She was a monster!
Beautiful Ellen Berent unashamedly jilts her fiancé, Russell Quinton, for writer Richard Harland. Her attraction to Harland being that he reminds her of her deceased father. But soon it becomes evident that Ellen is very possessive and literally will do what it takes to keep all away from her newly obtained beau.
Director John M. Stahl and writer Jo Swerling adapt from the novel written by Ben Ames Williams. Filmed in luscious Technicolor by Leon Shamroy (Oscar winning), Leave Her To Heaven proves two indisputable things. One is that to craft a searing film noir it doesn't have to be filmed in monochrome, the other is that it's proof positive that Gene Tierney (Ellen) was more than just a gorgeously effective face.
Tierney of course needs no introduction to fans of film noir, her appearance and quality of performance in the previous years release of Laura ensures that. While to a lesser degree the mixed Whirlpool four years later also cements her status in the corridors of darkness. But an argument can be made for this being her crowning glory, both in terms of her effervescent beauty and of the performance she gives (Oscar nominated). It's not outrageous to say that the film achieves greater heights because of her portrayal as Ellen, a character that is the epitome of the femme fatale. Tierney has this beguiling knack of shifting from charm personified to outright evil in a heart beat - and amazingly as Ellen grows more warped and jealous, Tierney grows ever more sexy. It's not just Cornel Wilde's duped Richard Harland falling into her disturbed web, it's any watching human being with a pulse! Even as the shockingly cold moments unravel, and there are some truly chilling ones for sure, Ellen draws us in with a lusty fascination that's rather unique.
Credit too must go to Stahl's direction, perhaps a director that unfairly sits in the lounge of the unsung, he weaves his story adroitly, setting up plot roads to keep us intrigued, only to then shift focus back on the dame holding court for characters and viewers alike. Wilde does fine, his mannered approach work works well off of Tierney's show stealing turn while in support we get pretty as a picture Jeanne Crain as the crucial sister character, Ruth Berent, while Vincent Price - elegant as always - does his profession proud in the small but important role of the jilted Quinton.
Leave Her To Heaven is a must for noir fans, a must for Tierney fans, and definitely a production to get the best out of your High Definition TV. 8.5/10
Yikes, talk about an internecine plot! This is certainly a story that requires concentration as the machinations of "Ellen" (Gene Tierney) take their toll on just about everyone around her. She meets the young writer "Richard" (Cornel Wilde) on a train when he encounters this enigmatic young woman who happens to be reading his latest novel. A whirlwind romance ensues that sees her dump her fianceé, marry "Richard" and return to his cottage along with his crippled brother "Danny" (Darryl Hickman). The green eyed monster soon rears it's ugly head - "Ellen" isn't the sharing type, and when "Danny" is inexplicably drowned they move home, she has a miscarriage and then they split up. Still determined, "Ellen" plots a dastardly scheme to ensure that his new friend "Ruth" (Jeanne Crain) ends up in the electric chair. The plot is sophisticated and presented in a well-paced and intriguing fashion with Wilde, Crain and especially Tierney on top form delivering a tightly written adaptation of Ben Ames Williams' cleverly constructed story of lust, envy and manipulation. It's interesting to see Cornel Wilde take on a more substantial role. He still has that gleam in his eye but he takes to the grittier part of his role convincingly. The always reliable Alfred Newman supplies a score that also chips in well as the denouement is anything but straightforward. Rarely seen nowadays, but certainly well worth sitting down for.
_Leave Her to Heaven_ is, without a doubt, the least exciting and fun noir I've watched this Noirvember so far. In a genre that typically brims with tension and intrigue, this film feels practically void of pulse – almost like it's trying to lull you to sleep instead of keeping you on edge. Not sure what's more disappointing: the absence of thrills or the flat, listless atmosphere!
