First Impressions: The Heiress (1949)

I have just finished THE HEIRESS (1949) starring Olivia De Havilland and Montgomery Clift.

I have never been so disappointed in an ending in my life!!!!

The Story
The story is that some poor dashing young man named Morris comes into the life of a wealthy wallflower named Catherine and we don't know if he wants her for her money (as her father says) or really loves her (as her aunt says).

He plans an elopement with her, and she decides to cut all ties with her fortune since her father despises Morris and hates Catherine(because she's not pretty like her mother). But Morris never comes to elope as he promised. She finds later that he went to the other side of the country.

Years later, after the death of dad, Catherine is much more adept at handling herself in public and heavy with bitterness. Catherine idles away in her spinsterhood and Morris shows up out of the blue.

Oh! That Ending
After I reconciled myself to the fact that Morris really is after Catherine's money, I knew they might never get married at the end (she'd been hurt too much) but I thought, eventually he would learn his lesson and become truly penitent and no longer pursue her.

I thought as well that she would let go of her bitterness eventually, and they would end any ties in some bittersweet way.

The ending was not at all sweet and nothing but bitter!!!

We are left with Morris banging on a door that she deliberately bolted knowing that he's on the other side, hearing him calling for her. We see her walking to her bedroom (eyes slightly wide and spooked) and end with Morris in desperation, still banging on the door. The music swells and "The End."

It is a cliff hanger, I would call it, at the height of tension, not at a true resolution.
I can't believe it! I really can't believe it!!



Copyright © Java_Rush 2006