This is one of the few 10+ movies on my list of thousands. Everything about the film is excellent. The script, based on the Goetz's play, based on the Henry James novel, is tops. The technical aspects are first-rate. And the performances
well, each of the four main characters seems to have been made for his or her respective role in "The Heiress." And one – Olivia de Havilland, gives, in my estimation, one of the greatest performances in the history of movies.
In watching this film again, I was aware that de Havilland seemed to mesmerize me. In the IMDb quotes section of her biography, de Havilland says that she preferred the parts of good girls because they are more challenging and difficult to play than are those of bad girls. Serious roles of the types of characters de Havilland has played, with varying temperaments, characteristics and personalities, surely are the more demanding. And de Havilland plays them to perfection. In just a few minutes into "The Heiress," I began to think about the quality of acting, and how superb de Havilland was in her role.
"The Heiress" is rewarding in another way. It's one of the few films I know of that has several mini-stories that are all developed very well. I think this is rare for a movie. Films that have subplots or main characters often fail to develop them to full satisfaction. But consider the four stories here. We know the main one, of this shy, demure, very decent and plain young woman, Catherine Sloper. We watch the changes in her character. Near the end, she tells Morris Townsend that she had forgiven him. We believe it, because she is honest and is now a wiser person from her experience and years. She would be forgiving rather than be a driven person without peace. As a wiser person, she immediately sees through Townsend's amorous moves the second time. But instead of an act of revenge (she forgave him, and doesn't lie), she decides to teach Townsend a lesson with a clear message that he is out of her life forever. She can't do that by talking or argument against his sweet flattery. Would he ever learn his lesson any other way than through total humiliation at being stood up by her? As the light fades from behind her bolted door, reality sinks in for Townsend. He has lost in his scheme to lie his way into wealth and a life of comfort.
Montgomery Clift is ideal for the Townsend role, the second character study. The viewer knows right away that he's a gold digger. We mistrust him by what we have seen and heard before he enters the scene. Catherine's father, Dr. Sloper, has warned us about such people. And, in Catherine herself, we see a plain, not very attractive young woman. So, when Townsend appears to ask her for a dance, we suspect him right away. And when he opens his mouth with his flattery, sweet talk and politically correct language of the day, we know he's not to be believed or trusted. Clift plays his part to perfection. Yet, with all the signals we get, we're still never absolutely sure about him until he abandons Catherine after she tells him she won't get her father's inheritance.
Ralph Richardson plays Dr. Sloper to a tee. His character is a little more complicated and we don't see all of him until Catherine does. He has the usual concern and hopes for his daughter. But he is more wary because she hasn't picked up social skills or done well in most endeavors; and because she is not attractive. Still, he's her father, and we know he must love his daughter and want to see to it that she's taken care of in life. As the movie progresses, Dr. Sloper makes a couple of denigrating comparisons of Catherine to her mother. We can understand a threat of cutting off her inheritance – that's always a legitimate hammer to ward off gold diggers. But finally, Catherine and we see some actual disdain for her by her father. He had carefully masked his lack of love for his own daughter, by his parental concern for the welfare of this otherwise plain person.
The fourth character developed beautifully in this film is that of Aunt Penniman. Miriam Hopkins does great justice to the role. At first, she seems a bit scatterbrained. Besides the flightiness of aunts in these types of dramas that seems to be the norm, Aunt Penniman has a genuine love for her niece. She means well and wants happiness for her niece. She says one line to her brother, the doctor, that causes him to stop to think. So what if Townsend would squander Catherine's money, so long as she is happy? Then the aunt becomes a willing confidant of Townsend. In the end, she seems to be shallow after all, when she can't understand Catherine's final rebuff of the dishonest, scheming suitor.
What an excellent movie! Never does it lead to a low mood or spirits. Rather, it's a wonderful story that wraps its pages and celluloid around viewers and pulls us in. We like Catherine. We feel a little sorry for her. But we respect and care and hope for her. We want all to work out well for her, in spite of all the sham and dishonesty that builds around her. And so it happens. Watch for the ever-so-slight upturn of the lips on de Havilland's face as she turns down the lamp and heads off to her room content with the outcome of the day.
