All This, and Heaven Too (1940) User Reviews

Beautiful period piece from Warners

[blanche-2 · 8/10 · 6 September 2006]

Bette Davis is a schoolteacher whose past returns to haunt her in "All This and Heaven Too," a true story which took place in 1840s France and turned into a novel by Rachel Field. Bette Davis is the governess turned teacher, Henriette, Charles Boyer is the man of the house, the Duc de Praslin, Barbara O'Neill is his neurotic wife, and Jeffrey Lynn a minister friend who helps Henriette.

Henriette takes over as governess in the unhappy home of the Duc, caring for his four children - played by June Lockhart, Ann Todd, Virginia Wielder, and the adorable, pouty-lipped Richard Nichols. Though Nichols appeared in films taking place in France and Sweden, he sports a thick southern accent and calls Henriette "mamZEL." The Duc is miserable with his frustrated, bitter wife. The lack of sex in the marriage is demonstrated by his escorting her to her room and kissing her hand, then departing to his own room. She writes him lots of letters which she slips under his door. Feelings develop between the Duc and Henriette, but in the film at least, these are never acted upon. Unconvinced, the Duchesse does everything she can to get rid of the governess. In the beginning of the movie, Henriette tells her story as her students find out she has spent time in prison over a double tragedy which took place in the Praslin household.

Though a tragic story on many levels, it's a beautifully told one with every detail attended to. Bette Davis is warm and restrained as Henriette, soft-spoken and deferential. Boyer, with that vein in his forehead that sticks out when he's angry, is excellent as a man at the boiling point. O'Neill is positively hateful, a credit to her marvelous performance. From the strong, generous, loving mother in "Gone With the Wind," she turns herself into a self-involved, petty harridan.

"All This and Heaven Too" will sweep you into its rich atmosphere. In fact, I remember bringing this film to my office once when I worked a night shift, figuring that my colleagues and I would watch some of it over dinner each night. We ended up watching the entire thing in one sitting - which is what happened the last time I watched it. At 141 minutes, it's not short, but it holds the attention as a great film should.

A long but moving Warner Bros. prestige picture

[willowgreen · 8/10 · 17 February 2003]

Based upon the popular 1937 novel written by Henriette Duluzy Desporte's grandneice, one Rachel Field, this movie was a prime vehicle for Bette Davis. This was considered Warners big "prestige" picture for 194O, and it shows: no expense in the production costs were spared, it's an exceptionally finely crafted motion picture. Based upon factual incidents, the story tells of how the notorious 1847 murder of the Dutchess (played with venomous relish by the tall & stately Barbara O'Neil) made Henriette the most notoriously suspicious and despised woman in Europe for a time. Originally, O'Neil's interpretation of the horrendously neurotic Dutchess was played looking a disheveled, unkempt mess physically. The producers thought her appearance would be a bit too uncooth for viewers to endure, but that decision robbed O'Neil of a far more effective characterization. As Henriette, Davis is much more subdued than normal, and her performance is genuinely affecting: another victorious portrait added to her quickly growing gallery of unforgettable heroines and vixens. Charles Boyer is fine as the Duc; he and Davis have a most interesting, classy chemistry between them. The children include Richard Nichols (as the adorable Raynald), Virginia Weidler and June Lockhart. Anatole Litvak's direction keeps this 14O minute saga flowing: the result is a handsome period piece which is done in old Hollywood's best style.

Soap Opera - And No Less Magnificent For It

[Danusha_Goska · 8/10 · 9 August 2003]

"All This and Heaven, Too," is a soap opera, but of the best kind. It tells an adult story in a genuinely moving way. The involved viewer will have cried several times before the final fade-out; the movie earns its tears, and then some.

Its best features include:

Bette Davis' performance. Before this I knew she was a spectacular entertainer; now I know she can act. She is subtle and yet tremendously powerful. Her eyes, her dignified intelligence, and her self-restraint speak volumes. No camp here, just the telegraphing of quiet power.

Charles Boyer. Boyer was a man of substance; he served his country in World Wars I and II, studied philosophy at the Sorbonne, and stayed married to the same woman for over forty years. Again, as with Davis, he is restrained, as the narrative demands, but his substance telegraphs out of his body, his forced, tragic smiles, his stiff mien suddenly breaking into fitful efforts at frivolity, the quiet endurance with which he, at first, suffers his hated wife.

Barbara O'Neil is unforgettable as the Duchess de Praslin. O'Neil was the model of noble womanhood as Scarlett O'hara's mother; here she casts her decorum aside, after, first, shredding it to bits. I think I'll never be able to watch her in GWTW again without cracking up. Every Gothic Romance, including this one, requires a Hoyden - Rochester's mad wife, "Rebecca's" Mrs. Danvers. O'Neil chews them all to bits and spits them out. Even her false eyelashes appear as weapons, able to eviscerate her husband and her hated governess.

