tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post5697245420078367398..comments2024-01-11T05:02:32.321-05:00Comments on Goodfella's Movie Blog: #64: Leave Her to Heaven (John M. Stahl, 1945)Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07134196370913749544noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-84937108150204564752010-09-20T05:49:03.910-04:002010-09-20T05:49:03.910-04:00Wicked blog Dave, and love your profile pic, its a...Wicked blog Dave, and love your profile pic, its almost the same as mine on FB. You have reviewed so many films I have never heard of, its awesome. Just reading down these comments I feel I have to go and buy this one!Chrishttp://www.vicpine.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-61970493548934821552010-03-27T13:18:21.896-04:002010-03-27T13:18:21.896-04:00Gene Tierney gave a once in a lifetime performance...Gene Tierney gave a once in a lifetime performance as the ultra jealous femme fatale in this fantastic movie.<br /><br />I have owned it for six years now, and it is hard to believe it was made in 1945. The famous scene where Ellen leads her partner's brother to his hideous death would never be allowed today. It is also good to see it has been finally acknowleged as a classic. I also agree with the remarks that Gene was an incredibly beautiful woman. It must have taken courage to play such a malignant part. She was also impressive in "Night And The City" featuring Richard Widmark. <br /><br />Another movie which should be checked out is "Nightmare Alley" with Tyrone Power, another "pretty" face who took an huge risk with one of the bleakest film noirs ever.....Rob Jnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-48675223945236187292010-02-17T03:38:35.431-05:002010-02-17T03:38:35.431-05:00Wheeler Dixon in his book, Cinema of Paranoia (200...Wheeler Dixon in his book, Cinema of Paranoia (2009), outlines a convincing thesis on the movie's psychological underpinnings:<br /><br />"... what Ellen fears most is the loss of identity that her marriage will bring, a loss of self that matrimony anticipates in the very act of the wedding ceremony itself. Richard and Ellen’s marriage is not real, can never be real, because Ellen, a product of postwar American culture, seeks a life for herself above all other considerations and refuses to be subsumed in any relationship. Yet unable to declare her true intentions because of the social conventions of the period, Ellen must lie continually about her relationships, about her actions, and, eventually, even about the manner of her death."Tony D'Ambrahttp://filmsnoir.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-47292614946158681642010-02-16T17:58:31.410-05:002010-02-16T17:58:31.410-05:00Adam - Thanks for stopping in on the countdown. D...Adam - Thanks for stopping in on the countdown. Definitely check it out in its entirety if you haven't yet.<br /><br />Doniphon - I just had to include this one, even if it doesn't have all of the typical noir elements. As for SOME CAME RUNNING, as I said at WitD, I'm still reeling from how great I thought it was. A great movie.<br /><br />Sam - Yes, Shamroy's cinematography is a treat here... that orange shade of everything looks so alluring. Tierney was a force in the 40s, that's for sure, and as I know most can guess, she will definitely be heard from again in the countdown.<br /><br />As for SOME CAME RUNNING, Sam, I'd love to hear your thoughts after you watch it again. I found everything about it outstanding -- the lead performances and especially Mannelli's direction.<br /><br />Quirky Character - That's a shame... hopefully you'll get a chance to see it at some point!<br /><br />John - Agreed, a very chilling scene. That is what struck me as well, wondering how they got it past the censors in '45.<br /><br />Judy - It definitely has the "noir feel" if it lacks the usual visuals. Tierney is a powerhouse throughout.Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07134196370913749544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-83486301217683789442010-02-16T17:54:00.115-05:002010-02-16T17:54:00.115-05:00The lake scene is definitely one of the most chill...The lake scene is definitely one of the most chilling sequences I have seen - murder committed with such apparent politeness. I was slightly surprised to see that you included a movie in such vivid colour in your noir countdown, but, thinking about it, take your point that the elements of noir can be there even in the full light of day!Judyhttp://movieclassics.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-17511335646983773282010-02-16T13:37:49.132-05:002010-02-16T13:37:49.132-05:00Deliciously chilling scene that you rightly point ...Deliciously chilling scene that you rightly point is hard to phantom how it got passed the censors of the day. Have not seen this is quite a while but that lake scene just stays imbedded in your head.