All That Heaven Allows (1955)

Jane Wyman and Rock Hudson star in Douglas Sirk’s influential melodrama.

Douglas Sirk’s sumptuous but scathing melodrama explores the various obstacles and objections raised by a middle-class widow’s family and friends against her blossoming relationship with a younger, vaguely bohemian gardener. The exact, exquisite compositions and colours express a stultifying sense of entrapment by social conformism, materialism and hypocrisy.

1955 USA
Directed by
Douglas Sirk
Produced by
Ross Hunter
Written by
Peg Fenwick
Featuring
Jane Wyman, Rock Hudson, Agnes Moorehead
Running time
89 minutes

Ranked in The Greatest Films of All Time poll

Sight and Sound

Who voted for All That Heaven Allows

Critics

Tara Brady
Ireland
Donald Clarke
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Alejandro Cozza
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Jenny Darling
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Sam Davies
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Shawn Glinis
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Laura Horak
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Tara Judah
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Helmi Kajaste
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Alexia Kannas
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France
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Alastair Phillips
UK
Nenad Polimac
Croatia
Chris Stults
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Ana Šturm
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Sydney Urbanek
Canada
Laura Venning
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