Finally got to see this one that my mother bless her told me about when I was boy in the 1940s...
The narrative follows the flashback story of a contemporary and well-to-do philanderer. He's dead and presents himself at the gate to hell because he thinks he's not worthy to enter heaven. And so follows a light-hearted, quite frivolous, and somewhat entertaining story of why he should think that.
I'd seen Don Ameche in other movies, but this was the youngest Don I've seen, playing the part of the dead man, Henry Van Cleve. Smooth, sophisticated and smart Henry sweeps them off their feet so easily. Gene Tierney appears as his true love, Martha whom Henry does love and suffers his transgressions, leaves him once, but of course he wins her back, thereby adhering to the (self-administered) film code of that time.
Charles Coburn, appearing as Henry's grandfather, Hugo, practically steals every scene he is in and, for my money, is the most effective actor in the film; while Louis Calhern as Henry's father, Randolph, is suitably urbane, buffoonish and a bore, and as only Calhern can do it. In fact, he played the same role practically, in High Society (1956).
It was amazing to see Majorie Main, as Mrs Strabel, speak quietly; I'd gotten so used to her as Ma Kettle, always screeching at others.
It's a well-polished production. The script is scintillating, the music is great, the sound is excellent and the colour is brilliant: All in all, an excellent example of Classic Hollywood production standards.
I just found the story a bit boring in parts, too heavy-handed perhaps, and perhaps tried to include too much. For example, the scene where Mr and Mrs Strabel verbally fought over a comic strip in a newspaper was gratuitous, in my opinion. For the time, it was probably funny; today, it's just dull and pointless.
That apart, you could spend 112 minutes in worse ways, I guess. For all to see.
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