The supporting cast is no less superb. June Lockhart is a believably loving daughter; Harry Davenport, utterly un-French, is a wonderful, prophetic Pierre who warns Bette Davis and the viewer that when they enter the house of the Duke and Duchess, they enter Hell, and all hope should be abandoned.

Even the nasty girl who taunts Bette Davis at the opening of the film could not have been better cast.

Though black and white, the film reveals its high production values; it is rich and varied and offers the eye a sumptuous feast of fabrics, surfaces, and shadows. You won't miss color here at all.

I am torn about the plot, trying to decide if the movie wanted to make me, the viewer, experience the Duke as a weak man who allowed Mlle D, Bette Davis, to be exposed to so much social and emotional danger. I'd welcome others' thoughts on this question. In his apparent weakness, the Duke reminded me of the Paul Henreid, "Jerry" character in "Now Voyager," another married man who loved, and failed, a Bette Davis character.

Bette Becomes Jane Eyre.

[nycritic · 10/10 · 14 December 2005]

Bette Davis, late in life, told Boze Hadleigh in one of her numerous interviews with him that she could not be accused of repeating herself. She could not have been closer to the truth, because she went from role to role giving powerhouse performances, and even if the movie in itself was less than stellar, she would make sure the viewer remembered her. See-sawing from playing a doomed heroine dying from a brain tumor in DARK VICTORY to playing Elizabeth the Queen in THE PRIVATE LIVES OF ELIZABETH AND ESSEX to playing Queen Carlotta in JUAREZ and then doing a complete about-face to stun audiences with her nasty portrayal of Leslie Crosbie in THE LETTER, she could do it all.

And in ALL THIS AND HEAVEN TOO she does it again. Playing a much more maternal woman that she is noted for, she plays Henriette Deluzy-Desportes, a governess employed by the Duke Theo de Praslin to care for his children (among them a young June Lockhart and restrained Virginia Weidler). She is not welcomed by his wife, the Duchese de Praslin, who would rather have her out on the streets than anyplace in the house. It's never truly explained why her initial disdain for Henriette rapidly escalates into a grotesque display of hatred gone mad. Certainly the Duke doesn't show signs of being a womanizer, but something in the way he and Henriette treat each other may suggest otherwise.

Unrequited love and triumph of the spirit is at the center of this story focused not only on Henriette's experience while working at the Praslin house, but her brave attempts to forge a life where society would have her be the tainted woman for being in the middle of a marital scandal. I was surprised that Davis would have chosen this role -- this would be a showcase for someone like Joan Fontaine, who had a winning streak playing these kind of mousy, noble women, so simperingly noble you want to slap them into reality -- but she makes the role her own. Davis this time, instead of wildly emoting, goes the other way around and conveys so much more in key scenes with her sad eyes and shy body language.

She is well-matched by veteran actor Charles Boyer, and if in later accounts she expressed a vague disdain for him it doesn't show in any of their scenes together. Boyer, most remembered from GASLIGHT, plays a broken man as if her were living the part at that moment. This of course, leads to Barbara O'Neill, a largely forgotten actress most known for playing Vivien Leigh's mother in GONE WITH THE WIND in 1939. Looking strikingly familiar to Ava Gardner, serpentine, her character is the one who walks away with the film and I can certainly see Davis telling O'Neill off-screen to hit her with as much venom as she could, and boy, does she! She not only walks off with the movie, she walks off with the director in tow, the 67 sets, the entire production and the celluloid packed neatly under her arm.

One of the best examples of a "woman's picture" that most actresses at the time were producing with varying degrees of success, ALL THIS AND HEAVEN TOO manages to rise well-above its material, based on a notorious case in the mid-1800's, and of course is one of Davis' prime outings. It only received one Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for Barbara O'Neill, well-deserved. Anatole Litvak would go to greater films like ANASTASIA, SORRY WRONG NUMBER, and THE SNAKE PIT.

