Like many post-war films, "Leave Her to Heaven" is a study of a troubled individual. Very troubled. This film was a great setup for Gene Tierney to go on and play the manipulative, selfish Isabel in "The Razor's Edge." She looked like a goddess and projected a certain austerity, both of which made her good for this type of role.

Tierney plays an obsessively possessive woman who lets nothing and no one get in the way of the object of her affections. In this case, it's Cornel Wilde, whose appeal has always been lost on me. Her mother and adoptive sister (Jeanne Crain) suspect that Ellen has a few problems but sublimate their feelings until they can't even look at her anymore. Ellen is still mourning the death of her father and apparently so dominated his attention that it destroyed his relationship with his wife. "Ellen loved him too much," her mother says. And how much did daddy love her, one wonders, thinking with a modern sensibility. And how exactly did he die? After captivating Wilde, Tierney sets to work making sure he never has a minute with anyone else...in any way necessary! The scene in the lake with her crippled brother-in-law is truly frightening.

Though Tierney, in my opinion, was one of the most beautiful women in films, she was never, ever more glorious looking than in this vibrantly photographed production. The most thrilling scene for me is when she scatters her father's ashes - though some may find the music a little strong, I thought it very powerful and atmospheric, particularly in that scene.

Believe it or not, "Leave Her to Heaven" was remade as a TV movie with Loni Anderson, which always prompts a friend of mine to say, when a film is mentioned, "Are you talking about the original or the Loni Anderson version?" There's only one version worth talking about, and it's this one.

This movie is a bit over-the-top as far as the plot goes, but not in a stupid or predictable way. Instead, it is pure dynamite--with so many bizarre twists and turns that you find yourself totally captivated. Subtle? No, but fun nevertheless. In this sense, it reminds me of the movie Peyton Place--a movie that is not high art but entertaining with juicy romance to boot! Gene Tierney is an apparently normal lady who falls for Cornel Wilde. They marry and so far everything looks just dandy. However, over time the evil and mentally unstable side of Tierney's personality begins to SLOWLY creep out--so slowly that she appeared to be the perfect wife to those around her. First, she is very jealous of all the time Wilde spends with his handicapped brother who lives with them (Darryl Hickman). So, one day instead of Wilde rowing along side as Hickman swims across the lake, she volunteers. Hickman is a decent swimmer but cannot make the entire journey, so the boat is there for when he tires. But, when he tires, Tierney rows away--letting him drown and ensuring that Cornel will be 100% hers!!! But, although she gets away with it, she does not have all 100% after all, as her lovely sister (Jeanne Crain) starts spending more and more time with them. Tierney's jealousy once again rears its ugly head but no matter how hard she tries, she can't drive Crain away. She KNOWS Wilde has fallen in love with Crain (though this is only her delusion--he is still devoted to his little psycho). So, she devises a plot to kill herself and frame THEM for murder!!! Because everyone THINKS Tierney is well, her plan nearly works--thanks to the incredibly zealous prosecution of attorney Vincent Price (who knew and loved Tierney for years).

Whew!!! What a twisted and complicated plot, huh? Well, there's actually a lot more to it (such as Tierney throwing herself down the stairs to prevent an unwanted pregnancy)--watch and be amazed at how this movie will hold your attention.

Gene Tierney got what arguably might be her best role in Leave Her To Heaven although personally I think that her screen career reached its height in Laura. An argument could also be made for The Razor's Edge which I also like. But when the Academy gives you an Oscar nomination for your work that does put some weight for this film being her best.

Leave Her To Heaven with a preliminary scene with Cornel Wilde and Ray Collins starts out with Collins reminiscing about author Wilde meeting socialite Tierney on a cross country train. This film starts playing like any other Hollywood romantic film, but gradually Tierney does a fabulous job in revealing bit by bit an overwhelming and smothering obsession with her husband. She wants Wilde only and totally for herself, gradually getting rid of people around her. When all else fails she resorts to murder. It all comes crashing around her in the end.

Some of the best acting is done without dialog. One of her murder victims is young Darryl Hickman a polio patient and Wilde's younger brother. Swimming was a preferred form of exercise for those with the disease, pioneered by no less than the current president of the United States. In fact at one point Hickman is in treatment at Warm Springs, Georgia. Tierney encourages Hickman to try a distance beyond his means and as he pitifully cries for help, she sits expressionless in a rowboat just feet from him in the middle of a lake. She later throws herself down a flight of stairs to kill her unborn child because she becomes convinced Cornel will spend more time with the baby than her.

Playing a former suitor who was thrown over for Wilde is Vincent Price who as it turns out is the District Attorney and who later figures prominently in the plot. Price does a good job as always, but in watching him I couldn't help feeling, dummy don't you realize what a bullet you just dodged.

Another obsession of Tierney's is her younger sister Jeanne Crain and did you ever see two more beautiful brunette sisters than these two on the screen? Her plan for Crain truly shows how sick Tierney has become.

Gene Tierney lost the Oscar competition in 1945 to Joan Crawford for Mildred Pierce. Still she got critical acclaim for this part and there was no one saying that she was getting by on looks alone in Leave Her To Heaven. The film holds up very well today. I'm surprised it's not been remade.