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The Heiress Overview:

The Heiress (1949) was a Drama - Romance Film directed by William Wyler and produced by William Wyler, Robert Wyler and Lester Koenig.

The film was based on the novel Washington Square and also Serial, Cornhill Magazine & Harper's New Monthly Magazine; also Stage Play "The Heiress" written by Henry James published in 1880 (novel); 1880 (magazines); Sep 29, 1947 - Sep 18, 1948 (performed at Biltmore Theatre, NY).

SYNOPSIS

A superb cinematic version of Henry James's novel Washington Square. After discovering that his bride-to-be (de Havilland) is going to be disinherited by her brutally overbearing father (Richardson), a handsome young fortune hunter (Clift) jilts her on the night of their elopement. Years later, when the woman's fortune is secured, the man returns and asks for her hand, but his erstwhile sweetheart exacts her revenge. Copland's score is magnificent.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

The Heiress was inducted into the National Film Registry in 1996.

Academy Awards 1949 --- Ceremony Number 22 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best Supporting ActorRalph RichardsonNominated
Best ActressOlivia de HavillandWon
Best Art DirectionArt Direction: Harry Horner, John Meehan; Set Decoration: Emile KuriWon
Best CinematographyLeo ToverNominated
Best Costume DesignEdith Head, Gile SteeleWon
Best DirectorWilliam WylerNominated
Best Music - ScoringAaron CoplandWon
Best PictureParamountNominated
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The Heiress BlogHub Articles:

The Heiress (1949, William Wyler)

By Andrew Wickliffe on Jul 1, 2019 From The Stop Button

My favorite moment in The Heiress is when Olivia de Havilland has a slight tremor, watching someone walk away after she’s just told them off. It’s this fantastic glimpse into her character. The film has something of a double twist ending, so it’s going to be hard to talk around various spoiler... Read full article

The Heiress (1949, William Wyler)

By Andrew Wickliffe on Jul 1, 2019 From The Stop Button

My favorite moment in The Heiress is when Olivia de Havilland has a slight tremor, watching someone walk away after she’s just told them off. It’s this fantastic glimpse into her character. The film has something of a double twist ending, so it’s going to be hard to talk around various spoiler... Read full article

The Heiress (1949, William Wyler)

on Jul 1, 2019 From The Stop Button

My favorite moment in The Heiress is when Olivia de Havilland has a slight tremor, watching someone walk away after she’s just told them off. It’s this fantastic glimpse into her character. The film has something of a double twist ending, so it’s going to be hard to talk around various spoiler... Read full article

The Heiress (1949, William Wyler)

on Jul 1, 2019 From The Stop Button

My favorite moment in The Heiress is when Olivia de Havilland has a slight tremor, watching someone walk away after she’s just told them off. It’s this fantastic glimpse into her character. The film has something of a double twist ending, so it’s going to be hard to talk around various spoiler... Read full article

The Heiress (1949)

By Beatrice on May 14, 2015 From Flickers in Time

The Heiress Directed by William Wyler Written by Ruth and Augustus Goetz from their play and suggested by the novel Washington Square by Henry James 1949/USA Paramount Pictures First viewing/Netflix rental #229 of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die For some reason I waited until now before s... Read full article

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The Heiress Quotes:

Austin Sloper: You have found a tongue at last, Catherine. 'Tis only to say such terrible things to me.
Catherine Sloper: Yes. This is a field where you will not compare me to my mother.
Catherine Sloper: Bolt the door, Maria!
Catherine Sloper: Don't be kind to me, father. It doesn't become you.
Catherine Sloper: He must come, he must take me away, he must love me, he must. Morris will love me - for all those who didn't.
Morris Townsend: Catherine! Catherine! Catherine!
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The Heiress Facts
"Lux Radio Theater" broadcast a 60 minute radio adaptation of the movie on September 11, 1950 with Olivia de Havilland reprising her film role.
In Italian, the actors are dubbed by: Lidia Simoneschi (Olivia De Havilland); Giulio Panicali (Montgomery Clift); Sandro Ruffini (Ralph Richardson); Andreina Pagnani (Miriam Hopkins); Rosetta Calavetta (Vanessa Brown); Miranda Bonansea (Mona Freeman) and Gaetano Verna (Ray Collins).
This film was selected to the National Film Registry, Library of Congress, in 1996.
To help Olivia de Havilland achieve the physically and emotionally weary and worn effect that he wanted, director William Wyler packed books into the suitcases that the actress lugged up the staircase in the scene where her character realizes that she has been jilted by her lover.
In his autobiography, Basil Rathbone lamented that he did not get the part of Dr Sloper in the film, following his performance in the play in New York, opposite Wendy Hiller. Had he been cast, and had Errol Flynn won the part of Morris Townsend as originally planned, this would have been a re-teaming of all three main stars from the film classics, "Captain Blood" (1935) and "The Adventures of Robin Hood" (1938.
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