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01808503055317962289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-69056077329117642882010-02-16T13:01:12.496-05:002010-02-16T13:01:12.496-05:00Oh how much I wanna watch this, but it's not a...Oh how much I wanna watch this, but it's not available in my country, helas...Quirky Characterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13590664018386916883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-25852046641248296352010-02-16T12:11:47.736-05:002010-02-16T12:11:47.736-05:00Dave, I have off from school this week for winter ...Dave, I have off from school this week for winter break, so I will be giving the Minnelli film another look, based on your delirious praise. I've always liked the film well-enough, but I need to see if there's a re-appraisal looming.Sam Julianonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-26385586641543973172010-02-16T12:09:42.412-05:002010-02-16T12:09:42.412-05:00Well Dave, this is another film that I saw fairly ...Well Dave, this is another film that I saw fairly recently for the first time, and that lake scene is one of the most chilling in all of cinema. Tierney earned the Oscar nomination in a year when Joan Crawford triumphed for Mildred Pierce. And the film scowcases an exceptional Alfred Newman score. Yeah, the courtroom scenes areas bad as the ones in A PLACE IN THE SUN six years later, but this is typical of the stereotyping of the times. I had less of a problem with the psuedo-psychology, as this was an outgrowith of the melodramatics that defined this and other Stahl dramas like MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION and IMITATION OF LIFE.<br /><br />And then there's that extraordinary cinematographer Leon Shamroy, who with 18 nominations, is tied for the most in that department of all-time. And he won four times, including the win for this film, which was richly deserved. He also did great work in WILSON and CLEOPATRA (two more Oscars) and in LOVE IS A MANY-SPLENDORED THING and THE KING AND I.<br /><br />Incidentally Dave, some of the best descriptive writing on this entire countdown is on display in your coverage of the horrifying lake scene:<br /><br />"Rather than continue with the Alfred Newman score that accompanies everything else in the film, for this sequence he cuts the music and allows only the natural sounds of the lake to be heard. You hear birds chirping, wind blowing, and the gentle ripple of the water as Danny struggles to continue swimming. You hear Danny squeal for help, begging Ellen to assist him because his injured legs are tiring. After seeing Danny’s head go under for a third time, the camera then turns to watch Ellen sit their motionless, without a hint of emotion on her face. It’s chilling, there’s no other way to describe it."<br /><br />Great stuff Dave. Kudos to you.Sam Julianonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-39702445093275308242010-02-16T11:35:01.621-05:002010-02-16T11:35:01.621-05:00And I LOVE that you gave Some Came Running, one of...And I LOVE that you gave Some Came Running, one of my all-time favorites, a 10. It deserves nothing less.Doniphonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02407443845368110678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-76158787515332521842010-02-16T11:33:48.209-05:002010-02-16T11:33:48.209-05:00I haven't seen this in awhile, but there is so...I haven't seen this in awhile, but there is something wickedly wonderful about having a Stahl film on a noir countdown. The cheap psychology always bothered me too, and Gene Tierney definitely was the most beautiful woman of her era.Doniphonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02407443845368110678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-41342002962285026402010-02-16T00:15:08.485-05:002010-02-16T00:15:08.485-05:00I saw Leave Her to Heaven on late night PBS a long...I saw <i>Leave Her to Heaven</i> on late night PBS a long, long time ago, when I was under the age of ten or so. Regrettably, my parents and I missed the entire first half (including the drowning sequence) and began watching from the scene where Ellen aborts her baby on the stairs. Then she commits suicide. After these two sequences, I was thinking to myself: DAMN! This movie is intense! Abortion? Suicide? <i>MURDER</i>? Hilariously, when I got older and saw <i>Gone With the Wind</i> for the first time, all of those graphic elements were in that particular film. And worse!<br /><br />Fortunately, when Ebert & Roeper first announced that <i>Leave Her to Heaven</i> was being released on DVD, they showed a snippet of the drowning sequence. And I was relieved when they actually revealed the film's title, which neither me nor my parents had been able to figure out when it played on PBS (we assumed it was a Hitchcock film).Adam Zanziehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14524618281515322239noreply@blogger.com