Autumn Leaves (1956)

Millicent Wetherby is a middle-aged woman whose life is devoid of love and affection. Millicent's solitary existence changes when she encounters Burt Hansen a charismatic younger man. As ... See full summary »

Director:

Robert Aldrich

Writers:

Jean Rouverol, Hugo Butler,

Stars:

Joan Crawford, Cliff Robertson, Vera Miles

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview:
Joan Crawford	...	Millicent Wetherby
Cliff Robertson	...	Burt Hanson
Vera Miles	...	Virginia Hanson
Lorne Greene	...	Mr. Hanson
Ruth Donnelly	...	Liz Eckhart
Shepperd Strudwick	...	Dr. Malcolm Couzzens
Selmer Jackson	...	Mr. Wetherby
Maxine Cooper	...	Nurse Evans
Marjorie Bennett	...	Waitress
Frank Gerstle	...	Mr. Ramsey
Leonard Mudie	...	Colonel Hillyer
Maurice Manson	...	Dr. Masterson
Bob Hopkins	...	Desk Clerk

Storyline

Millicent Wetherby is a middle-aged woman whose life is devoid of love and affection. Millicent's solitary existence changes when she encounters Burt Hansen a charismatic younger man. As Burt successfully woos her and wins her hand in marriage, rumors begin to surface that Millicent's newfound beau is in fact a deranged maniac. Things grow even more complicated for Millicent when a woman claiming to be Hansen's first wife shows up. As Burt begins to lose control of himself, Millicent ponders the most radical of actions against her husband.

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Plot Keywords:

marriage | swimsuit | older woman younger man relationship | loneliness | electroshock therapy | 

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Taglines:

In the dark, when I feel his heart pounding against mine - is it love? or frenzy? or terror?

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 August 1956 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Way We Are

Filming Locations:

Brentwood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

William Goetz Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The original screenwriters, the husband and wife team of Jean Rouverol and Hugo Butler, did not receive screen credit as they were blacklisted at the time of production. Jack Jevne received credit instead.

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Quotes

Burt: Aw, Milly. You wouldn't want me to spend the rest of my life with a bubble-gum addict. Would you, Milly?
Milly: Sorry, I goofed!
Burt: You "goofed?" Hey, man, that's "Bop" talk! Where did you ever pick that up?
Milly: Well, why shouldn't I pick up an expression here and there? I'm not THAT old!

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits are shown over a background of...... leaves.

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Connections

Featured in Joan Crawford: The Ultimate Movie Star (2002)

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Soundtracks

"Autumn Leaves"
Music by Joseph Kosma
Original lyrics by Jacques Prévert ("Les Feuilles Mortes")
English lyrics by Johnny Mercer
Sung by Nat 'King' Cole

User Reviews

Joan Crawford in a top-drawer thriller

Joan Crawford gives a real tour-de-force as Milly, a work-obsessed, but lonely spinster who meets a handsome man, Burt (played wonderfully by Cliff Robertson), in a diner late one night. Their meeting turns into romance, and before Milly knows it, they are married in quickie Mexican nuptuals. When they return home, secrets from Burt's past began to come into the open. Before long, Burt turns into an abusive, dillusional schizophrenic. Crawford's performance is amazing (once you get past the shoulder pads and butch haircut) and Vera Miles' role as Burt's devious ex-wife is classic. Don't miss a vicious cat fight between Crawford, Miles, and Lorne Greene, in which Crawford spews at Miles, "And you, ya slut!" Director Robert Aldrich did a tremendous job of taking this melodrama, but never letting it turn into a total soap opera. Great show!