All That
Heaven Allows by Edna Lee
Eight out
of 10
This remarkable
film has been included on The New York Times’ Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made list:
The message
seems to be clear, simple and almost universally known and accepted, in the
modern age at least.
Nevertheless,
even if it works in this romantic drama, there is something to say in favor of
relationships between men and women, same sex bonds as well, that are based on
similar backgrounds, education levels and interests.
Yes, it is evident
that we must decide based on class and other such artificial labels, but
psychological and other studies have indicated that we get along best with
others who share the same penchant for reading, to give one example.
If one
likes to read a lot, the likelihood of his or her getting along with someone
who makes a point to avoid reading – like the American simpleton who incredibly
leads the world – is slim, to be optimistic.
In All That
Heaven Allows, Ron Kirby aka the refined, excellent Rock Hudson is a gardener,
working for Cary Scott aka Jane Wyman.
However, he
is not an uneducated, unsophisticated blue-collar worker – a situation that I maintain
that in most cases would not favor a relationship with another who has studied
much more to further his or her education.
The man who
cuts branches in the garden of the widow who has two grown up children aspires
to a better status.
Although it
is somewhat strange to see him always dressed – perhaps with the exception of
the night where he has to punch a rude, abusing guest at a party – in a red
chequered coat.
The hero
invites the widow to a water mill, to see and learn more about trees,
gardening.
This is when
and where they realize that they share an attraction for each other and decide
to meet again.
Nonetheless,
the fact that Cary Scott belongs to the “upper class”, a better off community is
a block for their bonding.
She invites
Ron Kirby to come with her to a party where the guests and host are pretentious,
arrogant and relatively wealthy people.
They snub
their noses at the intruder, who is only a gardener and therefore destined to remain
“inferior” to them.
When one of
them sees the audacious Cary and the man she has brought along, he thinks this is
a signal of her libertine concepts and he is offended that she had refused his
advances.
This loathsome
man tries again to force himself on the woman who must accept him, since she
had come with someone so obviously less significant than he thinks he is,
pushing and trying to kiss her.
Ron storms
into the room when he sees the scene and promptly knocks the abuser, who seems
to be in serious danger.
The rest of
the party, instead of perceiving the reality and condemning the real
perpetrator, concentrates on the one who is different, an outsider and hence blame
him.
Alas, apart
from this stupid, preposterous society, the family of the heroine is also against
her penchant.
Both her
daughter and son are aghast at the perspective of being close to such a humble
man.
People in
the town who claim her mother had had an affair with Kirby, even before her
late husband was dead insult the girl.
Cary Scott is
sure she has to give up her happiness for that of her children and thus
separate from the man she loves.
Again, the
idea that love conquers all could be the mantra of this good film, perhaps one
of the best 1,000 ever made.
Nevertheless,
it has not convinced the under signed that this is true, especially if we
consider another psychological, perhaps two effects:
The Honeymoon
Effect and The Coolidge Effect
The first
one purports that at the end of a period of about two years of relationship,
most bonds would face a challenge and even if one is married to one extreme
beauty – the example of Hale Berry has been given – a wonderful human being,
there is still the attraction, the impulse to have an affair with someone else –
The Coolidge Effect – even if that is not necessarily what would happen…people
remain married and in love with each other for decades, while others divorce…
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