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Mediocre, defenseless, no poise. That is an incredibly harsh way to describe someone and the person on the receiving end would probably have a hard time recovering from the brunt of the insult, especially if the one dishing it out is her own father. That is the basis for this William Wyler's underseen drama.
The Heiress follows Catherine (Olivia de Havilland), a naïve and shy young woman with poor social skills. This results in the disappointment of her father, Dr. Austin Sloper (Ralph Richardson), a widower that can't help but compare her to his late wife; "Only I know what I lost when she died, and what I got in her place." Ouch. So when a young and handsome man, Morris (Montgomery Clift) starts courting Catherine, Dr. Sloper is obviously suspicious and assumes he's after her money.
This is a film I hadn't heard much about, until two guests of my podcast brought it up a couple of months ago, specifically praising De Havilland's performance, and oh, how right they were. She is excellent in the role as she perfectly portrays the evolution of Catherine in a way that's both believable and organic. Clift and Richardson are not far behind; especially Richardson, who is also great handling the contempt under that façade of fake admiration.
Aside from the performances, Wyler's direction is also great. I loved the way he used the camera to shift focus between characters, specifically his choices of who is in front of the camera and who is giving his/her back to it on certain climatic conversations. I also really liked the way he used mirrors and reflections along the house.
I'm really surprised that this film and this performance doesn't get mentioned more often. It's interesting that the film follows Catherine, a character who goes along mostly unnoticed only to reveal a strong and confident persona in the end. The Heiress might go along unnoticed, but it is truly a showcase of great direction, pitch-perfect writing, and flawless performances.
Grade:
THE HEIRESS
(1949, Wyler)
A film from the 1940s • A drama film
(1949, Wyler)
A film from the 1940s • A drama film
"She's gone to the best schools in the city, she's had the finest training I could get her, music and dancing. She's sat with me evenings on end. I've tried to make conversation, give her some social adeptness. I've given her freedom wherever I could. The result is what you see. An entirely mediocre and defenseless creature with not a shred of poise."
Mediocre, defenseless, no poise. That is an incredibly harsh way to describe someone and the person on the receiving end would probably have a hard time recovering from the brunt of the insult, especially if the one dishing it out is her own father. That is the basis for this William Wyler's underseen drama.
The Heiress follows Catherine (Olivia de Havilland), a naïve and shy young woman with poor social skills. This results in the disappointment of her father, Dr. Austin Sloper (Ralph Richardson), a widower that can't help but compare her to his late wife; "Only I know what I lost when she died, and what I got in her place." Ouch. So when a young and handsome man, Morris (Montgomery Clift) starts courting Catherine, Dr. Sloper is obviously suspicious and assumes he's after her money.
This is a film I hadn't heard much about, until two guests of my podcast brought it up a couple of months ago, specifically praising De Havilland's performance, and oh, how right they were. She is excellent in the role as she perfectly portrays the evolution of Catherine in a way that's both believable and organic. Clift and Richardson are not far behind; especially Richardson, who is also great handling the contempt under that façade of fake admiration.
Aside from the performances, Wyler's direction is also great. I loved the way he used the camera to shift focus between characters, specifically his choices of who is in front of the camera and who is giving his/her back to it on certain climatic conversations. I also really liked the way he used mirrors and reflections along the house.
I'm really surprised that this film and this performance doesn't get mentioned more often. It's interesting that the film follows Catherine, a character who goes along mostly unnoticed only to reveal a strong and confident persona in the end. The Heiress might go along unnoticed, but it is truly a showcase of great direction, pitch-perfect writing, and flawless performances.
Grade: