All That Heaven Allows (1955) + Extra [The Criterion Collection]

This heartbreakingly beautiful indictment of 1950s American mores by Douglas Sirk follows the blossoming love between a well-off widow (Jane Wyman) and her handsome and earthy younger gardener (Rock Hudson). When their romance prompts the scorn of her children and country club friends, she must decide whether to pursue her own happiness or carry on a lonely, hemmed-in existence for the sake of the approval of others. With the help of ace cinematographer Russell Metty, Sirk imbues nearly every shot with a vivid and distinct emotional tenor. A profoundly felt film about class and conformity in small-town America, All That Heaven Allows is a pinnacle of expressionistic Hollywood melodrama.

Due to the success of 1954's "Magnificent Obsession", Universal once again called on Jane Wyman, Rock Hudson, Agnes Moorehead, and director Douglas Sirk for this passionate, heart-gripping look at the hypocrisy of small-town America. Wyman, a rich widow in this well-to-do New England town, falls in love with her gardener (Hudson) and all hell breaks loose. Her community ridicules her and her grown children are horrified by her. She finds herself having to choose love or the respect of those around her.

The cinematography is beyond extraordinary, the score by Frank Skinner is unbelievably moving, Wyman is exquisite, and Sirk gives some of the best direction of his career. A really classy melodrama and completely worthwhile.

Audio Commentary - film scholars John Mercer (Melodrama: Genre, Style, Sensibility) and Tamar Jeffers-McDonald discuss the romantic relationship between Jane Wyman and Rock Hudson's characters, the unique use of color throughout the film, Douglas Sirk's careful framing, the social overtones in the film, the key conflicts in the film, the different reviews the film received, etc. The audio commentary was recorded exclusively for Criterion in 2014.

Extra:
– Rock Hudson's Home Movies (1992) - a fascinating documentary focusing on Rock Hudson's sexuality and celebrity status narrated by filmmaker Mark Rappaport (Mozart in Love, From the Journals of Jean Seberg). The documentary features a large collection of clips from films with Rock Hudson and some archival stills (64 min)

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