The Murder that Helped Topple a Monarchy

[theowinthrop · 8 April 2004]

This excellent period drama is based on a popular novel of 1939 by Rachel Field. It told a version of the story of the murder, in Paris in 1847, of Fanny Sebastiani Choiseul-Praslin, Duchesse and wife of Theobald, Duc de Choiseul-Praslin. Fanny was the daughter of Marachal Horace Sebastiani, one of the leading political and social figures in the July Monarchy or Orleans Monarchy of France, under King Louis Phillippe (1830 - 1848). This was a middle-class supported monarchy, and was far more liberal than it's predecessor monarchy under King Louis's cousins the Bourbons. But by 1847 it had grown corrupt, and it was suffering a series a serious scandals. The murder of Duchesse Fanny by her husband was the last real blow. Supposedly the marriage had collapsed due to the growing relationship between Theobald and the children's governess, Mlle. Helene Deluzy-Desportes. The actual relationship between the governess and the Duc remains questioned, although most believe she was his lover. Rachel Field, a descendant of Fanny and her later husband, Rev. Martyn Field, presented the governess as the victim of circumstances (working in a household that was falling apart). Finally, whatever the cause, Theobald beat Fanny to death, and tried to make it look like a burglar did it. Instead the Surete was not fooled, and Theobald was arrested. But while under arrest he took poison, and he died denying his guilt and denying the involvement of the governess. Fanny came to America, where she taught school and married into the Field family (her brother-in-law Cyrus was a financier who laid the Atlantic Cable, and her brother-in-law Stephen was an Associate Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court). As for the French, they blamed the government for allowing the Duc to escape justice, and within a year the July Monarchy was overthrown. Marachel Sebastiani (Montague Love in the film) died prematurely in 1851 - the last victim of the crime.

The film, except for the pro-Deluzy-Desportes slant, is excellent with a fine, restrained performance by Davis, an intense one by Boyer (who finally explodes in one scene where he shows his thorough hatred for his wife), and a marvelous performance by Barbara O'Neill as Fanny. I would thoroughly recommend this one for movie fans - a fine example of the best of Warner's historical films.

Wonderful film. Highly recommended.

[smatysia · 9/10 · 30 December 2000]

I had never heard of this film, and it blew me away! This was how they used to do it right! Bette Davis was fantastic, playing against type, and Charles Boyer was great, playing the tormented man he did so well. I guess villainous parts are more fun to play, and they seem to get more notice, like Barbara O'Neil's Oscar nomination for her role as the Duchesse Frances de Praslin. She was very good. The only quibble at all with the cast is the little boy (Richard Nichols) who played the 4 year old Reynald de Praslin, who kept saying lines with French words (mostly Madamoiselle) with a super-syrupy Georgia-like accent. Interesting to see June Lockhart as a teen-ager as Isabelle de Praslin.

I had just a little trouble following something. (Do I have to warn about a spoiler in a 60 year old movie? Well, anyway this would be one.) In films from the Hays Office days, it was left to inference and innuendo whether characters had sex. Sometimes it's hard to tell. Originally I thought that the two stars had had an affair at the villa in Melun. Later in the film, however, it became clear that they had not. I guess that's part of the fun in watching old movies.

A possible anachronism. Mlle. Maillard is shown stuffing a note in an envelope and licking it to seal it. I know that in the 18th century that envelopes were not used, but I'm not sure whether they were in use by 1846, and if they were, whether they were still sealed with wax, rather than adhesive on the envelope itself.

Haunting, romantic period piece.

[boy-13 · 7/10 · 20 August 1999]

Director Anatole Litvak does an exceedingly good job with this romantic period piece, as do each of the actors involved. Bette Davis plays Henriette Deluzy-Desportes, a governess in 19th Century France, who lands a position working for Theo, Duc De Praslin (Charles Boyer) and his family. The childern adore the new, spirited governess, but Boyer's psycho bitch wife, the Duchesse (Barbara O'Neil), is resentful of Henriette's intrusion into the family. The new addition to the family works her magic on everyone but the Duchesse. Theo and Henriette, predictably, begin to fall in love, which further complicates things, sending the crazy wife into even more rages of insanity. All of this builds momentum until a climactic crime of passion takes a life.

Davis is a kick to watch as she struts her stuff with an excellent French accent. Boyer is awesome in this dark, brooding, but romantic role. And O'Neil deservedly got an Oscar-nomination for her role, full of anger and energy. But the real stand-out, interestingly enough, is Richard Nicols as Boyer's so-adorable-you-just-wanna-squeeze-him son Reynald.

Overall, this dark, dreary film is a highly-satisfying experience, slightly off-put by the preachy, silly final scene in the classroom.

All this and France too.....

[dbdumonteil · 9/10 · 14 October 2007]

Anatole Litvak certainly loved France.He made films in that country during the previous decade ,some of which were remarkable .He ended his career in Victor Hugo's land but his latter efforts were not really exciting.Even when he was in Hollywood ,he never forgot it as this "all this and Heaven too" ,"Act of love" and parts of "decision at dawn" bear witness.

