MovieChat Forums > Heaven Can Wait (1978) Discussion > The QB died on the field ?!?!?

The QB died on the field ?!?!?

posted 10 years ago by MyDarkStar
6 replies | jump to latest

So, the QB ended up dying by the hit he took on the field ? He must have if Joe took his body over, right ? That must have been quite a hit he took !

[–] HowYaLikeDemApplesWill 10 years ago

Yes, Jarrett definitely died from that viscous hit.

There have literally been dozens and dozens of high school, college, and pro players who have died on the field as a result of a hit.

Of course not so much anymore, but this was the 1970s, and the NFL had not implemented many of the safety rules they have today, like roughing the passer and helmet to helmet contact, which were all common even in the 70s.

Whose idea was it for the word "Lisp" to have an "S" in it?

[–] ChrisCuda 9 years ago

It was "his" time. There's a theme to the film that we all have a specific expiration date.

[–] brtndr 9 years ago

It was "his" time. There's a theme to the film that we all have a specific expiration date.

Ahh, but you didn't mention another important theme concerning the rules about dying in the movie, 'Probability and Outcome'.

The rule is first mentioned after James Mason, Buck Henry and Warren Beatty first discover that Joe Pendleton isn't supposed to arrive in Heaven for another 30 years.

At which point James Mason scolds Buck Henry with a series of scathing questions like, "Haven't you learned the rules of probability and outcome? Aren't you aware that every question of life and death remains a probability until the outcome?"

To which Buck Henry explains, that he did know about the rule but, he jumped the gun a little bit early because Joe's accident looked so painful.

Which is why of coarse, Joe Pendleton was permitted to temporarily inhabit the body of Mr. Leo Farnworth until eventually settling in Jarret's body permanently.

So, I guess what happened to Jarrett was that he passes away on the field, meets Buck Henry at the station to Heaven while back on Earth, Warren Beatty takes over the body of Jarrett and goes on to live another 30 years as he was supposed to as Joe Pendleton.

[–] ChrisCuda 9 years ago

But he didn't....he wasn't Joe anymore. He became Jarrett, which is why he didn't know anyone as Joe or from Joe's past. The issue you're forgetting is Buck Henry's screw up wasn't truly fixable/reversible.

[–] brtndr 9 years ago

But he didn't....he wasn't Joe anymore. He became Jarrett, which is why he didn't know anyone as Joe or from Joe's past. The issue you're forgetting is Buck Henry's screw up wasn't truly fixable/reversible.

Yeah, I agree and I always thought that having Joe completely lose his own identity after taking the form of Jarrett at the end sort of sucked in what was otherwise a great movie.

[–] maixiu 9 years ago

Exactly. If the issue with Joe is that he was taken from his body too soon, how was this fixed by having him essentially become another person? If the choice is between being in Heaven or completely losing your identity so that you can spend 30 more years on earth as someone else, I don't see what the appeal is in the latter.

What happens when "Jarret" passes away (again) in the future? Does Joe revert to being his original self or are there now two Jarrets in heaven?