Made in Heaven (1987)

Director:

Alan Rudolph

Writers:

Bruce A. Evans (written by) &
Raynold Gideon (written by)

Release Date:

6 November 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy

Tagline:

12,000 babies will be born in the United States today. Two will already have fallen in love.

Plot:

After being bumped by his girlfriend, a boy runs away to California. But he ends up in heaven because he dies after trying to help a family from drowning in a river. In heaven he'll meet a beautiful girl, who has never reincarnated before.

Plot Keywords:

Heaven | Love | Angel | Fairy Tale | Reincarnation

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Timothy Hutton	...	Mike Shea / Elmo Barnett
Kelly McGillis	...	Annie Packert / Ally Chandler
Maureen Stapleton	...	Aunt Lisa
Ann Wedgeworth	...	Annette Shea
James Gammon	...	Steve Shea
Mare Winningham	...	Brenda Carlucci
Don Murray	...	Ben Chandler
Tim Daly	...	Tom Donnelly (as Timothy Daly)
David Rasche	...	Donald Sumner
Amanda Plummer	...	Wiley Foxx
Willard E. Pugh	...	Guy Blanchard / Brian Dutton (as Willard Pugh)
Vyto Ruginis	...	Lyman McCray
Neil Young	...	Truck Driver
Tom Petty	...	Stanky
Ric Ocasek	...	Shark
Marj Dusay	...	Mrs. Packert
Raynold Gideon	...	Mr. Packert (as Ray Gideon)
Zack Finch	...	Billy Packert
Robert Knepper	...	Orrin (as Rob Knepper)
James Tolkan	...	Mr. Bjornstead
Gailard Sartain	...	Sam Morrell
John Considine	...	Angel
Elliot Rabinowitz	...	Woody - Talent Coordinator
Tom Robbins	...	Mario the Toymaker
Debra Dusay	...	Miss Barnett
Patricia J. Earnest	...	Mrs. Burwell (as Patricia Earnest)
Leon Martell	...	Reginald - T.V. Interviewer
Dave Michaels	...	T.V. Interviewer
Billi Jo Rucker	...	T.V. Interviewer
Paul Sloan	...	Young Elmo
Larry Sloan	...	Uncle Gus
Lauren Hill	...	Young Ally
Ann Owens	...	Grandmother Chandler
Tom Walls	...	C.C. Stank
Mark Isham	...	Zeus - Keyboards
Matraca Berg	...	Matraca
Pee Wee Ellis	...	Michel - Saxophone
Michele Graybeal	...	Pe We - Drums (as Michelle Graybael)
Patrick O'Hearn	...	Titus White - Bass Player
Colin Chin	...	Colin - Guitar
Carol Veto	...	Studio Singer
Iris Farmer	...	Studio Singer
Theresa Hightower	...	Studio Singer
Robert Gould	...	Chandler Toy Co. Executive
Chester Clark	...	Chandler Toy Co. Executive
Elliott Street	...	Andy (as Elliot Street)
Michael Klastorin	...	Murray
Meeghan Ochs	...	Ally's Assistant
Henry G. Sanders	...	Henry (as Henry Sanders)
David Bethany	...	Best Man at Chandler Wedding
Pete Munro	...	Tailor at Wedding Rehearsal
Johnny Popwell	...	Mr. Wainfield
Alveda King Beale	...	Matron
Stuart Manne	...	Det. Caeser
Randy Cash	...	Gas Station Attendant
Christen Childers	...	Pam
Jim L. Gassman	...	Jr. Explorer
Jack Hager	...	Gambler
Jennifer Deer Johnson	...	Lynn
Dirk Blocker	...	Shorty
Irv Gorman	...	Soldier Rock Radelli
Rick West	...	Soldier Pace
Jon Kohler	...	Clio Awards Presenter
Danielle Aubuchon	...	Girl at Clios
Amy Van Nostrand	...	Girl at Clios
Kelly Wellman	...	Girl at Clios
Ed Yousefian	...	Nort Thorton
Denise Stephens	...	Department Store Clerk
Doug DeGrazzio	...	Religious Fanatic
Gladys Lavitan	...	Nurse - 1952
Kerry Lyn McKissick	...	TV Programmer
Sonya Maddox	...	Pat
John M. Rosenberg	...	Campus Friend (as John Rosenberg)
David Paradis	...	Columbia Student
Paul Simmons	...	Man on Curb (as Paul A. Simmons)
Daniel J. Vaganek	...	Engineer at Recording Studio
George Pappas	...	Engineer at Recording Studio
Kerrie Cullen	...	Mother at River
Carrie Paddock	...	Kid at River
Matthew Paddock	...	Kid at River
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Charles B. Ancheta	...	Pianist in Heaven (uncredited)
Ellen Barkin	...	Lucille (uncredited)
Dean DuBois	...	Ad Agency Partner (uncredited)
Gary Larson	...	Cameo Appearance (uncredited)
Kevin E. West	...	Marty (uncredited)
Debra Winger	...	Emmett Humbird (uncredited)

