"The Heiress" is adaptation of the play by Augustus and Ruth Goetz, which in turn was an adaptation of the Henry James novel "Washington Square."
The story is about a plain young woman (Olivia De Havilland, best known for her role in "Gone With The Wind") who is courted by an attentive suitor (Montgomery Clift). Her prim father (Ralph Richardson) correctly judges Clift to be an ingratiating idler and threatens disinheriting her should she elope. Will De Havilland disobey her father? Will Clift marry her without her fortune? Will father and daughter be reconciled? If you've seen the recent film adaptation of the novel, "Washington Square", you already know the answer to these questions.
"The Heiress" was nominated for a flood of
academy awards, but the only major award was Best
Actress to De Havilland. Her character begins the
story as an earnest wallflower, but becomes proud
and mature by its end. De Havilland could play
both sides of the character equally well.
The film was also nominated for Best Picture,
Best Director, Best Supporting Actor (Richardson)
and Best B & W Cinematography. The competition
must have been very strong that year, although I
suspect that Oscar votes went to "All the King's
Men" and "Twelve O'Clock High" because of their
appeal to men, while the target audience of "The
Heiress" was women.
Why is "The Heiress" such an outstanding movie?
The script is excellent. Clift and especially
Richardson are well cast. De Havilland is too
lovely to play the plain daughter, but she does
it so well. The three major characters are well
defined, particularly the father, who belittles
his daughter by comparing her with the idealized
memory of his late wife. (94/100)
A superb cinematic version of the Henry James' novel "Washington Square." After discovering that his bride-to-be is going to be disinherited a handsom...More at Family Video
A fortune hunter charms a doctor's plain daughter in 19th-century New York. Directed by William Wyler. Best actress Oscar for de Havilland.More at HotMovieSale.com
Academy Award winner Olivia De Havilland and Montgomery Clift light up the screen in this spellbinding, landmark drama. De Havilland is Catherine Slop...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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