The Heiress

A theme that runs through The Heiress is desire. Catherine Sloper (Olivia de Havilland) longs for a man in her life but is too shy to show it. Her father Austin (Ralph Richardson) wants Catherine to be like his deceased wife. Her suitor Morris Townsend (Montgomery Clift) would love to be with Catherine (or so it seems).

We learn early on that Catherine has a large sum of money to her name. This is why Austin is suspicious of Morris. Is Morris in love with Catherine or her impending wealth?

Catherine denies her father's claims but when Morris stands her up, she realizes her lover's true nature. She was so blinded by love she couldn't see what Morris' true intentions were.

Now most period pieces like The Heiress are well-crafted. But The Heiress, in my opinion, is a tad on the stuffy side. Don't get me wrong. I admire the work from de Havilland and Richardson (I liked Clift's work, but I felt Clift himself was a little out of place). The plot would've been better had there been something else to move the plot forward.

My Rating: ****