Directed by
Alan Rudolph

Writing credits
Bruce A. Evans		(written by) &
Raynold Gideon		(written by)

Produced by
Stuart M. Besser	....	associate producer (as Stuart Besser)
David Blocker	....	producer
Bruce A. Evans	....	producer
Raynold Gideon	....	producer

Original Music by
Mark Isham		(musical score written by)

Cinematography by
Jan Kiesser		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Tom Walls

Casting by
Pam Dixon

Production Design by
Paul Peters

Art Direction by
Steven Legler

Costume Design by
April Ferry

Makeup Department
Leslie Ann Anderson	....	hairdresser (as Leslie Anderson)
Darlene Brumfield	....	extra hairdresser
Roby Hemphill	....	extra hairdresser
Amie Menassian	....	hair: Ms. McGillis
Amie Menassian	....	makeup: Ms. McGillis
Edward Ternes	....	supervising hair stylist
Edward Ternes	....	supervising makeup artist

Production Management
Jack Grossberg	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Pamela M. Eilerson	....	second assistant director (as Pamela Eilerson)
Cara Giallanza	....	second second assistant director
David McGiffert	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Kristen Appleton	....	art department assistant
David Boatwright	....	set designer: Charleston
Rosemary Brandenburg	....	set decorator: Charleston
Mike Brekke	....	painter: Aunt Lisa's paintings
Linda Brenick	....	set dresser: Atlanta
Peter Bunch	....	construction general foreman
Bill Butler	....	construction
Richard M. Cole	....	construction (as Richard Cole)
Sam Colston	....	set dresser: Charleston
Russell Coryell	....	set dresser: Atlanta
Kellie Davis	....	assistant art director
Robert DePatis	....	construction coordinator (as Bob DePatis)
Linda Fantuzzo	....	stand-by painter
Tom Francis	....	painter: Aunt Lisa's paintings
Bob Gary	....	painter
Gershon Ginsburg	....	set designer: Atlanta
Randy Gunter	....	property master
Teresa Harrison	....	painter
Richard Heffner	....	construction
Carole Hughes	....	leadman: Atlanta
Billy Jett	....	property assistant
Larry Jones	....	greens
Bryan Lee	....	construction
Alba Leone	....	set dresser: Atlanta
Steve Lepre	....	set dresser: Charleston
Chris Miller	....	set dresser: Atlanta
Robert Misetich	....	set painter (as Bob Misetich)
Rebecca Montagne	....	set dresser: Atlanta
Tommy Moye	....	construction
Brian O'Donnell	....	set dresser: Charleston
Paul Oliver	....	stand-by painter
Louis Pierce	....	set dresser: Atlanta
Daryl 'Dazz' Reynolds	....	leadman: Charleston (as Daryl Reynolds)
Marcia Rhea	....	property assistant
Mickey Rodelli	....	assistant property master
Rick Roman	....	set dresser: Atlanta
Dale Roof	....	set dresser: Charleston
Richard Ross	....	construction foreman
Marci Shapiro	....	set dresser: Atlanta
Chris Sheetz	....	construction
John Sydlowski	....	set dresser: Charleston
Stephanie Waldron	....	greens
Donna Walls	....	set dresser: Charleston
William Warner	....	set painter foreman
Bucky Wetherell	....	construction
Valerie Whiteside	....	set dresser: Charleston
Bobby Wojewodski	....	set dresser: Charleston
Lynn Wolverton-Parker	....	set decorator: Atlanta (as Lynn Wolverton)
Kenneth Wright	....	set dresser: Charleston
Robert Misetich	....	head paint foreman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Beth Bergeron	....	adr editor
Jacqueline Cristianini	....	sound effects editor (as Jacqueline Christianini)
Dody Dorn	....	supervising sound editor
Joe Dorn	....	assistant sound editor
Kevin Evans	....	sound recordist
William G. Flick	....	sound cable man (as William Flick)
Margaret Guinee	....	apprentice sound editor (as Margeret Guinee)
Rody Hassano	....	foley mixer (as Rody Hassans)
Robert Jackson	....	production sound
Ron Judkins	....	production sound
Jane Lang	....	foley editor
Blake Leyh	....	co-supervising sound editor
Stephanie Lowry	....	assistant sound editor (as Stephanie Ng)
Beth Lynk	....	assistant sound editor
Cybele O'Brien	....	sound production assistant
Greg Orloff	....	foley mixer
Jeffrey Perkins	....	sound effects mixer
Richard Portman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Hamilton Sterling	....	sound effects editor
Linda Whittlesey	....	dialogue editor

