Ivy (1947)

June 26, 1947 (US) • Drama, Crime, Thriller • 99m

Overview

When Ivy, an Edwardian belle, begins to like Miles, a wealthy gentleman, she is unsure of what to do with her husband, Jervis, or her lover, Dr. Roger. She then hatches a plan to get rid of them both.

Director

Sam Wood

Writers

Marie Belloc Lowndes, Charles Bennett

Top Billed

Joan Fontaine

Keywords

adultery poison investigation trial murder period drama scheming wife

Where to watch

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Top Billed Cast

Joan Fontaine

Ivy

Patric Knowles

Dr. Roger Gretorex

Herbert Marshall

Miles Rushworth

Richard Ney

Jervis Lexton

Cedric Hardwicke

Inspector Orpington

Lucile Watson

Mrs. Gretorex

Sara Allgood

Martha Huntley

Henry Stephenson

Judge

Rosalind Ivan

Emily

Lilian Fontaine

Lady Flora

Molly Lamont

Bella Crail

Una O'Connor

Mrs. Thrawn

Isobel Elsom

Miss Chattle

Alan Napier

Sir Jonathan Wright

Lois Austin

English Lady (uncredited)

Lydia Bilbrook

Mary Hampton (uncredited)

Matthew Boulton

Tom Lumford (uncredited)

Ralph Brooks

Court Clerk (uncredited)

Colin Campbell

Chaplain (uncredited)

Paul Cavanagh

Dr. Berwick (uncredited)

David Cavendish

Guest (uncredited)

Herbert Clifton

Bates (uncredited)

Claire Du Brey

Shopkeeper (uncredited)

Alan Edmiston

Jenks (uncredited)

Ella Ethridge

Guest (uncredited)

Herbert Evans

Deck Official (uncredited)

Renee Evans

Guest (uncredited)

James Fairfax

English News Vendor (uncredited)

Jean Fenwick

Guest (uncredited)

Bess Flowers

Set Rehearsal (uncredited)

Mary Forbes

Lady Crail (uncredited)

Art Foster

Constable (uncredited)

Gerald Hamer

Man from Paris Office (uncredited)

Lumsden Hare

Dr. Lanchester (uncredited)

Holmes Herbert

Mulloy (uncredited)

Boyd Irwin

Mr. Oram (uncredited)

Kenner G. Kemp

Court Clerk (uncredited)

Charles Knight

Solicitor (uncredited)

Carl M. Leviness

Trial Spectator (uncredited)

James Logan

Aviator (uncredited)

Charles Mendl

Sir Charles Gage (uncredited)

Clive Morgan

Assistant King's Counsel (uncredited)

Harry Hays Morgan

Lord Ventner (uncredited)

Alberto Morin

Dockworker (uncredited)

Gavin Muir

Sergeant (uncredited)

William H. O'Brien

Barrister (uncredited)

William J. O'Brien

Bailiff (uncredited)

Manuel París

Cook's Tour Guide (uncredited)

Jack Perrin

Bailiff (uncredited)

Elsa Peterson

Yacht Guest (uncredited)

David Ralston

Guest (uncredited)

Leonardo Scavino

Dock Worker (uncredited)

Wallace Scott

News Vendor (uncredited)

C. Montague Shaw

Stevens (uncredited)

Wyndham Standing

Assistant Chief Justice (uncredited)

Brick Sullivan

Court Officer (uncredited)

David Thursby

Groves (uncredited)

Norma Varden

Joan Rodney (uncredited)

William Wagner

Court Clerk (uncredited)

Eric Wilton

Steward (uncredited)

Judith Woodbury

Guest (uncredited)

Crew

Sam Wood

Director

Marie Belloc Lowndes

Novel

William Cameron Menzies

Producer

Sam Wood

Executive Producer

Daniele Amfitheatrof

Original Music Composer

Russell Metty

Director of Photography

Ralph Dawson

Editor

Charles Bennett

Screenplay

David Tamkin

Orchestrator

David S. Horsley

Visual Effects

Bud Westmore

Makeup Artist

Richard H. Riedel

Art Direction

Russell A. Gausman

Set Decoration

Ted Offenbecker

Set Decoration

Orry-Kelly

Costume Design

Polly Burson

Stunt Double

Carmen Dirigo

Hairstylist

John Sherwood

Assistant Director

Charles Felstead

Sound

William Hedgcock

Sound

Reviews

John Chard

⭐ 8/10

December 19, 2013

Evil influences are gathering.

Ivy is directed by Sam Wood and adapted to screenplay by Charles Bennett from the novel The Story of Ivy written by Marie Belloc Lowndes. It stars Joan Fontaine, Patric Knowles, Herbert Marshall, Richard Ney, Cedric Hardwicke and Lucile Watson. Music is by Daniele Amfitheatrof and cinematography by Russell Metty.

Ivy Lexton (Fontaine) has a hunger to be wealthy, and setting her sights on well-to-do Miles Rushworth (Marshall), Ivy plots a fiendish plan that spells trouble for her husband Jervis (Ney) and her lover Roger (Knowles).

Well worth discovering, Ivy showcases the dark side of Fontaine’s acting prowess for great entertainment rewards. The beautiful Madame Fontaine actually disowned the movie, and this after she stepped in to the role of Ivy Lexton after her sister Olivia de Havilland turned it down. Her lack of affection for the picture goes some way to explaining why it has remained largely forgotten, which is a shame because it’s a high end gaslight noir propelled by a femme fatale of some considerable substance.

The budget was high, and it shows, in the cast list, the costuming and the stunning turn of the century production design by William Cameron Menzies. Metty’s low-key photography cloaks the Edwardian settings with atmospheric snugness, while Amfitheatrof underscores the drama with music that is appropriately tinged with chills. Thematically the piece is focusing on obsessions, by way of man’s ignorant lust and woman’s pursuit of wealth above all else. All characters are defined not by fate here, but by their actions, making for a hornet’s nest of murder and adultery.

1947 was a stellar year for film noir, with big hitting movies like Out of the Past, Nightmare Alley, Kiss of Death, Odd Man Out and Brighton Rock further cementing the growing popularity of noir as a style of film making. As is often the case with the great noir years from the classic cycle, there’s still little gems hidden away waiting to be brought out into the open, Ivy is one such film. Fontaine and the sumptuous noir visual style ensure this to be the case. 8/10

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Ivy (1947)

Marie Belloc Lowndes, Charles Bennett

Where to watch

Top Billed Cast

Crew

Reviews

John Chard

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Status

Original Language

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