This is one film which surpasses the original book Most books are better than their film renditions, with a few exceptions. I personally enjoy the movie based upon Rachel Field's "All This and Heaven, Too" more than I ever liked the original novel. Not that the book is dull; it is based upon a true event. Rachel's great uncle married the infamous Henriette Deluzy-Desportes. Mademoiselle Deluzy was accused of complicity in a murder which rocked France and ignited the Revolution of 1848. After her release from the Conciergerie she fled to America where she married the Protestant minister Mr. Field.
The film, however, brings all the characters and their vying passions to life far better than does the novel. Charles Boyer wavers on the brink of insanity as the honorable but tormented Duc de Choiseul-Praslin. Scion of an ancient but impoverished family, the Duc has married the nouvelle-riche Fanny Sebastiani, daughter of one of Napoleon's generals. Barbara O'Neill, who played Scarlett O'Hara's saintly and refined mother, demonstrates her range as the hysterical, paranoid, oversexed Fanny, dripping with venom and religiosity. She would have stolen the show from any other female actress but Bette Davis. Bette is the restrained Huguenot governess Mademoiselle Deluzy, who brings order and dignity into the chaotic household, winning the hearts of the Duc and his children, thus earning for herself the Fanny's hatred. Davis simmers along as Mademoiselle Deluzy, who must face the stigma of sins she did not commit for, as so often happens, people are more incensed by the platonic friendship between the Duc and the governess than they would have been by a full blown love affair. Perhaps it is because such romantic but chaste relationships are sometimes more intense and longer lasting than sexual flings.
At any rate, Henriette pays a high price for the Duc's admiration and devotion. It is a most bitter tragedy, made all the more so by the reality of the actual story. The family of the Duc de Praslin-Choiseul was destroyed by Fanny's violent murder. Henriette found peace in a faraway land, where she passed on the story which became an American novel and classic film.
"...my only happiness will be in knowing I am sharing your loneliness." Madmoiselle Henriette Deluzy-Desportes (Bette Davis) is warned the moment she arrives at the Praslin home that she will only come away with heartache. Still, she has nowhere else to go, so she nobly enters a new life. Duc de Praslin (Charles Boyer) hires her to be the governess to his three daughters (June Lockhart, Virginia Weidler, and Ann Todd) and prized son (Richard Nichols) against the wishes of his jealous and quarrelsome wife (Barbara O'Neil). Madmoiselle grows very close to the children and they begin to love her as their mother, much to the chagrin of the Duchess. She begins to antagonize Madmoiselle constantly, which causes the Duc to love her, which antagonizes the Duchess. It all ends in scandal and heartbreak.
The relationships between the characters is interesting to watch, but most of all, Davis is the true star of the film. She carries the story along nicely with the most restraining performance. She says very little about her love for the children or for the Duc, but her intense passion for them is evident nonetheless. The children are good too, most of all Weidler whose charm and beauty shines winningly, and the adorable little Nichols who could make even the most bitter person fall in love with him.
One of Davis's Best !!! Flawless performance by Bette Davis this is one of those films in which you realize what a gifted actress she trully was she hardly speaks and yet she says so much with her expressions, Charles Boyer is equally good in his role and so is the rest of the cast. Absolutley a masterpiece this movie most defenetly should come out on dvd, SOON.
A Must See... Once again, Bette Davis at her best. This is a wonderful movie to be watched over and over again.
Superb!! I am 26 yrs old and wasn't even thought of when this movie was made, but I love it. Betty Davis was so demure in this film. I believe that all black&white movie lovers should have this in their collection. I missed the full showing on TCM about 3 months ago and was thrilled to find out that I can purchase it online.
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