Special Effects by
David Anderson	....	special effects
Gary D. Bierend	....	special effects (as Gary Bierend)
Douglas A. Degrazzio	....	special effects coordinator (as Doug DeGrazzio)
Carl Palermo	....	special effects
Darrell Pritchett	....	special effects
Keith Richins	....	special effects
Guy Tuttle	....	special effects
Paul Lasakow	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Max W. Anderson	....	special visual effects
Bruce Cardozo	....	optical line-up
Joshua Cushner	....	motion control
Arthur Farkas	....	motion control assistant (as Artie Farkas)
Barbara McCullough	....	visual effects production coordinator
Jonathan Seay	....	visual effects technician
Dan Valliere	....	optical timer

Stunts
Bruce Paul Barbour	....	stunts
Daniel W. Barringer	....	stunts (as Dan Barringer)
Vince Deadrick Jr.	....	stunts (as Vincent K. Deadrick Jr.)
Gene Hartline	....	stunts
Mike H. McGaughy	....	stunts (as Mike McGaughy)
Grady Walker	....	stunts
Greg Walker	....	stunt coordinator
Greg Walker	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Richard Allen Anderson	....	electrician (as Rick Anderson)
Steven Anderson	....	camera loader
Robert Bruce	....	electrician
Andreas Crawford	....	second grip (as Andy Crawford)
Stefan Czapsky	....	gaffer
Bobby Earnhardt	....	electrician (as Robert Earnhardt)
Eric Engler	....	camera operator
Morris Flam	....	best boy
Irv Gorman	....	grip
Richard Mall	....	dolly grip
Richard Mall	....	key grip
Tully McCulloch	....	grip (as Tully McCullouch)
Mark McLaughlin	....	grip
Nick Nelson	....	electrician
Aaron Pazanti	....	first assistant camera
Joyce Rudolph	....	still photographer
Robert Samuels	....	second assistant camera (as Bob Samuels)
Keith Sherer	....	electrician (as Keith Shearer)
Fred Vicarel	....	second grip
Rick A. West	....	grip (as Rick West)
Arthur Williams	....	grip

Casting Department
Shirley Fulton Crumley	....	extras casting
Benjamin Rubin	....	casting associate
Carol Scott	....	location casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Martha Burke	....	costumer
Dana Campbell	....	wardrobe assistant
Paul Lopez	....	wardrobe supervisor
Paul Simmons	....	tailor (as Paul A. Simmons)

Editorial Department
Scott Brock	....	assistant editor
Sean Hubbert	....	apprentice editor (as Sean T. Hubbert)
Pat Johnson	....	color timer
John Rosenberg	....	associate editor
Debra T. Smith	....	apprentice editor

Music Department
Gary Barlough	....	additional synthesizer programming
Mark Birmingham	....	additional synthesizer programming
Mark Isham	....	musical score performer
Mark Johnson	....	musical consultant: Atlanta
Elliot Roberts	....	supervising music coordinator
Ben Rodgers	....	music recording engineer

Transportation Department
David Dodson	....	driver
Jack Hager	....	driver
Gary Hellerstein	....	driver
Marlo Hellerstein	....	transportation captain
Marshall Hovies	....	driver
Vicki Lybrand	....	transportation cast
Cathy Ledwell Mathis	....	driver
Jesse L. Parker	....	driver
Randy Peters	....	transportation coordinator
Daniel Quick	....	transportation captain (as Dan Quick)
Randall Quick	....	driver
C. Alan Rawlins	....	driver (as Alan Rawlins)
John L. Sullivan	....	driver
John Ward	....	driver

