Leave Her to Heaven
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Movie Reviews of Leave Her to Heaven
Movie Review: "Ellen always wins."
Summary: 5 Stars
Lovely Ellen (Gene Tierney) meets handsome Richard (Cornel Wilde) and is instantly attracted to him because he is so like her late, beloved father. Although she's engaged to someone else, she marries Richard just days after meeting him. Her neurotic possessiveness means she can't allow anyone else near him - not even his disabled brother or unborn child - and now she's worried that her sister (Jeanne Crain) is in love with him. When her obsession finally drives him away, Ellen has one more trick up her sleeve; she'll punish both Richard and her sister from the grave.
This surprisingly dark and intense drama is made even more effective by its three beautiful stars and stunning location photography. Ellen goes from being odd to certifiably insane; it was unnerving to have the leading lady be the villain in 1945 and it still is. She is a master manipulator, callously offing her competition while looking like a fashion-plate. Tierney was nominated for Best Actress for her performance, which gives me chills everytime I watch. This is an unusual story, beautifully filmed and perfectly acted.
Movie Review: LOVE THAT KILLS.....
Summary: 5 Stars
Incredible, high-grade melodrama about a rich young woman whose "love" either ruins or kills everyone around her. Based on the novel with a tight, crisp script by Jo Swerling, Ellen (Gene Tierney) has it all: money, beauty and an ability to excel and come out on top in everything she does. But when she meets and marries a writer (Cornel Wilde), she's got big obstacles to overcome to keep him to herself. One of these being an invalid kid brother. Shot in wonderful Technicolor with on location shots, the film is magnificent to look at capturing marvelous detail and depth. But it's Tierney as Ellen who dominates the film with a cold portrayel of monstrous manipulation. She reportedly had a hard time living down this role and you can see why. Her character stops at absolutely nothing to possess Wilde. A young Vincent Price is featured as her jilted fiance who winds up a high-powered attorney and figures prominantly in the final dramatic court room scenes. The DVD print is fine and a reminder of what seeing this in the theater must have been like. It must have been quite a shocker for the time. Enjoy.Movie Review: "She loved her father too much"
Summary: 5 Stars
Here's a quick note, if an engaged woman starts beaming about how much you remind her of her dead father, breaks her engagement within a few days, and tries to get you to marry her about a couple weeks(if that) of knowing each other, RUN!
There are two spectrums regarding the nightmare wife. One is is completely uncaring of her spouse and becomes a apathetic shrew, the other side is the excessively jealous wife who turns any other contact into a nightmare. Ellen was the latter. In her deranged mind, she's replacing the father whom she smothered and lead to an early grave, and her new husband is the replacement, and gets the same treatment as she destroys anyone who dares take his attention away from her. Just because someone is gone doesn't mean they can't still destroy you.
The plot is brilliantly paced, the final scene satisfying, and the acting(for the most part) is top notch. I was actually quite surprised at how dark this movie was given when it was made, so don't let the Technicolor fool you.
Movie Review: Great Film
Summary: 5 Stars
I just watched this film, released in 1945, for the very first time last night. Gene Tierney's performance was smashing as the evil Ellen Berent. Directed by John M. Stahl, the color in this film was so sumptuous that at first I thought it was colorized. However, no, thankfully I discovered it was a restored Technicolor print. Leon Shamroy won the Oscar for best cinematography. Never has a film looked so beautiful. Unusual too, as most film noir is shot in luscious black and with lots of deep shadows. This is a film of psychological obsession and jealousy is told in flashbacks from the point of view of a beautiful female antagonist, who gives new meaning to the phrase femme fatale. Cornel Wilde plays the love stricken and somewhat naïve husband. The beautiful Jeanne Crain plays the sweet unassuming sister also known as the "gal with the hoe." Vincent Price makes an appearance as a jilted former lover and fiancé and a determined prosecutor at the end. I highly recommend this great film.
Movie Review: "Beauty" is in the EAR of the BEHOLDER!
Summary: 5 Stars
Unlike an earlier reviewer, I found Darryl Hickman's commentary to be quite insightful and not the ramblings of a whining ex-child star. Of course, the opinions are those that are singularly his, as he recalls the filming of the classic film. Certainly, his feelings about his cast members and director are based on memories from a child mixed with experiences that he has had since he became an adult. And for that, he cannot be criticized.
As far the film itself, one can only be mesmerized by the beauty of Gene Tierney, coupled with her vivid portrayal of a woman determined to be the sole possessor of husband Cornel Wilde. Wilde, one of Hollywood's "pretty boys" affords himself adequately in the part of the unsuspecting spouse while the aforementioned Hickman is impressive as the ill-fated brother to Wilde's character.
And the eye-catching allure of Miss Tierney is equally matched by the Oscar-winning cinematography, which makes this one of the best-looking films of all time.