A truly great motion picture.
In 1840s New York, the uneventful and boring days of the daughter of a wealthy doctor come to an end when she meets a dashing poorer man — who may or may not be after her inheritance.
The Heiress (1949) is a drama, romance and history film directed by William Wyler, released on October 6, 1949 with a runtime of 1h 55m. It stars Olivia de Havilland, Montgomery Clift, Ralph Richardson and Miriam Hopkins. Viewers rate it 7.8 out of 10 across 287 ratings.
Watch the official trailer for The Heiress before you stream it.
Olivia de Havilland
as Catherine Sloper
Montgomery Clift
as Morris Townsend
Ralph Richardson
as Dr. Austin Sloper
Miriam Hopkins
as Lavinia Penniman
Vanessa Brown
as Maria
Mona Freeman
as Maria Almond
Ray Collins
as Jefferson Almond
Betty Linley
as Mme. Montgomery
Selena Royle
as Elizabeth Almond
Paul Lees
as Arthur Townsend
Harry Antrim
as M. Abeel
Russ Conway
as Quintus
Directed by William Wyler, written by Henry James, Augustus Goetz and Ruth Goetz, produced by William Wyler.
Average viewer score of 7.8/10 from 287 ratings.
Turning of the tide in acting and directing masterclass. Dowdy spinster Catherine Sloper is stuck in a rut, she is often made to feel useless by her almost tyrannical father, and her life is ambling along in uneventful boredom. Potential gentleman suitors stay well clear of her, such is her unease with the social graces of the day. Then one day at a society ball she is lavished with attention from Morris Townsend,…
Reviewed on August 28, 2019
There are three really strong performances here, but for my money it is Sir Ralph Richardson who stands out. "Sloper" is a wealthy surgeon, a widower and father to the naive young "Catherine". She (Olivia de Havilland) is shy and usually quite happy doing her embroidery quietly at home. Then her well meaning aunt "Lavinia" (Miriam Hopkins) comes to stay and her father thinks that perhaps she can help bring his…
Reviewed on January 16, 2025
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The Heiress (1949) is currently available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube and Fandango At Home. No subscription streaming option is listed right now, so availability may change.
The main cast of The Heiress (1949) includes Olivia de Havilland, Montgomery Clift, Ralph Richardson, Miriam Hopkins and Vanessa Brown. The film was directed by William Wyler. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
The Heiress was released on October 6, 1949 and runs for 1h 55m.
The Heiress (1949) holds an average rating of 7.8 out of 10 from 287 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy drama, romance and history films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
Yes. The official The Heiress trailer is embedded in the trailer section of this page and plays instantly, no download or sign-up required.
