Rent All This, and Heaven Too (1940)

Historical Drama. - All This, and Heaven Too review by Steve

Based on a scandalous true story about the murder of a woman by her aristocratic husband, which got entangled in the 1848 revolution in France. Bette Davis plays the notorious Henriette D-, the governess to their children, rumoured to be having an affair with the Duc (Charles Boyer). Warner Brothers intended this to be a rare sympathetic role for their star.

It doesn't entirely work that way. The neurotic wife (Barbara O’Neil) goes crazy with jealousy over the impeccable Henriette, but the tutor does actually entirely take over the household and win the love of the husband, even if they don't share a kiss. Bette captures the eye and Boyer is compelling. And there is chemistry. O’Neil was Oscar nominated but overacts horribly.

There's a large budget. This is a visual banquet; a sumptuous recreation of the interiors and costumes of Restoration Paris. Colour would have been nice. Like many productions intent on touring you around the scenery, it is a little slow, stiff and formal.

Much of its long running time is spent watching the acting talents of many Hollywood kids. This appeal is very much to taste; for me this ranks with religious awe as the stickiest feature of classic cinema. Especially when one of the moppets gets sick. It's not the best of Bette's melodramas for Warners, but there's a fine score from Max Steiner and those first rate production values.