Ivy

1947

Crime / Drama / Thriller

3
Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Rotten 54%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Spilled 54%
IMDb Rating 7.0/10 10 1243 1.2K

adultery poison investigation trial murder period drama

Plot summary

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 Photo
Sam Wood

Top cast

Richard Ney Photo
Richard Ney as Jervis Hamilton Lexton
Alan Napier Photo
Alan Napier as Sir Jonathan Wright
Joan Fontaine Photo
Joan Fontaine as Ivy Lexton
Una O'Connor Photo
Una O'Connor as Matilda Thrawn
720p.BLU 1080p.BLU
909.35 MB
1280*934
English 2.0
NR
23.976 fps
1 hr 39 min
Seeds 8
1.65 GB
1480*1080
English 2.0
NR
23.976 fps
1 hr 39 min
Seeds 21

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by hitchcockthelegend 8 / 10

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
Reviewed by bkoganbing 7 / 10

I've got the men on a string

Joan Fontaine is in the title role of Ivy, a completely amoral social climber who when we meet her is juggling three different guys, husband Richard Ney, former lover Patric Knowles who can't get her out of his system, and her next interest the very rich Herbert Marshall. This girl Ivy, she really gets around.When Marshall tells her he's not having any sex with another man's wife Fontaine sees her duty clear. She not only concocts an elaborate poisoning scheme for Ney, but Knowles the dope is still so in love with her that as a doctor he's also a natural suspect. He goes to trial and shields her. Knowles doesn't know about Marshall.Ivy is a wonderful and moody Edwardian melodrama where the tension is so thick you could cut it with a knife. The cinematography is A+ in this film.A key role is the methodical Scotland Yard Inspector Cedric Hardwicke who never bought Knowles as the guilty party. Hardwicke is almost Monk like in pursuit of the truth and justice.The last 10 minutes or so contain some of Joan Fontaine's best work on the big screen as she realized the jig is up. All by herself with little or no dialog what a portrait of a woman trapped by her own deceit.Ivy should be seen for that ending and for Cedric Hardwicke.
Reviewed by blanche-2 7 / 10

so many men, so little time

Joan Fontaine and Olivia de Havilland were sisters - both beautiful, both with a very sweet quality. Yet Joan more than Olivia was given roles that called for a somewhat manipulative side.Ivy from 1947 is Joan, gorgeous in Victorian costumes, playing Ivy, a married woman with a boyfriend on the side (Patric Knowles). She and her husband (Richard Ney) are broke and keeping up a pretense with their socieity friends.Ivy wants money, and when she meets the elegant Miles Rushworth (Herbert Marshall), she decides he's the one for her. He is attracted to her, which is a help. One night, he kisses her, and then apologizes profusely for kissing a married woman. So Ivy will have to do something about that. Maybe she can get rid of the husband and the lover at the same time.Really terrific film with a wonderful performance by Fontaine, who could be so demure and yet a viper underneath.Sumptuous atmosphere and, as mentioned, costumes. It's an absorbing film.
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