Product Description

AN AUTHENTIC REGION 1 DVD FROM WARNER BROTHERS. Bette Davis is at the height of her phenomenal screen career, with co-star Charles Boyer in their only film together. The plot is rich in mystery and grand emotion; a powerful period drama honored with three 1940 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture. From Rachel Field's fact-based bestseller, the story follows Henriette (Davis), governess at the Paris home of the Duc de Praslin (Boyer) and his jealous wife (Barbara ONeil). When governess and nobleman are drawn to each other, the Duchess erupts in fury...and meets a bloody fate. Soon Henriette and the Duc face a world eager to believe that the Duc murdered his wife. And that gentle Henriette was a willing accomplice. BONUS FEATURES: * Commentary by Film Historian Daniel Bubbeo * Warner Night at the Movies 1940 short subjects gallery: o Vintage newsreel o Technicolor patriotic short Meet the Fleet o Classic cartoons Hollywood Daffy and Porkys Last Stand o Trailers of All This, and Heaven Too and 1940s Dr. Ehrlichs Magic Bullet * Audio-only bonus: Radio show adaptation with the films stars

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #36353 in DVD
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Formats: Black & White, NTSC
• Subtitled in: English, French
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 143 minutes

Customer Reviews

Vintage Davis, comprehensive package
"All This and Heaven Too", released in 1940, is a long and moving film concerning a famous murder within the French aristocracy. Made at the height of Bette Davis's career at Warner Brothers, it is most noteworthy today for the underacting of Davis, in contrast to her many much more dynamic and exciting characterisations. This is one of the films which counters Davis's mainly false reputation for overacting. Matched with Charles Boyer, an equally magnetic and powerful actor, the pair create a deeply felt relationship conveyed mainly in close up. Anatole Litvak directs meticulously and the film is a triumph of studio magic but the length tends to induce boredom today.

The print of the film is first rate and there is a comprehensive package of extras. Two trailers are included, one for the film itself and the other for "Dr Erlich's Magic Bullet", carefully promoted as another example of Warner's leadership in breaking new ground for the film was about finding a cure for syphilis. The Newsreel shows Ed Sullivan crowning Davis and Mickey Rooney as king and queen of Hollywood in 1940 and the technicolour short is a patriotic recruiting poster for the Navy - beautifully made but hard not to cringe today. There are 2 good cartoons included, particularly Daffy Duck trying to break into pictures and with lots of in jokes about the Warner's contract players.

A commentary is included too. For over 2 hours, Daniel Bubbeo chatters on (and on and on), repeating himself and promoting his book on the women of Warner Brothers. With such a long film, it would have been impossible for him not to have told us something about the film but the padding is endless and boring and his sing song delivery is very irritating.

The DVD is good value but better if purchased as part of the 3rd Davis Collection.

Superb
This was a poignant film about a young noblewoman Henriette of illegitimate birth, who becomes a governess for a rich French duke's 4 children. The Duc de Praslin (Boyer) is quite handsome and kindly, and loves his children, while the wife is obsessive, possessive and clearly mentally ill. Henriette, tries very hard to educate the children, and keep them safe, but finds herself in a difficult position. Unreasonably hated by the duchess, she befriends the duke, and grows quite attracted to him.. They never consummate this attraction, despite the shrill and haranguing wife.

This was an enjoyable film, although I admit, the ending was sad. The acting was superb, particularly good were Boyer and the children.

This is based on a true crime, believe it or not, however in real life the duke has 10 children.

Davis in one of her most understated performances
Based on the historical, fact-based book by Rachel Field, 1940's ALL THIS, AND HEAVEN TOO was Warner's prestige picture that year, geared as a showcase for their leading female star Bette Davis.

In 1840's France, young governess Henriette Deluzy-Desportes (Bette Davis) enters the employ of the Duc and Duchesse de Praslin (Charles Boyer and Barbara O'Neil). There she falls in love, first with the delightful de Praslin children, and again with the Duc himself. Disgusted and repulsed by his shrewish, zealot of a wife, the Duc greatly admires Henriette for her love and devotion to the children. Together they slowly create a private relationship which is never acted upon, though does ultimately ruin the de Praslin family, when Henriette is asked to leave in disgrace without references, and the Duc finally snaps...

Based on a real case of the period (which directly led to the toppling of the July Monarchy), ALL THIS, AND HEAVEN TOO is a good example of how wonderfully restained Ms Davis could be when the character required it. Henriette is one of her finer performances from the period. Dreamy, handsome Charles Boyer can make anyone go weak at the knees and some of his close-ups in this movie are to die for. Barbara O'Neil (best-remembered for playing the dignified O'Hara matriarch in "Gone with the Wind" the previous year), chews the scenery in her tour-de-force, Academy Award-nominated turn as the Duchesse.

I must also mention the actors who played the de Praslin children, as they create some wonderful performances but yet are hardly mentioned in any review. June Lockhart, Virginia Weidler, Ann E. Todd and Richard Nichols are a pleasure to watch in every scene in which they appear. Little Richard Nichols would later tug at heartstrings again in 1941's Technicolor tearjerker "Blossoms in the Dust".

For Bette Davis fans, this is a no-brainer. Currently only available as part of Warner's third Bette Davis boxset collection, which also boasts "In This Our Life", "The Old Maid", "Deception", "Watch on the Rhine" and "The Great Lie".