Cinema Addicts Anonymous: "Heaven Can Wait" vs. "Gone With the Wind"

"Heaven Can Wait" came out in 1943 and stars Gene Tierney, Don Ameche, and Charles Coburn. "Gone With the Wind," staring Vivien Leigh, Clark Gable, and Leslie Howard, came out in 1939. Both are period pieces. Both are classics. But which one is better?

"Heaven Can Wait" starts with a man waiting at the gates of Hell. The man, Henry van Cleve (Don Ameche), tries to persuade Satan into letting him. However, before he can receive the high honor of entrance, he must tell Satan of how he tortured his wife (Gene Tierney) with his roving eye. This romantic comedy was nominated for 3 academy awards, including Best Picture, Best Cinematography, and Best Director (Ernst Lubitsch). However, the film had the untimely bad luck of competing with "Casablanca," not allowing it to garner all the recognition that it deserved.

Quotes:

1. Henry Van Cleve Here was a girl lying to her mother. Naturally that girl interested me at once.

2. Henry Van Cleve [regarding How to Make Your Husband Happy] Don't buy this book. You don't need it. I'll tell you something more appropriate for you: Leave Your Nest And Fly Away With Me.
Martha (Gene Tierney) Well, I might buy that book too...
Henry Van CleveWell, we don't have it in stock right now... but I'd love to discuss the idea with you...

3. Martha If you don't change your attitude, I shall have to complain to your employer.
Henry Van Cleve I'm not employed here. I'm not a book salesman. I took one look at you and followed you into the store. If you'd walked into a restaurant, I would have become a waiter. If you'd walked into a burning building, I would have become a fireman. If you'd walked into an elevator, I would have stopped it between two floors and we'd have spent the rest of our lives there. Please forgive me but you can't walk out of my life like that.

4. Martha 15 years ago, when you and Grandpa brought me back from Kansas, I still didn't feel that you really beloned to me and only to me. I can't put my finger on anything definite, but still, whenever I wasn't with you I was always a little uncertain and nervous about my little Casanova. And then one day I noticed that you began to have a little, well just a little tummy. Then I knew I was safe. From that moment on I knew that you were really mine, that you'd settled down.

5. Henry Van Cleve As a man grows older, his medicine cabinet grows bigger.

The great quotes from this movie are ENDLESS. I could go on and on and on....

"Gone With the Wind" tells a very different story. "Gone With the Wind" centers around young Scarlett O'Hara (Vivien Leigh), who could choose to love any man in her vicinity but chooses Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard). When Ashley announces his engagement to his cousin, Melanie (Olivia de Havilland), Scarlett throws a tantrum which Ashley bears the brunt of and Rhett Butler (Clark Gable) secretly witnesses. As Scarlett tries to win Ashley back, Rhett begins to catch her eye; but can he catch her heart? The film won too many Oscars to count!

The Best For Last!!!!

Quotes from "Gone With the Wind":

1. Scarlett Great balls of fire! HICCUP! It's Rhett!

2.Rhett Butler No, I don't think I will kiss you, although you need kissing, badly. That's what's wrong with you. You should be kissed and often, and by someone who knows how.

3. Scarlett Sir, you are no gentleman.
Rhett Butler And you, Miss, are no lady

5.Rhett Butler How fickle is woman.

4. Scarlett As God is my witness, as God is my witness they're not going to lick me. I'm going to live through this and when it's all over, I'll never be hungry again. No, nor any of my folk. If I have to lie, steal, cheat or kill. As God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again.

And OF COURSE

5. Rhett Butler Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn

So, which one is best? Depends on your mood! If you're looking for a comedy full of clever dialogue and tricks, go with "Heaven Can Wait." If you're looking for a drama with passionate romances and betrayals galore, go with "Gone With the Wind."

One last thing- can you believe how gorgeous Gene Tierney and Vivien Leigh are?!!!