France is currently rediscovering Litvak who was brought down ,like so many great American directors (Zinnemann ,Wyler,Stevens),by the notorious critics of the Nouvelle Vague and their fusty Cahiers du Cinéma.But now their diktats are over and thanks to many contemporary historians of the French cinema (Bertrand Tavernier,Patrick Brion),he is given in the country which was another homeland to him the place he had always deserved.

"All this and Heaven too" might be my favorite Litvak movie,although his American career is as rich as that of any director .In spite of a historical gaffe ("that woman overthrew Louis Philippe "is as laughable as Marie Antoinette's sentence (which she never said) "let them eat cake".

La Restoration and Louis -Philippe: After the 1789 French Revolution ,the nobles emigrated and Napoleon ,who was eager for a Court,made a new nobility.His officers ,who were of common birth,were conferred a title :"Baron d'Empire" for instance;that was Henriette's grandfather's case.

Henriette is of that kind an old noble such as la Duchesse de Praslin can only treat like dirt;those nobles were impostors!With Henriette,it was hate at first sight,even before she became dear to the duke and the children.

That old nobleness,epitomized by the duchess ,was all bigotry,religion ,but they were socialites first.In the XIX th century ,those chic ladies did not care about their children they left to their governess .The Duchess was not alone: Balzac,Maupassant,Flaubert (Madame Bovary did not really like her daughter) and even a writer for children such la Comtesse de Segur painted a picture of the "bad" mother .The story happens in 1846-1847,and Louis -Philippe's days as a king are numbered.The writers are asking for Republic:Lamartine who is mentioned in the film,and Victor Hugo -who wrote the article about Henriette in la Conciergerie- were not the least ;the latter was forced to exile himself after the fall of the short-lived Second Republic (1948-1952).

Had he lived half a century before,the duke would have been part of the daring nobles such as La Fayette who fought for the Revolution.Even if we are not told so,his union was probably a marriage of convenience.The Duchess is egoistic,neurotic,hateful ,incapable of love and affection her children long for.A "pious " woman ,but a woman who uses a priest to keep a close watch on her husband.Note the presence of the priest in the bedroom of a dying child.

Litvak's directing is mind-boggling.He perfectly recreates the atmosphere of the desirable Hotel Particulier where the duke lives.His style is refined : the ball which we see on reflection on the mirrors is a scene Max Ophuls would have died for;the brief moment of happiness on Hallows Eve ;the snow ,symbol of purity:the duke is as virtuous and as loyal as Henriette.The performance in the THeatre Royal which the king attends and which finally backfires on the two heroes:Racine's "Phedre" -Rachel who is mentioned was the thespian of the era,her portrayal of the Greek heroine (whose situation is not unlike the chaste lovers') was praised to the skies then-.

The prologue and the epilogue are excellent: the long flashback is introduced in a very original way.Davis ,in front of the blackboard full of trigonometric formulas ,begins to tell her tale. One of her lines in the epilogue is the most moving in the whole film :"Now,you write the ending of my story" she tells her students .

An absorbing screenplay,where even a fairytale (do you want to be happy when you are young or later when you get older?/I'd rather be happy later:if I've got everything now,what can I expect from life afterward?) plays a prominent part.

French Charles Boyer and Bette Davis give superlative performances and the supporting cast(Barbara O'Neil almost steals the show from Davis sometimes) including the four children (special mention for little Reynald) is up to scratch.This is the Creme de la Creme of the melodrama genre.

All this and Heaven too comment

[jotagaso · 7/10 · 21 June 2007]

I saw this movie a long time ago - perhaps 50 years to be exact and that time I was not able to comment on it, except of course "I liked it" or not. But now I have just seen it I can say it's a dark picture but plenty of love. There are no kisses not even passionate words, but we feel love emerging from the scenes, not only between a man and a woman, but love for children and most of all love for life. And here, the contrast between hate and love, seems to be an allegory of evil(The Duchesse, a poisoned psycho woman) and good (The Duc and Henriette). Barbara O'Neil, as the Duchesse is wonderful and she deserved an Oscar nomination. Boyer is good in his role and so is Bette Davis. And the children? Well, children are children - always sublime. The movie runs in a very good pace and the only negative point is the anachronism fault, I mean the ball scene where we listen to "The Merry Widow". The year is 1846, but Franz Lehár, his composer was born in 1870, and the operetta premiere was in 1905.

