LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN 1945
Director: John M. Stahl
Stars: Gene Tierney, Cornel Wilde and Vincent Price.
Unlike many other femme fatales in black and white film noirs of the 1940s who use men for their own devices, only to discard or kill them, this is a noir of the extreme opposite kind.
A lush, technicolour noir, with muted and/or garish colours, according to the tone of each particular scene.
Ellen is rich and wants for nothing except to dominate and keep her man at any price.
A femme fatale with an extreme father fixation - she possibly was once involved in an incestuous relationship with her now deceased father - who becomes obsessed by a writer - played by Cornel Wilde - who just happens to be the image of her dead father. Ellen contrives marriage to him and from there on in does her utmost to keep all others from him, with disastrous, murderous results.
Phallic symbols abound in this American psychological thriller film noir, which was filmed entirely on location.
The melodrama is reigned in by John M. Stahl, a director noted for his unique minimalist approach to melodrama.
Gene Tierney, who played in many major films at 20th Century Fox never looked more beautiful than she does as Ellen in Leave Her To Heaven.
Watch this film and decide for yourself whether Ellen is best left to heaven.
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