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The Heiress on DVD (1949)
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Radio Times
This immaculately cast and brilliantly directed movie was adapted from Henry James's novel Washington Square. Olivia de Havilland quite rightly won her second Academy Award as the plain spinster seeking affection from fortune hunter Montgomery Clift. Clift also gives a finely controlled performance of great subtlety and, though both he and de Havilland are too good-looking for their roles, it is this quintessential Hollywood factor that keeps you riveted to the screen. As de Havilland's autocratic father, Ralph Richardson delivers arguably his finest screen work, and these flawless casting choices contribute to what is surely the most satisfying screen adaptation of James's work. Resourceful director William Wyler lets the period detail work for the characters rather than get in the way, and both art direction and costume design won Oscars, as did the haunting score. Agnieszka Holland's Washington Square, with Jennifer Jason Leigh and Albert Finney, pales by comparison with this screen classic. Time Out Wyler's version of Henry James' Washington Square (based on a play adaptation) is typically plush, painstaking and... Read more on www.timeout.com
Richly-decorated and generally pleasing version of a stage success based on a Henry James story set in the 1890s. Members ReviewsReviews Voted Most HelpfulMost Recent Reviews |
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