All This and Heaven Too
Encyclopedia
All This, and Heaven Too is a 1940 American drama film made by Warner Bros.
-First National Pictures, produced and directed by Anatole Litvak
with Hal B. Wallis
as executive producer. The screenplay
was adapted by Casey Robinson
from the novel by Rachel Field
. The music was by Max Steiner
and the cinematography by Ernie Haller
.
The film stars Bette Davis
and Charles Boyer
with Barbara O'Neil
, Jeffrey Lynn
, Virginia Weidler
, Helen Westley
, Walter Hampden
, Henry Daniell
, Harry Davenport, George Coulouris
, Montagu Love
, Janet Beecher
and June Lockhart
.
Rachel Field's novel is based on actual persons and events.
Mademoiselle Deluzy-Desportes once was governess to the four children of the Duc de Praslin
(Charles Boyer) and his wife, the Duchesse de Praslin (Barbara O'Neil) in the last years of the Orleans monarchy in Paris. As a result of the Duchesse's constantly erratic and temperamental behavior, all that remains is an unhappy marriage. However, Duc de Praslin stays with his wife because of their children.
Through her warmth and kindness, Henriette wins the love and affection of the children as well as Duc de Praslin - and the jealousy and hatred of the Duchesse de Praslin. The governess is forced to leave, but the Duchess has refused to give a letter of recommendation to any future employer. The Duc confronts her, but her invention of two alternate letters of opposing attitudes, which it turns out she has not written, or intends to write, enrage him and leads to her murder.
The Duc de Praslin is in a privileged position; as a peer his case can only be heard by other nobles. He refuses to confess his guilt, or openly admit to his love for Henriette, but this is his means of protecting her as she is under suspicion of complicity in the murder of the Duchess. Ultimately the Duc takes poison to prevent himself confessing the truth to the authorities, but lives long enough to reveal it to another of his servants Pierre (Henry Davenport), a kindly old man who had earlier warned Henriette to escape from the de Praslin household. Henriette is released.
Her French class is totally moved by the account she gives of her life. An American minister Henry Field (Jeffrey Lynn), to whom Henriette had expressed a loss of faith while in prison, was responsible for recommending her for the post 'in the land of the free'. He proposes they marry, and Henriette accepts.
; O'Neil was nominated for Best Supporting Actress
; and Ernest Haller for Best Cinematography
.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
-First National Pictures, produced and directed by Anatole Litvak
Anatole Litvak
Anatole Litvak was a Ukrainian-born filmmaker who wrote, directed, and produced films in a various countries and languages...
with Hal B. Wallis
Hal B. Wallis
Hal B. Wallis was an American film producer.-Career:Harold Brent Wallis was born in Chicago in 1898. His family moved in 1922 to Los Angeles, California, where he found work as part of the publicity department at Warner Bros...
as executive producer. The screenplay
Screenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
was adapted by Casey Robinson
Casey Robinson
Casey Robinson was an American producer and director of mostly B movies and a screenwriter responsible for some of Bette Davis' most revered films...
from the novel by Rachel Field
Rachel Field
Rachel Lyman Field was an American novelist, poet, and author of children's fiction. She is best known for her Newbery Medal–winning novel for young adults, Hitty, Her First Hundred Years, published in 1929. She won the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award twice...
. The music was by Max Steiner
Max Steiner
Max Steiner was an Austrian composer of music for theatre productions and films. He later became a naturalized citizen of the United States. Trained by the great classical music composers Brahms and Mahler, he was one of the first composers who primarily wrote music for motion pictures, and as...
and the cinematography by Ernie Haller
Ernest Haller
Ernest Haller, A.S.C. also credited as Ernie B. Haller, , was an American cinematographer.Born in Los Angeles, California, Haller joined Biograph Studios as an actor in 1914, then began to freelance as a cinematographer...
.
The film stars Bette Davis
Bette Davis
Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis was an American actress of film, television and theater. Noted for her willingness to play unsympathetic characters, she was highly regarded for her performances in a range of film genres, from contemporary crime melodramas to historical and period films and occasional...
and Charles Boyer
Charles Boyer
Charles Boyer was a French actor who appeared in more than 80 films between 1920 and 1976. After receiving an education in drama, Boyer started on the stage, but he found success in movies during the 1930s. His memorable performances were among the era's most highly praised romantic dramas,...
with Barbara O'Neil
Barbara O'Neil
-Early life and career:Barbara O'Neil was born in St. Louis, Missouri. She began her acting career in summer stock. In July 1931 Bretaigne Windust, Charles Leatherbee , and Joshua Logan, the three directors of the University Players, a three-year old summer stock company at West Falmouth on Cape...