I loved it all so much

[jem132 · 10/10 · 8 February 2009]

A superior melodrama, showing that Bette Davis could play even a Jane Eyre type! It's one of the most romantic, tragic movies you'll see. Definitely a two-hankie film. Davis is the shy governess whom intense, sad-eyed Charles Boyer falls deeply in love with. It's an unspoken romance, but anyone who sees Boyer and Davis together knows their bond. This is one of Davis' most subtle and quiet performances, and may just be my favourite film of hers yet. Barbara O'Neil is best known as being Vivien Leigh's demure mother in "Gone With The Wind", but here she's pure venom, needy and possessive as Boyers jealous wife who suspects an affair. The lack of sex in their marriage is made strikingly obvious. O'Neil goes from being one of the most beloved mothers of the silver screen to one of the most hated, and she excels. This Warners production is handsomely, impeccably made and it really captures the mood of it's setting. Perhaps a mite long, but on reflection I can't think of any part I would dare cut from it.

Unspoken love is like a prison.

[michaelRokeefe · 7/10 · 3 December 2005]

Based on a Rachel Field novel and directed by Anatole Litvak, ALL THIS, AND HEAVEN TOO stars two cinema icons...Bette Davis and Charles Boyer. A 19th century French Duc de Praslin(Boyer)and his children's governess(Davis)are scandalously accused of killing his wife, the Duchesse(Barbara O'Neil). The Duc poisons himself as the twenty-five year old governess is released from jail because of lack of evidence. Henriette Deluzy(Davis)finds herself telling her melodramatic story to her new class of charges in America. Boyer delivers a very dramatic heartfelt speech from his deathbed. O'Neil is perfect as the cold and uncaring Duchesse. Drama queen Davis has several scenes where she stares(with those Bette Davis eyes) letting that 'look' reveal her deepest emotions.

Outstanding black and white cinematography; and there is the beautiful and lush, but masterful soundtrack by Max Steiner. Other cast members: Jeffrey Lynn, Helen Westley, Harry Davenport, June Lockhart and Virginia Weidler. This is a very good movie, but not as good as my favorite Bette Davis film NOW, VOYAGER(1942).

surprisingly moving soap opera of sorts

[planktonrules · 9/10 · 1 August 2005]

This is among my favorite Bette Davis movies. While not perfect, the story and romance suck you right in and make it hard to stop watching.

Ms. Davis plays against type, as she is the almost sickeningly wonderful nanny who ultimately beguiles married Charles Boyer. You see, Bette is hired to care for his children because his wife is a self-centered hypochondriac and has less maternal instincts than the average hamster. However, despite Boyer falling for the nanny, the nanny is chaste and won't consider breaking up the marriage--even if it is such an unhappy one. Eventually, the wife realizes that her husband has fallen head over heels and what she does in response is too good to divulge--it would help to ruin the movie for you.

If you want great acting, a tight script and a bit of a soapy romance (and who doesn't now and again?), give this movie a try.

All This, and Heaven Too

[chrisj893 · 6/10 · 21 October 2009]

The one thing that struck me most about All This, and Heaven Too (1940) was the artistic camera movements. From the very beginning of the film there were very long shots, with fluid moving cameras. Of the films I've seen from this era, this is quite rare. The director, Anatole Litvak took many risks in the camera sequences and shots. A somewhat bland and predictable script is come to life with superb acting and artistic direction. This film felt much like a modern classic, the young actresses carry the movie, something I have yet to see in a pre-1950 film. Another notable part of the film is the score by Max Steiner, the opening scene of movie is presented beautifully by a great score, these powerful sounds continue throughout the film. Overall All This, and Heaven More is a solid film, unfortunately various things had to make up for the poor script, otherwise this is a great piece of work.

Too Much of a Not Very Good Thing

[evanston_dad · 5/10 · 14 August 2008]

A very long and very boring soap opera that finds Bette Davis taking care of Charles Boyer's children, much to the disapproval of Boyer's wife, played as a shrill harridan by Barbara O'Neil (most known to me as the mother of Scarlett O'Hara in the previous year's "Gone with the Wind").

Though set in France, the film could be taking place anywhere as far as the actors and filmmakers are concerned. Authenticity is pretty much an afterthought -- Davis attempts something resembling a French accent, but the result is an oddly stilted and clipped way of talking; O'Neil doesn't attempt an accent at all. And the four children (one of them Virginia Weidman, who played Dinah in "The Philadelphia Story") could be straight off the farms of Nebraska.

Davis is asked to be reserved and gentle, which is never as fun as when she's playing a character that gets to let loose. The story just goes on and on long past the point where you really care about what happens, and it doesn't help that the framing device -- which finds Davis relating the story as a flashback to a group of students -- removes any suspense surrounding how things will turn out.

Anatole Litvak directs with no discernible style whatsoever, and Max Steiner provides a score that never quits. The melodrama is ladled on like maple syrup, and some of it is just as sickly sweet.

Grade: B-

All This, and Barbara O'Neil Too!

