Ivy (1947)

An Edwardian belle meets a rich bachelor, but what to do about her husband and her lover?

Director:

Sam Wood

Writers:

Charles Bennett (screenplay), Marie Belloc Lowndes (novel)

Stars:

Joan Fontaine, Patric Knowles, Herbert Marshall

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Joan Fontaine	...	Ivy Lexton
Patric Knowles	...	Roger Gretorex
Herbert Marshall	...	Miles Rushworth
Richard Ney	...	Jervis Lexton
Cedric Hardwicke	...	Insp. Orpington
Lucile Watson	...	Mrs. Gretorex
Sara Allgood	...	Martha Huntley
Henry Stephenson	...	Judge
Rosalind Ivan	...	Emily
Lillian Fontaine	...	Lady Flora (as Lilian Fontaine)
Molly Lamont	...	Bella Crail
Una O'Connor	...	Mrs. Thrawn
Isobel Elsom	...	Miss Chattle
Alan Napier	...	Sir Jonathan Wright

Storyline

In 1909, the beautiful but amoral British belle Ivy Lexton meets older, rich Miles Rushworth; undeterred by the prior claims of her husband Jervis and lover Roger, she goes after Miles and has no trouble fascinating him, but oddly enough he has compunctions about making love to other men's wives. The means that Ivy reluctantly adopts to resolve the problem of too many men promise disaster for all concerned.

---

Plot Keywords:

period piece | based on novel | character name in title

---

Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 October 1947 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

Abismos

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Interwood Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

"The Screen Guild Theater" broadcast a 60 minute radio adaptation of the movie on March 13, 1952 with Joan Fontaine again reprising her film role.

---

Quotes

Jervis Lexton: [as Ivy is poisoning him] All this stupid expense of doctors and nonsense, you must hate me for it.
Ivy Lexton: No, I don't hate you. I sometimes wish I weren't so fond of you.

---

Connections

Version of Lux Video Theatre: Ivy (1956)

---

Soundtracks

"Ivy"
by Hoagy Carmichael

User Reviews

one of the best Victorian murder mysteries ever

I found this to be a very enjoyable melodrama.

The story is about how Joan Fontaine tries to rid herself of a husband and a lover in order to obtain a wealthy Englishman.

Solid performances by the supporting players are outstanding as is the lead performance of Joan Fontaine.

Also great were the costumes and the sets--very impressive and realistic, at least they looked that way to me.

I'm a sucker for these old black and white melodrama mysteries and I found this one to be one of the best ones.