The Heiress
1949 · Movie · NR · 115 min · ★ 7.8 · 95% critics
In 1840s New York, a wealthy doctor’s daughter moves from quiet routine to social attention when a charming, lower-status man starts courting her. As their relationship grows, it raises unsettling questions about whether his interest is genuine or tied to her inheritance.
Based on Washington Square
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Details
- Years
- 1949
- Release date
- 1949-10-06
- Language
- English
- Rated
- NR
- Runtime
- 115 min
- Critic score
- 95/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.8/10 (279 votes)
About
You’ll likely enjoy The Heiress if you like restrained, socially tense dramas with strong character-focused performances and moral uncertainty; Not for you if you want a straightforward romance or big action, like Carrie.
Pros: Olivia de Havilland’s transformation; standout father-daughter drama; sumptuous period atmosphere | Cons: motives feel ambiguous; courtship tensions may frustrate
Themes
- new york city
- marriage
- love
- money
- wealth
- inheritance
- black and white
- cynical
- manhattan, new york city
- embroidery
- spinster
- 19th century
- +5 more
Awards & recognition
- Academy Award — Best Art Direction, Black and White · 1950
- Academy Award — Best Actress · 1950
- Academy Award — Best Original Dramatic or Comedy Score · 1950
- Academy Award — Best Costume Design, Black-and-White · 1950
- Golden Globe Award — Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama · 1949
Show all 18 awards →
- National Board of Review Award — Best Actor · 1949
- National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
- Academy Award — Best Cinematography, Black-and-White · 1950 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Picture · 1950 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Costume Design, Black-and-White · 1950 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Actress · 1950 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Art Direction, Black and White · 1950 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Supporting Actor · 1950 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Director · 1950 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Original Dramatic or Comedy Score · 1950 · nominated
- Golden Globe Award — Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama · 1949 · nominated
- Golden Globe Award — Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture · 1949 · nominated
- Golden Globe Award — Best Director · 1949 · nominated
Cast & crew
Olivia de Havilland
as Catherine Sloper
Montgomery Clift
as Morris Townsend
Ralph Richardson
as Dr. Austin Sloper
Miriam Hopkins
as Lavinia Penniman
Vanessa Brown
as Maria
Mona Freeman
as Maria Almond
Ray Collins
as Jefferson Almond
Betty Linley
as Mme. Montgomery
Selena Royle
as Elizabeth Almond
- PL
Paul Lees
as Arthur Townsend
Directed by William Wyler