek - Shark; Vyto Ruginis - Lyman McCray; Gailard Sartain - Sam Morrell; Leon Martell - Reginald/T.V. Interviewer; Matraca Berg; Tom Petty - C.C. Stank; John Considine - Angel With Tophat; Robert Knepper - Orrin; Bob Gould - Chandler Toy Co. Executive; Debra Dusay - Miss Barnett; Dirk Blocker - Shorty; Kerrie Cullen - Mother at River; Tim Daly - Tom Donnelly; Patricia J. Earnest - Mrs. Burwell; Michael Klastorin - Murray; Amanda Plummer - Wiley Foxx; Johnny Popwell, Sr. - Mr. Wainfield/Choir Director; Willard E. Pugh - Guy Blanchard/Brian Dalton; David Rasche - Donald Sumner; John M. Rosenberg - Campus Friend; Henry Sanders - Henry; Elliott Street - Andy; David Bethany - Best Man at Chandler Wedding; Mark Isham - Zeus/Keyboards; Patrick O'Hearn - Titus White/Bass Player; Georges Pappas - Engineer at Recording Studio; Danielle Aubuchon - Girl at Clios; Randy Cash - Gas Station Attendant; Gary Larson; Stuart Manne - Det. Caeser; Pete Munro - Tailor at Wedding Rehearsal; Emmet Humbird - Himself; Paul A. Simmons - Man on Curb; Jon Kohler - Clio Awards Presenter
Credit
Steven G. Legler - Art Director, Pam Dixon - Casting, April Ferry - Costume Designer, Alan Rudolph - Director, Tom Walls - Editor, Mark Isham - Composer (Music Score), Neil Young - Composer (Music Score), Neil Young - Songwriter, Paul Peters - Production Designer, Jan Kiesser - Cinematographer, Ray Gideon - Producer, David Blocker - Producer, Bruce A. Evans - Producer, Paul Peters - Set Designer, Max W. Anderson - Special Effects, Ronald Judkins - Sound/Sound Designer, Robert C. Jackson - Sound/Sound Designer, Ray Gideon - Screenwriter, Bruce A. Evans - Screenwriter, Alan Rudolph - Screenwriter
