All That Heaven Allows
Cary Scott is a middle-aged, wealthy woman whose husband recently died. Ron Kirby is Cary's younger, independent-minded landscape gardener. Ron reads Thoreau, respects nature, and values simplicity and honesty. Cary and Ron are attracted to each other. For Ron, marriage to Cary is an easy decision. But for Cary, the decision to marry Ron is harder. She must confront the disapproval of her grown children, and the disapproval of friends, whose materialistic, country club values are inconsistent with the values of Thoreau.
In a town where people know each other's business, tongues wag. Feelings get hurt.
Conflict erupts. The film's subdued lighting and vivid colors, combined with soft piano and velvety violin background music, create a tone that is sad and sentimental. Viewers are correct to say that this Douglas Sirk directed film from the 1950's is a melodramatic soap opera. Thinly veiled behind the simple plot, however, lies a profound message: to be yourself, to be true. It is a message totally out of sync with 1950's America. Yet, the message would surface a decade later as the 1960's youth mantra: do your own thing.
As an archetype, Ron seems too pure. And Cary's children and friends, who are shallow, selfish, vain, gossipy, and judgmental, are easy to dislike. This sharp dichotomy between characters is somewhat unrealistic. But it gets the point across. And that point is a blistering indictment of 1950's American materialism and mindless conformity.
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