Other crew
Robert Ballentine	....	studio manager
Norman Bielowicz	....	representative: Georgia Film Commision
Gina Cascino	....	location manager: Atlanta
Matthew J. Clark	....	location coordinator (as Matthew Clark)
Richard Dixon	....	auditor (as Dick Dixon)
Julia Dunn	....	production secretary: Los Angeles
James Gierman	....	cheese host
Deborah Glovin	....	production assistant (as Debbie Glovin)
Elease Goodwin	....	representative: South Carolina Film Commission
Susan Elaine Hager	....	assistant auditor
Larry Hoki	....	projectionist
Wendell Johnson	....	production assistant
Michael Klastorin	....	unit publicist
Ken Koser	....	production assistant
Flory Lovings	....	production assistant
Dana Mayer	....	assistant: Alan Rudolph
Dana Mayer	....	production executive
Hank McGill	....	first aid
Kerry Lyn McKissick	....	script supervisor
Mike McMahon	....	production assistant
Peggy Moore	....	production coordinator: Atlanta
Frank Moran	....	professional fitness trainer: Mr. Hutton
Susan Muir	....	production accountant
Joan Neal	....	location manager
Tracey Ostrander	....	production assistant
Kay Phillips	....	first aid
Mike Riley	....	representative: Georgia Film Commision
Joyce Jenkins Smith	....	location assistant: Charleston
Mike Smith	....	police coordinator: Atlanta
Jackson Sousa	....	professional fitness trainer: Ms. McGillis
Mark A. Stankevich	....	legal services: Haldeman & Peckerman (as Mark Stankevich)
Dan Tarver	....	production assistant
Joan Wolpert	....	production coordinator: Charleston
Teresa M. Yarbrough	....	production secretary: Atlanta (as Teresa Yarborough)

Production Companies

• Lorimar Motion Pictures (presents)

Distributors

• Cineplex Odeon Films (1987) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Image Entertainment (laserdisc)
• Lorimar (video)
• Lorimar Pictures
• Lorimar Telepictures
• Vision TV (2009) (Canada) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (video)

Special Effects

• Cinemotion Pictures Incorporated (special visual effects)

Other Companies

• ABC Video Enterprises  courtesy of: "Notorious" excerpt
• Cinema Research  opticals & titles (as Cinema Research Corporation)
• Earle Tones  recording studio (as Earle-Tones Basement Studio)
• Haldeman & Peckerman  legal services
• International Recording  re-recording services
• Jane McGee Studio Catering  caterer
• Oasis Recording Studios  recording studio
• Producers 1 and 2  recording studio (as Producers 1 & 2)
• Production Services Atlanta  grip & lighting equipment (as Production Services Of Atlanta)
• Saxon/Ross Film Design  title design by
• TAJ Soundworks  foley by

Runtime:

Brazil:102 min | USA:103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:PG | Finland:K-10 | USA:PG | West Germany:6 | Argentina:13 | Canada:PG (also TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Georgia, USA

Company:

Lorimar Motion Pictures

Trivia:

Cameo: [Debra Winger]Emmert, the apparently male entity who "runs things" in heaven.

Goofs:

Continuity: As Mike is driving around town, drinking and smoking, he tosses his cigarette out of the window just before he swerves and spins to avoid a car coming straight towards him. In the next shot, he is holding the same cigarette.

Quotes:

Emmett: I was in love too. My wife wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. She wanted to get married, we did. She wanted to have kids, we did. She wanted to spend the rest of our lives together and did in each other arms, we did. We can't.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in What Dreams May Come (1998)

Soundtrack:

Up Jumped The Devil

It's amazing what I will watch when I can't fall asleep

Having been unable to sleep last night, I watched Made in Heaven on cable TV. It's amazing what I will watch when I can't fall asleep! Made in Heaven is is so cute and precious that I'm surprised that I didn't wake up with diabetes.

This film started with the decent premise that a man who died young and heroically should go directly to heaven, where he falls in love with a woman who is a "new soul" and has never lived on earth. Drawing on any religious beliefs that may conveniently move the plot forward, the writers send the woman to earth to be born into an American family in the 1950's. The young man, heartbroken, asks Emmett (Debra Winger in drag and totally bizarre), the guy who runs heaven (but not God) to send the young man back to earth to find his love. Emmett sends the young man to be born as Elmo, and gives him until his 30th birthday to find his true love or forever lose her. From this point forward, the plot degenerates into a loose collection of misadventures for both Elmo and his love, culminating the the typical Hollywood "cute" meeting on Elmo's 30th birthday.

Participating in the misadventures are a string of actors, writers, musicians, cartoonists, and probably the director's dentist, none of whom add anything except a strange voyeuristic quality to the movie. Made in Heaven is yet another example of Hollywood run amok and writers in search of an editor. What could have been a rather charming little fantasy becomes an exercise in guessing who is playing the weird characters parading across the screen, while wondering what they are doing in the movie in the first place.