All That Heaven Allows (1955)

Director:

Douglas Sirk

Writers:

Peg Fenwick (screenplay)
Edna L. Lee (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

9 December 1955 (Denmark)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

How much does Heaven Allow a Woman in Love?

Plot:

An upper-class widow falls in love with a much younger, down-to-earth nurseryman, much to the disapproval of her children and criticism of her country club peers.

Plot Keywords:

Widow | Gossip | New England | Country Club | Tree

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Jane Wyman	...	Cary Scott
Rock Hudson	...	Ron Kirby
Agnes Moorehead	...	Sara Warren
Conrad Nagel	...	Harvey
Virginia Grey	...	Alida
Gloria Talbott	...	Kay
William Reynolds	...	Ned
Charles Drake	...	Mick Anderson
Hayden Rorke	...	Dr. Hennessy
Jacqueline deWit	...	Mona Plash (as Jacqueline de Wit)
Leigh Snowden	...	Jo-Ann
Donald Curtis	...	Howard Hoffer
Alex Gerry	...	George Warren
Nestor Paiva	...	Manuel
Forrest Lewis	...	Mr. Weeks
Tol Avery	...	Tom Allenby
Merry Anders	...	Mary Ann
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Helen Andrews	...	Myrtle (uncredited)
Eleanor Audley	...	Mrs. Humphrey (uncredited)
Lillian Culver	...	Mrs. Taylor (uncredited)
Jack Davidson	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Alan DeWitt	...	Stationmaster (uncredited)
Helen Dickson	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Donna Jo Gribble	...	Miss Taylor (uncredited)
Jim Hayward	...	John (uncredited)
Helene Heigh	...	Ann (uncredited)
David Janssen	...	Freddie Norton (uncredited)
Anthony Jochim	...	Mr. Adams (uncredited)
Paul Keast	...	Mark Plash (uncredited)
Jack Lomas	...	Fred (uncredited)
Joseph Mell	...	Mr. Gow - the Butcher (uncredited)
Forbes Murray	...	Country Club Member (uncredited)
Vernon Rich	...	Bill (uncredited)
Gia Scala	...	Manuel's Daughter (uncredited)
Edna Smith	...	Miss Edna Pidway (uncredited)
Paul Smith	...	Tom - Christmas Tree Vendor (uncredited)
Ted Stanhope	...	Country Club Waiter (uncredited)
Rosa Turich	...	Rozanna - Manuel's Wife (uncredited)

Directed by
Douglas Sirk

Writing credits
Peg Fenwick		(screenplay)
Edna L. Lee		(story) and
Harry Lee		(story)

Produced by
Ross Hunter	....	producer

Original Music by
Frank Skinner

Cinematography by
Russell Metty

Film Editing by
Frank Gross
Fred Baratta		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Alexander Golitzen
Eric Orbom

Set Decoration by
Russell A. Gausman
Julia Heron

Costume Design by
Bill Thomas		(gowns)

Makeup Department
Joan St. Oegger	....	hair stylist
Bud Westmore	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joseph E. Kenney	....	assistant director (as Joseph E. Kenny)
George Lollier	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Leslie I. Carey	....	sound
Joe Lapis	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Ledge Haddow	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Eddie Hobson	....	best boy grip (uncredited)
Philip H. Lathrop	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Max Nippell	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Dean Paup	....	key grip (uncredited)
Kenneth Smith	....	dolly grip (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rose Brandi	....	wardrobe supervisor: Jane Wyman (uncredited)

Music Department
Joseph Gershenson	....	music supervisor

Other crew
William Fritzsche	....	technicolor color consultant
Jack Daniels	....	dialogue director (uncredited)
Betty A. Griffin	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Universal International Pictures (UI) (presents) (as Universal-International)

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1955) (USA) (theatrical)
• Criterion Collection, The (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Critics' Choice Video (????) (USA) (VHS)

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.00 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

South Korea:12 | USA:Approved (MPAA rating: certificate #17469) | UK:U | Australia:PG | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

Backlot, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Trivia:

This film seems to borrow its title from the last line of the poem 'love and life' by Jhn Wilmot, Second Earl of Rochester: " All my past Life is mine no more, The flying Hours are gone: Like Transitory Dreams giv'n o'er, Whose Images are kept in store By Memory alone. The Time that is to come is not; How can it then be mine The present Moment's all my Lot; And that, as fast as it is got, Phillis, is only thine. Then talk not of Inconstancy, False Hearts, and broken Vows; If I, by Miracle, can be This live-long Minute true to thee, 'Tis all that Heav'n allows. "

Goofs:

Plot holes: Carrie tells her children of her engagement to Ron Kirby. Ned says the only Kirby he knew was the old gardener, now deceased. Ron arrives and Carrie's attempt at an introduction is met with Ron's assurance that, yes, of course, he knows the children - the same children who said they'd never met and did not know him.

Quotes:

Kay Scott: Personally, I've never subscribed to that old Egyptian custom.
Cary Scott: What Egyptian custom?
Kay Scott: Of walling up the widow alive in the funeral chambers of her dead husband along with his other possessions. The theory being that she was a possession too. She was supposed to journey into dead with him. The community saw to it. Of course it doesn't happen anymore.
Cary Scott: Doesn't it?

Movie Connections:

Featured in Rock Hudson's Home Movies (1992)

Soundtrack:

Consolation No.3 in D flat major

It's Sirk-o-riffic!

Amazingly fantastic film that I went gaga over today. I had never seen any of Douglas Sirk's movies up til today, and boy, was "All That Heaven Allows" a great introduction! The film follows the romance of Cary (played by Jane Wyman) and Ron (Rock Hudson). Cary is a well-off widower who somehow falls in love with her gardener much to her surprise. The problem that she has to overcome of course, is What Will The Neighbors Think? Yes, boys and girls, we have the classic 50's scandal. An older woman being with a younger man!! OK, let it be known that I LOVED this movie. Jane Wyman is fantastic here, and Rock Hudson? Well, what can I say? I can fully understand why he was considered a hug heartthrob in his day. Sure the plot is totally overblown and melodramatic, but I don't care, because Wyman and Hudson make it work so well, and have so much chemistry together.

It's so easy to watch this film and see how much Sirk influenced other directors, even though he was quite ridiculed for the same influences, his camera work, and especially his lighting choices you can see in a myriad of other movies since (see of course, the ultimate salute to him, Far From Heaven as an excellent example).

A simply fantastic piece of film-making here!