, Jeffrey Lynn
Jeffrey Lynn
Jeffrey Lynn was an American actor.Born Ragnar Lind in Auburn, Massachusetts, Lynn was a school teacher before he began his acting career. He came to Hollywood and made his film debut in Out Where the Stars Begin...
, Virginia Weidler
Virginia Weidler
Virginia Weidler was an American child actress, popular in Hollywood films during the 1930s and 1940s.-Early life and career:...
, Helen Westley
Helen Westley
Helen Westley was an American character actress.-Career:Born as Henrietta Remsen Meserole Manney, Helen Westley was a member of the original board of the Theatre Guild, and appeared in many of their productions, among them Peer Gynt, and some of their productions of plays by George Bernard...
, Walter Hampden
Walter Hampden
Walter Hampden is the artist name of Walter Hampden Dougherty was a U.S. actor and theatre manager. He was the younger brother of the American painter Paul Dougherty ....
, Henry Daniell
Henry Daniell
Henry Daniell was an English actor, best known for his villainous movie roles, but who had a long and prestigious career on stage as well as in films....
, Harry Davenport, George Coulouris
George Coulouris
George Coulouris was a prominent English film and stage actor.-Early life:Coulouris was born in Manchester, England, the son of Abigail and Nicholas Coulouris, a merchant of Greek origin. He was brought up both in Manchester and nearby Urmston and was educated at Manchester Grammar School...
, Montagu Love
Montagu Love
Montagu Love , also known as Montague Love, was an English screen, stage and vaudeville actor.Born Harry Montague Love in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, and educated in Great Britain, Love began his career as an artist and military correspondent. His first important job was as a London newspaper...
, Janet Beecher
Janet Beecher
Janet Beecher born Janet Meyersburg was a stage and screen actress. Was a supporting player and lead on the Broadway stage. A near beauty, she later moved into motion pictures in the 1930s as a character actress. Her sister was actress Olive Wyndham. She was married twice first to Harry R....
and June Lockhart
June Lockhart
June Lockhart is an American actress, primarily in 1950s and 1960s television, but with memorable performances on stage and in film too. She is remembered as the mother in two TV series, Lassie and Lost in Space. She also portrayed Dr...
.
Rachel Field's novel is based on actual persons and events.
Plot
When Mademoiselle Henriette Deluzy-Desportes (Bette Davis), a French woman, starts teaching at an American girls school, she is confronted with tales and gossip about her, which have become common knowledge among her pupils. Provoked by them, she decides to tell them her life story.Mademoiselle Deluzy-Desportes once was governess to the four children of the Duc de Praslin
Charles de Choiseul-Praslin
Charles Laure Hugues Théobald, duc de Choiseul-Praslin was a French nobleman and politician, who served as a member of the Chamber of Deputies in 1838–1842...
(Charles Boyer) and his wife, the Duchesse de Praslin (Barbara O'Neil) in the last years of the Orleans monarchy in Paris. As a result of the Duchesse's constantly erratic and temperamental behavior, all that remains is an unhappy marriage. However, Duc de Praslin stays with his wife because of their children.
Through her warmth and kindness, Henriette wins the love and affection of the children as well as Duc de Praslin - and the jealousy and hatred of the Duchesse de Praslin. The governess is forced to leave, but the Duchess has refused to give a letter of recommendation to any future employer. The Duc confronts her, but her invention of two alternate letters of opposing attitudes, which it turns out she has not written, or intends to write, enrage him and leads to her murder.
The Duc de Praslin is in a privileged position; as a peer his case can only be heard by other nobles. He refuses to confess his guilt, or openly admit to his love for Henriette, but this is his means of protecting her as she is under suspicion of complicity in the murder of the Duchess. Ultimately the Duc takes poison to prevent himself confessing the truth to the authorities, but lives long enough to reveal it to another of his servants Pierre (Henry Davenport), a kindly old man who had earlier warned Henriette to escape from the de Praslin household. Henriette is released.
Her French class is totally moved by the account she gives of her life. An American minister Henry Field (Jeffrey Lynn), to whom Henriette had expressed a loss of faith while in prison, was responsible for recommending her for the post 'in the land of the free'. He proposes they marry, and Henriette accepts.
Cast
- Bette DavisBette DavisRuth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis was an American actress of film, television and theater. Noted for her willingness to play unsympathetic characters, she was highly regarded for her performances in a range of film genres, from contemporary crime melodramas to historical and period films and occasional...