[Poseidon-3 · 14 January 2003]

Every aspect of this film is sumptuously appointed and oozing with class. It winds up just a touch on the long side, but first time viewers probably won't mind as the story is involving and dramatic. Davis (in a gentle, timid, but thoughtful performance) plays a French teacher whose students discover some unseemly gossip about her. To diffuse their wrath, she tells them her story. She was previously a governess who found herself hired into a home laced with turmoil and despair. Boyer and O'Neil play the bitterly estranged couple who place Davis in charge of their four children. (These sweet, well-mannered and delightful kids make the Von Trapps look liked spoiled brats!) Soon, the children start to revere Davis, Boyer begins to turn to her for friendship and his mega-neurotic wife gets more and more jealous and unhinged until things start to get ugly. Davis is grand in what could have been a pretty colorless role. She commits herself to the type of behavior that would have been appropriate for a woman of this standing and does very well. Boyer's thick accent betrays how out of place most everyone else's is, but it hardly matters in a production this grand. He is his usual suave and smooth self. The aforementioned kids are all excellent, but special mention must go to the spectacularly adorable Nichols. This was a very special child actor and, thankfully, he was able to shine in a few other films as well. There are other sturdy character actors throughout to aid the film. However, the one who really spices things up is O'Neil. Nothing in her calm, level portrayal of Scarlett O'Hara's mother in "Gone With the Wind" the year before could prepare one for her gnashing, venomous, hysterical work here. She is completely over the top and utterly outrageous at times in her expression and delivery, but it's such a joy to watch and she injects such a fierce dose of vinegar into the story that it doesn't matter. With an elaborate array of gowns and hairstyles (and with eyelashes that seem to jut out from the screen in 3-D), she savors every moment of her screen time and turns every scene into a combination Kabuki act/German opera. Fans who come to the film hoping to see a fire-breathing Davis will surely discover a new icon to adore in O'Neil. Academy voters that year probably couldn't have lived with themselves if they had chosen her vitriolic work over noble Jane Darwell in "The Grapes of Wrath" (not to mention heavy hitter Judith Anderson, nominated for "Rebecca") so she had to settle for a nomination. Nothing in the austere cover art could prepare a person for this splendiferous chunk of camp artistry that lies within the film. The adaptation only portrays about half of the story found in the source novel, which continues Davis's character's life after her new start in America. O'Neil played another albatross of a wife opposite Boyer the year prior to this in "When Tomorrow Comes".

A Sweet and Kind Bette Davis!

[Pat-54 · 8/10 · 6 November 1998]

If you're looking for a chain-smoking, scenery-chewing Bette Davis, this is not the movie for you. First of all, she's sweet and kind, soft-spoken and rather docile. A great change-of-pace for the legendary actress. She has excellent chemistry with her leading man, Charles Boyer, (in their only film together). Barbara O'Neil, (who the year before had played Scarlett O'Hara's mother in "Gone With The Wind") is the nasty character in this one. (Her performance is good, but those false eyelashes that she wears are distracting! Max Steiner's musical score was never better.

all this and heaven too

[supers100 · 9/10 · 12 February 2006]

I am reading the book to this fabulous movie, and when I saw that it was going to be on TCM, I just had to see the movie. Every single character was exactly as I had imagined them, although Henriette spends six years with the Praslin family, not approximately a year. You can easily overlook that fault, because that is what to be expected. The beautiful, moving scenes written by Rachel Field come to life in this romance/drama. Charles Boyer was perfectly attractive, helpless, and a little mad as Monsieur le Duc de Praslin. Bette Davis' quiet performance was captivating, the love between the two main characters was tragic and romantic. Barbara O'Neil played the reverse role from Gone with the Wind, where she played the quiet, calm, maternal figure, (Scarlett's mother), and her daughter was the loud, uncouth and jealous one. Being a huge Gone with the Wind fan, it was great to see her acting in a role totally different. All in all, I think this movie is great by itself, and a wonderful testament to the novel by Rachel Field

A tragic tale of passion, love, jealousy and death.

[Incalculacable · 7/10 · 9 July 2006]

All This, and Heaven Too is based on a novel of the same name by Rachel Field. It tells the story of loving governess Henriette Deluzy-Desportes (Bette Davis) in 19th century France who cares for the three children (three girls and a little boy) Duc (Charles Boyer) and Duchesse du Praslin (Barbara O'Neil). It is not long until the suspicious, possessive and insanely jealous hypochondriac Duchesse du Praslin thinks there is something between the governess and her husband (when it is, in fact, purely platonic) which brings up a change of events with some disastrous and fatal consequences.