In watching this film again, I was aware that de Havilland seemed to mesmerize me. In the IMDb quotes section of her biography, de Havilland says that she preferred the parts of good girls because they are more challenging and difficult to play than are those of bad girls. Serious roles of the types of characters de Havilland has played, with varying temperaments, characteristics and personalities, surely are the more demanding. And de Havilland plays them to perfection. In just a few minutes into "The Heiress," I began to think about the quality of acting, and how superb de Havilland was in her role.
"The Heiress" is rewarding in another way. It's one of the few films I know of that has several mini-stories that are all developed very well. I think this is rare for a movie. Films that have subplots or main characters often fail to develop them to full satisfaction. But consider the four stories here. We know the main one, of this shy, demure, very decent and plain young woman, Catherine Sloper. We watch the changes in her character. Near the end, she tells Morris Townsend that she had forgiven him. We believe it, because she is honest and is now a wiser person from her experience and years. She would be forgiving rather than be a driven person without peace. As a wiser person, she immediately sees through Townsend's amorous moves the second time. But instead of an act of revenge (she forgave him, and doesn't lie), she decides to teach Townsend a lesson with a clear message that he is out of her life forever. She can't do that by talking or argument against his sweet flattery. Would he ever learn his lesson any other way than through total humiliation at being stood up by her? As the light fades from behind her bolted door, reality sinks in for Townsend. He has lost in his scheme to lie his way into wealth and a life of comfort.
Montgomery Clift is ideal for the Townsend role, the second character study. The viewer knows right away that he's a gold digger. We mistrust him by what we have seen and heard before he enters the scene. Catherine's father, Dr. Sloper, has warned us about such people. And, in Catherine herself, we see a plain, not very attractive young woman. So, when Townsend appears to ask her for a dance, we suspect him right away. And when he opens his mouth with his flattery, sweet talk and politically correct language of the day, we know he's not to be believed or trusted. Clift plays his part to perfection. Yet, with all the signals we get, we're still never absolutely sure about him until he abandons Catherine after she tells him she won't get her father's inheritance.
Ralph Richardson plays Dr. Sloper to a tee. His character is a little more complicated and we don't see all of him until Catherine does. He has the usual concern and hopes for his daughter. But he is more wary because she hasn't picked up social skills or done well in most endeavors; and because she is not attractive. Still, he's her father, and we know he must love his daughter and want to see to it that she's taken care of in life. As the movie progresses, Dr. Sloper makes a couple of denigrating comparisons of Catherine to her mother. We can understand a threat of cutting off her inheritance – that's always a legitimate hammer to ward off gold diggers. But finally, Catherine and we see some actual disdain for her by her father. He had carefully masked his lack of love for his own daughter, by his parental concern for the welfare of this otherwise plain person.
The fourth character developed beautifully in this film is that of Aunt Penniman. Miriam Hopkins does great justice to the role. At first, she seems a bit scatterbrained. Besides the flightiness of aunts in these types of dramas that seems to be the norm, Aunt Penniman has a genuine love for her niece. She means well and wants happiness for her niece. She says one line to her brother, the doctor, that causes him to stop to think. So what if Townsend would squander Catherine's money, so long as she is happy? Then the aunt becomes a willing confidant of Townsend. In the end, she seems to be shallow after all, when she can't understand Catherine's final rebuff of the dishonest, scheming suitor.
What an excellent movie! Never does it lead to a low mood or spirits. Rather, it's a wonderful story that wraps its pages and celluloid around viewers and pulls us in. We like Catherine. We feel a little sorry for her. But we respect and care and hope for her. We want all to work out well for her, in spite of all the sham and dishonesty that builds around her. And so it happens. Watch for the ever-so-slight upturn of the lips on de Havilland's face as she turns down the lamp and heads off to her room content with the outcome of the day.