... Mlle. Henriette Deluzy-Desportes - Charles BoyerCharles BoyerCharles Boyer was a French actor who appeared in more than 80 films between 1920 and 1976. After receiving an education in drama, Boyer started on the stage, but he found success in movies during the 1930s. His memorable performances were among the era's most highly praised romantic dramas,...
... Charles Laure Hugues Théobald, Duc de Choiseul-PraslinCharles de Choiseul-PraslinCharles Laure Hugues Théobald, duc de Choiseul-Praslin was a French nobleman and politician, who served as a member of the Chamber of Deputies in 1838–1842... - Barbara O'NeilBarbara O'Neil-Early life and career:Barbara O'Neil was born in St. Louis, Missouri. She began her acting career in summer stock. In July 1931 Bretaigne Windust, Charles Leatherbee , and Joshua Logan, the three directors of the University Players, a three-year old summer stock company at West Falmouth on Cape...
... Frances Altarice Rosalba Sébastiani, Duchesse de Choiseul-Praslin - June LockhartJune LockhartJune Lockhart is an American actress, primarily in 1950s and 1960s television, but with memorable performances on stage and in film too. She is remembered as the mother in two TV series, Lassie and Lost in Space. She also portrayed Dr...
... Isabelle de Choiseul-Praslin - Virginia WeidlerVirginia WeidlerVirginia Weidler was an American child actress, popular in Hollywood films during the 1930s and 1940s.-Early life and career:...
... Louise de Choiseul-Praslin - Ann E. Todd ... Berthe de Choiseul-Praslin
- Richard Nichols ... Reynald de Choiseul-Praslin
- Jeffrey LynnJeffrey LynnJeffrey Lynn was an American actor.Born Ragnar Lind in Auburn, Massachusetts, Lynn was a school teacher before he began his acting career. He came to Hollywood and made his film debut in Out Where the Stars Begin...
... Reverend Henry Martyn Field - Sybil Harris ... Mlle. Hortense Maillard, the Duchess's attendant
- George CoulourisGeorge CoulourisGeorge Coulouris was a prominent English film and stage actor.-Early life:Coulouris was born in Manchester, England, the son of Abigail and Nicholas Coulouris, a merchant of Greek origin. He was brought up both in Manchester and nearby Urmston and was educated at Manchester Grammar School...
... Charpentier, the valet - Harry Davenport ... Pierre, the grounds keeper
- Montagu LoveMontagu LoveMontagu Love , also known as Montague Love, was an English screen, stage and vaudeville actor.Born Harry Montague Love in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, and educated in Great Britain, Love began his career as an artist and military correspondent. His first important job was as a London newspaper...
... Marshal Horace François Bastien Sébastiani de la PortaHorace François Bastien, baron SébastianiHorace François Bastien Sébastiani de La Porta was a French soldier, diplomat, and politician, who served as Naval Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Minister of State under the July Monarchy. Joining the French Revolutionary Army in his youth, he rose in its ranks and became a supporter... - Helen WestleyHelen WestleyHelen Westley was an American character actress.-Career:Born as Henrietta Remsen Meserole Manney, Helen Westley was a member of the original board of the Theatre Guild, and appeared in many of their productions, among them Peer Gynt, and some of their productions of plays by George Bernard...
... Mme. LeMaire - Henry DaniellHenry DaniellHenry Daniell was an English actor, best known for his villainous movie roles, but who had a long and prestigious career on stage as well as in films....
... Broussais - Walter HampdenWalter HampdenWalter Hampden is the artist name of Walter Hampden Dougherty was a U.S. actor and theatre manager. He was the younger brother of the American painter Paul Dougherty ....
... Pasquier - Ann GillisAnn GillisAnn Gillis , sometimes credited as Anne Gillis or Ann Gilles, is a retired actress, starting her career in the early 1930s as a child actress and ending in 1947. She later came back into acting for a small part in 2001: A Space Odyssey in 1968...
... Emily Schuyler
Awards and nominations
A successful but expensive costume drama, it was nominated for three Academy Awards: Best PictureAcademy Award for Best Picture
The Academy Award for Best Picture is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to artists working in the motion picture industry. The Best Picture category is the only category in which every member of the Academy is eligible not only...
; O'Neil was nominated for Best Supporting Actress
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry. Since its inception, however, the...
; and Ernest Haller for Best Cinematography
Academy Award for Best Cinematography
The Academy Award for Best Cinematography is an Academy Award awarded each year to a cinematographer for work in one particular motion picture.-History:...
.