Perhaps I am used to the confident Bette Davis that we see in movies such as Of Human Bondage, Jezebel and All About Eve – but I felt Davis' character was a little bland. However, I considered the circumstances and I think Bette played with a lot of passion and love, and the character was quite realistic. Margo Channing for a governess wouldn't work! With a running time of 141 minutes, it sounds like a rather long movie. However, director Litvak manages to keep it running along at a very comfortable pace. It certainly did not feel 141 minutes, and of course the lush (obviously very expensive) scenery, clothing, sets etc help a lot, too! Although not perfect, All This, and Heaven Too is certainly worth watching, in part for the rich visuals including the handsome Charles Boyer and beautiful Bette Davis and the gorgeous scenery, clothing, sets, props etc. A long film, but it doesn't feel as long as it really is. Good movie.

A Quality Production

[BumpyRide · 9/10 · 22 September 2004]

I wasn't expecting to enjoy this movie, but I fell under its spell. Not being one of Bette's better known movies, I'd like to argue that perhaps it should be. The story slowly builds and shifts until we begin to see a budding romance between the Duc (Boyer) and the school teacher (Davis). Barbara O'Neil is wonderful. Her character of the jealous and cold wife makes this film worth watching alone. One memorable scene is where she practically begs her husband to spend the night with her. But there's poison, death, sickness and a great court room drama all in one! To top it off, this is also based on a true story. Davis portrays her character with quiet dignity, and the all around great cast works well together. The costuming and hairstyles deserve mentioning too.

Thank Heaven For Bette

[kvnmsmth · 7/10 · 22 January 2009]

The melodrama type of film holds little interest for me but Bette Davis's presence enticed me to view All This And Heaven, Too. This more subdued Davis character of governess Mademoiselle D., combined with the extended introductory scenes and length of the film necessitates patience by the viewer. While still a strong female role, as would be expected, Mademoiselle D. holds a relatively low station in society where one usually only speaks when spoken to. Davis plays the part with suitable restraint.

While not an engrossing movie, Davis and Charles Boyer as the Duc de Praslin make it worthwhile. I cared little about the outcome of the love story involving the Duc and Mademoiselle D., but enjoyed their scenes together. And Davis's loving interaction with the children seems genuine; you believe she would be a wonderful governess. But that leads to the one true weaknesses of the film, the character of the Duchesse de Praslin, portrayed by Barbara O'Neil. While the the plot requires the estrangement of the Duc and Duchesse, and her mood swings and jealous outbursts provide drama for an otherwise low key affair, the lack of love for her children and her nasty demeanor feel excessively unsympathetic.

Nuance...

[piltdownfarm · 8/10 · 11 April 2005]

Bette Davis had so many memorial film performances that it's hard to rank them - but her role here is just superb, particularly because it shows how subtle and nuanced she could be. While "Now Voyager" and "All About Eve" may be more impressive (because she plays stronger characters) this is really a stunning, quiet, yet wonderful job.

You genuinely feel like these screen children love her. And, given the time period, you feel like Boyer does to.

This is a rather long film, but the direction is solid and it just keeps moving along.

The script is really solid as well. There is little wasted time. Everything clips along rather nicely and I was surprised at how I fell under the spell of this film...

Fluid movie, tragic yet beautiful love story

[b-mooney · 7/10 · 22 October 2009]

This was a long one, but it wasn't all for nothing. I thought that the acting was spot on, except for the children. Their acting sort of made it seem like a musical. The interactions between Betty and the children were definitely dramatized but it was to emphasize the fact that they came from a broken home and she would do anything for them. The antagonist was the wife and what an antagonist she was. I absolutely hated her by the end of the film and I wasn't the least bit sad when she died. The protagonist was Betty and she did a great job playing a tame, respectful, and well-mannered governess. The design of the movie contributed significantly to the verisimilitude along with the acting. The house and the dress was magnificent. I don't think that the camera-work was anything spectacular, and I feel the same way about the lighting. However, there is one scene that stands out and that is right before the husband kills the wife and you see him from her point of view. He looks absolutely mad and he is coming right at the camera. That was pretty cool. Other than that, the film was meant to seem ordinary in order to seem believable. All in all, it was a wonderful story and definitely called for tears.

Trial By His Peers

[bkoganbing · 8/10 · 25 November 2008]

Bette Davis as a rule did not do period pictures. So while All This And Heaven Too is something of an odd fish among her body of work, it doesn't mean it's not good and Bette is more than up to the task. She plays a children's governess who gets herself all caught up in a scandal involving her employer, a Duke played by Charles Boyer.

