Ivy (1947 film)

Ivy is a 1947 American crime film noir directed by Sam Wood and written by Charles Bennett, based on The Story of Ivy, the novel written by Marie Adelaide Belloc Lowndes. The drama features Joan Fontaine, Patric Knowles, Herbert Marshall and Richard Ney.[1] The film was entered into the 1947 Cannes Film Festival.[2]

Ivy
Magazine advertisement
Directed bySam Wood
Produced byW. Cameron Menzies
Written byMarie Belloc Lowndes
Screenplay byCharles Bennett
Based onThe Story of Ivy
by Marie Belloc Lowndes
StarringJoan Fontaine
Patric Knowles
Herbert Marshall
Richard Ney
Music byDaniele Amfitheatrof
CinematographyRussell Metty
Edited byRalph Dawson
Production
company
Sam Wood Productions
Inter-Wood Productions
Distributed byUniversal Pictures
Release date
  • June 26, 1947 (1947-06-26) (New York City)
Running time
99 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The song, "Ivy", written to promote the film by Hoagy Carmichael, has become a jazz standard.

Plot

In Edwardian England, Ivy Lexton (Joan Fontaine) is a woman with a taste for the finer things in life. Despairing of her husband Jervis's (Richard Ney), poor prospects, Ivy sees an opportunity in wealthy Miles Rushworth (Herbert Marshall), and is determined to have him, despite being married and having the additional obstacle of her affair with the infatuated Dr. Roger Gretorex (Patric Knowles).

However, because she is already married, Miles shows no interest in her. In response, Ivy tries unsuccessfully to persuade her husband to divorce her, then plans to poison him and pin the blame on Roger, clearing the way for a relationship with Miles. Inspector Orpington (Cedric Hardwicke) is called in to investigate Jervis' mysterious death.

Cast

Critical reception

The staff of Variety magazine said of the film, "William Cameron Menzies' production has an off-the-beaten path design that helps generate the melodramatic mood desired. Sets are small and players and settings are lensed from close range. Cast performances are good, but reflect directorial obviousness."[3]

References
  1. Ivy at IMDb.
  2. "Festival de Cannes: Ivy". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 2009-01-04.
  3. Variety. Film review, June 26, 1947. Last accessed: December 1, 2009.
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