Leave Her To Heaven
John Stahl
John Stahl
Leave Her To Heaven was an unusual film noir. The male lead was a placeholder and oft passive observer. Leave Her To Heaven was shot in technicolor (initially I thought it had been colorized). It lacks the light and shadow mix which defines much noir. Many scenes are shot outside and during the day. There's a lack of cynicism. The male lead usually takes people at face value.
The movie makes one major concession to the noir genre in that it features a gorgeous femme fatale with some questionable morals, psychology, and sexuality.
Mores and customs have changed so much since 1945 that were this film remade today I think the femme fatale would be portrayed more sympathetically. I can't call it. There's a thin line between adoring attention and obsessive possessiveness. The lead actress demonstrates this in obvious and subtle ways.
Richard Harland (Cornel Wilde) is a writer traveling to New Mexico for vacation. On a train Richard notices a stunning woman reading one of his books. Well before Richard can put the moves on her she puts the moves on him.
This lady, Ellen Berent (Gene Tierney) has stopped reading Richard's book because she can't stop looking at Richard. She likes him. A lot. Ellen's interest is driven by the fact that Ellen thinks Richard is the spitting image of her father as a younger man. Welp!!!
Before Richard can say "Holy Red Flag Batman!" and make his escape he and Ellen have started flirting and laughing together. Fortuitously it turns out that Richard and Ellen are staying with the same friends.
Ellen and her family are in town to spread Ellen's father's ashes. Ellen's family includes her quiet and patient mother (Mary Phillips) and her adopted sister/cousin Ruth (Jeanne Crain).
Ellen seems to be uninterested in her family; she spends her waking moments making goo-goo eyes at Richard, who returns her interest. Ellen neglected to tell Richard that she had a fiance. Richard figured it out from her engagement ring.
But when that fiance, the attorney Russell Quinton (Vincent Price), visits the woman he thinks he's going to marry, Ellen coolly dismisses him, telling him she doesn't love him anymore. Beat it chump!
And yada, yada, yada, Richard and Ellen are married. They spend time in Georgia before moving back to Maine. It becomes apparent that both parties should have learned more about each other. Richard is responsible for his handicapped younger brother Danny (Darryl Hickman) and invites him along for the extended honeymoon.
Richard has planned many activities with Danny. Neither Danny nor Richard can see that Ellen views Danny as a fifth wheel. Richard invites Ellen's mother and Ruth for a surprise visit. Ellen isn't happy with that.
Ellen is further irritated when she sees that Ruth and Richard have a simpatico relationship. Richard even dedicates his new book to Ruth. Hmm. When people ignore your hints then you have to be direct, don't you?
Ellen is not a good person. This isn't immediately obvious because many things which annoy Ellen would annoy anyone. Nobody wants their family or their lover's family around all the time. Ellen's pride and jealousy make her a compelling villain. When Ellen's mother speaks of Ellen's late father and trails off saying Ellen "loved too much", I think the implication is horrific.
Is someone who does monstrous things a monster or just misunderstood? YMMV. This movie illustrates why love must be reciprocal. Tierney plays Ellen as a self-assured charming confident woman who is easy to get along with as long as she's the only star in the sky.
Ellen is often dressed in white. That's when she's the most dangerous. Ellen takes things to extremes. As is usual with films from this time period (1945) I was struck by the rareness of obesity. Even the extras are in good shape.