The film is based on a true story involving the death of the Duke's wife in this played in an Academy Award nominated performance for Best Supporting Actress by Barbara O'Neil. Bette plays a young woman engaged as a children's governess by a couple whose marriage is already coming apart when she goes to work there. Bette wins the children's affection and that of Boyer even though it is unspoken throughout most of the film, but the undying hatred of O'Neil.

They've got a strange arrangement, the money is all on Barbara's side and her imperious father Montagu Love controls the purse strings. And these are nobility and there are different rules for them. Note after O'Neil dies and Boyer and Davis are arrested how differently as nobility and commoner they are treated.

Interestingly enough another film made around the same time showed the exact same situation. Boyer can only be tried by a jury of HIS peers, meaning the nobility. In The Earl Of Chicago when Robert Montgomery kills Edward Arnold he reserves the right to be tried by the House of Lords in that film.

Whether Boyer was guilty and how complicit Davis actually was in the film and in real life is left up in the air. Remember this was a film made under the infamous Code and a film made now on the same story, might be a little more realistic.

But when you went to a Charles Boyer film and this is his film more than Bette's you wanted and expected romance. Boyer is indeed a tortured and romantic soul, which is what his public paid to see.

All This And Heaven Too is a fine romantic film from a director of same, Anatole Litvak. Besides O'Neil's nomination for Best Supporting Actress which she lost to Jane Darwell for The Grapes Of Wrath that year, it was up for Best Picture and for Best Black and White Cinematography. It's dated because of the Code restrictions, but still wonderful entertainment.

Too Long But Very Good

[myronlearn · 7/10 · 2 September 2022]

My feeling is that movies should strive to be two hours or under. After that amount of time, it's easy to lose interest. This film, just shy of two and one half hours, is an exception. 'All This..' is well done overall. Bette Davis gives her usual excellent performance which is at the heart of this story. Barbara O'Neil is also very good as her nemesis as is the amazing Charles Boyer whose chemistry with Davis is spot on. 'All This..' has a lot going on, such as adolescence, jealousy, life and death as well as coming of age, but they are all woven together into a 1940 story that is well worth seeing. Unlike most 2+ hour films, this goes by quickly and will take the viewer on an interesting voyage in the process.

mixed review and inevitable 6/10

[drystyx · 5/10 · 5 October 2010]

This is as 6/10 as a film can get. I have tried to grade on a curb in all my reviews, with more of a median average of 5 than a mean average, and this is one easy to grade on such a scale.

This film is an old fashioned sort, but that doesn't matter. If the characters are believable for their time, then they are believable for their time. Are they believable for their time? Somewhat.

It's a melodramatic story of an elite family in France, and a lady tutor hired for their children, who becomes an object of scandal in a romantic triangle.

One unmistakable aspect strikes out at the viewer, no doubt deliberately, is that the jealous wife is the beauty queen, and the "other woman" is much the plain Jane in comparison.

This is important, because it is important to show that the feelings the husband has for the tutor isn't based on physical attraction, but based on compassion and understanding. The film does a good job of showing restrained emotions, and gentleness. There are some great images and scenes.

The wife lacks all gentleness, and is practically a demonic figure throughout. She is described as mentally ill, but her physical beauty makes her mentally ill jealousy over the plain tutor absurd in itself. Instead, it is obvious that the other characters make allowances for her, much as they and the children suffer, but she is totally evil.

The film shows people reaching a breaking point. It also does a good job of introducing a few characters and bringing them back at key moments. As in most good films, it is the other characters outside of the romantic triangle that make this a worthy effort.

There is a lot going for this film. Don't let the 6/10 fool you. That is an above average rating.

One must first buy into the importance of scandal in older societies. People today will have a hard time understanding why it was a way of life. Some scenes with the children are overly sentimental, but this was the design. I didn't care for the design, but I understand it, and full well understand how many will think of this as a classic. Likewise, I can understand the detractors who are turned off by the serendipity and overkill.

I believe the worth of this movie is somewhere in between, and falls into the 4-8 category. While most of the characters are well done, the one dimensional evil of the centerfold wife is out of place, and bespeaks a little too much Hollywood.

The passing grade is that I, who probably as much an attention deficit disorder as one can find, was able to sit through the entire film without squirming. It flowed well, and passed the "watchability" test.

I was content with the final outcome with the lady's personal life, but the school scenes with the multitude of young women was way over the top and not a bit convincing. Still, one understands why the director had to compress this into some order, but it was just way too obviously contrived.

One can call that a nitpick, and it is true that if a work is great enough, one can accept some trifling faults. For my tastes, the strength of the entire work just wasn't strong enough to justify the weakness. Again, I understand those who disagree. If you indeed think the story line is classic, then the minor problems should not bother you one bit.