Review of All That Heaven Allows (1955) by Cody C — 19 Nov 2011

For those who look at Douglas Sirk's All That Heaven Allows as nothing else than a tearful melodrama or perhaps maybe a 50's soap. All That Heaven Allows is actually the complete opposite of that. It's about the society at that time, that was strict and unconventional, where every one lived in a big white house with a perfect wife, with perfect kids. All these thing that can get in the way of ones real desires in life. Or is it just me who loved the movies that is inspired by this very first.

It's about the lowly widow Cary Scott (Jane Wyman) who falls for the muscular and handsome gardener, Ron Kirby (Rock Hudson). But her high society suburban friends and neighbors does not approve of her relationship with a young and poor gardener. Cary is frozen out by every one, even by her own children, because they thinks she's violates the memory of their deceased father. Cary don't whom to chose, her family of her big love. But Ron thinks the answer is so easy, that he even doubts their relationship.

All That Heaven Allows is a wonderful film that inspired a lot of other wonderful film such as Rainer Werner Fassbinder's Fear Eats the Soul, and Todd Haynes' Far From Heaven. They both have taken a step further, to themes involving transracial relationships. Even though All That Heaven Allows theme doesn't seems so radical today, compared with our more open society. It's still a pretty good movie that evokes the same feelings. Thumbs up.