Clare suffers from fits and Anna cares for Clare between her time at work and time seeing her boyfriend. That, combined with a razor sharp script, filled with many interesting plot twists, makes for a very memorable film.Devoted sisters Clare ( Candis Nergaard) and Anna (Jayne Wisener) live together. Montgomery Clift's performance is a little stale, but supporting actors Miriam Hopkins and Ralph Richardson's performances surely compensate for Clift's shortcomings. The Heiress, which she won her second Academy Award for, displays De Havilland at her all-time best, proving herself to be one of the most talented actresses of the Golden Age. Like Bette Davis, Olivia De Havilland isn't exactly what you would call a "classic beauty" in the same sense as Rita Hayworth or Marilyn Monroe, but she makes up for that with her awe-inspiring talents as an actress. I usually am not fond of period pieces, especially ones about wealthy people (since I find it hard to feel sorrow for them), and I've never actually been impressed by a William Wyler film enough to give it any more than an 80%, but The Heiress is an exception to both rules. What starts out as a very passionate romance soon leads to a very cold-hearted, compelling drama. The Heiress is one of the most cynical, heartless and cold films in history - and I mean that in the best way possible. Director William Wyler never lets up, and what may sound like a staid, potentially boring story is anything but that it flies by in its 115 minute run time. The film shows the damage one can do by being too blunt with one's (truthful) candor, in addition to that done by the opposite, being deceitful. The themes of love, trust, acceptance of another's shortcomings, and supporting them just the same are all in play here. There is such depth of emotion here, and the film highlights those moments in life where everything may pivot based on a few actions or comments. We really don't know how it's going to play out, and I won't spoil it, except to say that it's brilliant, especially the ending. I just love the eloquent way they speak, expressing their viewpoints and emotions candidly, but always politely, even if pointedly. The exchanges between Richardson and Clift, father and potential son-in-law, are fantastic. One can really see why she earned the second of her two Oscars with this performance. To see her character grow over the course of the movie, with de Havilland masterful at each stage, is wonderful. More importantly, she acts the part, with what feels like authentically painful shyness. Here, with her hair matted down into a helmet and her eyelashes thickened, she almost resembles Alfalfa from the old Little Rascals show in some of her scenes. I loved how Olivia de Havilland was made up to fit the part, unlike some of the other films I've seen where she's the 'plain one' but looks extraordinary (she is Oliva de Havilland, after all). Her aunt (Miriam Hopkins, who was so nice to see) tries to mediate between everyone involved. The father fears he is in it for the money, but the young man is steadfastly earnest in his protestations of true affection. Enter Montgomery Clift, a young man without money or an occupation, who sees the good in her, and begins courting her. Her wealthy father (Ralph Richardson) is a widower, and with memories of his beautiful and graceful wife in his mind, feels disappointment in his daughter. A plain young woman in Manhattan towards the end of the 19th century (Oliva de Havilland) suffers from painful social awkwardness.
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