The Heiress (1949)
Genre: Drama / Romance
Duration: 115 minuten
Country:
United States
Directed by: William Wyler
Stars: Olivia de Havilland, Montgomery Clift and Ralph Richardson
IMDb score:
8,1 (18.910)
Releasedate: 6 October 1949
The Heiress plot
"A truly great motion picture."
She is from a good family and has no suitor yet. Then an extremely charming man comes and courts her. Her father thinks that he only seeks fortune from his daughter and he may be right, but he may also be wrong, and he would make his daughter very unhappy.
Actors and actresses
Catherine Sloper
Morris Townsend
Dr. Austin Sloper
Lavinia Penniman
Maria
Maria Almond
Jefferson Almond
Mme. Montgomery
Elizabeth Almond
Arthur Townsend
Reviews & comments
Dievegge
-
- 3192 messages
- 8263 votes
After seeing the theatrical version, Olivia de Havilland herself would have urged William Wyler to play this role. With her wide, penetrating eyes, she perfectly captures the changing emotions of her character. Her Catherine has little self-confidence and is constantly fiddling with her hands. She is afraid of becoming an old spinster, drops objects in company. Her insecurity is due to her father, who makes derogatory remarks about her and presents his dead wife as an ideal that cannot be matched. Montgomery Clift plays the freeloader who manages to win over both Catherine and Aunt Lavinia with his natural charm.
The play was based on the novel Washington Square by Henry James, set in New York in the mid-nineteenth century. It contains some archaisms, such as rales - rattles as a disease symptom. Everything was shot on a set in Hollywood. The costumes and sets are adapted to the historical period, with many beautiful lanterns with candles. Wyler used well-planned long takes. The wordless scene where De Havilland steps up the spiral staircase, they would have shot over thirty times with two suitcases full of books, so she looked really tired. For the now 103-year-old actress, this was the leading role for which the deepest had to be dug.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Movsin
-
- 8286 messages
- 8443 votes
"Plaisir d'amour ne dure qu'un moment, chagrin d'amour dure toute la vie..."
The film immediately surprises with this beautiful, classic French song and will bring many more pleasant surprises, such as the excellent direction (although William Wyler's is not exactly a surprise), the beautiful settings, costumes, dialogues and enchanting acting of Olivia de Havilland (Film lovers will know by now that this lady of honor of the silver screen recently left us at the age of 104).
It is remarkable in the story that this romantically dramatic film actually contains a certain amount of suspense.
War, religious and cultural differences, class distinction, money are often barriers to love, but Henry James "Washington Square" finds a very substantive and clever way out for this classic, which is still a pleasure to experience.
Besides Olivia de Havilland, others also act at a high level.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Film Pegasus (moderator films)
-
- 31245 messages
- 5497 votes
A clash between acting styles with Hollywood star Olivia de Havilland, the more modern Montgomery Clift and the theatrical Ralph Richardson. Apparently they couldn't really tolerate each other. It will be somewhere between clashing egos and media exaggeration. Well done, and it doesn't hurt the story.
The film comes from a theater play and is practically depicted as such in the film. Nothing wrong with theatrical films, an old film style that I like. But it still feels a bit dated. The characters are also not exactly sympathetic figures that you empathize with. Fortunately well acted, but the whole lacks the necessary charm or atmosphere. The story also makes up for a lot. This must once have been a great classic, but it is understandable that the title has fallen into oblivion.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Corporate & Media
Realtimes Network
Innovatieweg 20C
7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31(315)-764002
