Autumn Leaves

Joan Crawford aged like fine wine, and even at 51 she is quite believable as the romantic lead here. She plays Millicent Wetherby, a lonely 40ish woman who has sacrificed her youth taking care of her invalid father. Now he is gone and she feels like life has passed her by until Burt Hanson (Cliff Robertson in only his second film appearance) interrupts her chicken salad one night at a diner. He practically pries open her life, and they begin dating even though he is over ten years younger than she. She tries to be practical, but he sweeps her off her feet and the two elope to Mexico. Then she starts to notice little things...he has told her he was from Racine, now he says he is from Chicago. Burt meets Joan's employer and talks about all of the battles he saw in the military when he has told her previously that he was a supply clerk and never saw action during his time in the service, but the final straw is when an ex-wife she didn't even know about shows up at her door.

This is a hard film to characterize. It's definitely not a soaper, but it has aspects of that. It has romance, dealing with mental illness, and even elements of a thriller to it. It deals with the self-doubt we all have about the choices we have made in life. No high-camp Johnny Guitar is this film. Although, don't get me wrong, I love Joan in her campy 50's films too.

Cliff Robertson is almost at the bottom of the bill on this one, even though he really is the male lead. This is only his second film, yet he pulls off the part of the child-like Burt like a pro. It's also good to see Ruth Donnelly as Milly's ever-supportive older neighbor twenty years after she was a contract player over at Warner Brothers. I highly recommend this film for anyone who even remotely enjoys Joan Crawford's films. You don't have to be a big fan to appreciate this one.

Some movies make it especially easy to enjoy them. The first stretch, the first two-fifths, are endlessly charming, with strong good feelings counterbalancing the darker airs of loneliness. Joan Crawford, towering legend that she is, bears warmth and substantial presence at least as much if not more than she has elsewhere in her career; I readily admit I'm not used to seeing Cliff Robertson so young, but he matches Crawford toe to toe with a surprisingly versatile display. And between Robert Aldrich's welcoming, firm direction, and the rich screenplay of Jean Rouverol, Lews Meltzer, and Robert Blees, rather from the start 'Autumn leaves' is splendidly absorbing. As the turn in the narrative comes around the 45-minute mark, throwing everything into question, the mood entirely flips as piercing, ferociously darker airs take over and the warmth tries nevertheless to shine through. All the while the feature commands one's undivided attention, both for the excellence of everyone's contributions as well as for the severity of the story. This is all around superb!

One might reasonably ponder if the drama doesn't become too intense for its own good, becoming overbearing and melodramatic as the third act slowly rolls around. Even within the last ten minutes, through to the ending, there are times when it seems like the movie has a hard time finding exactly the right tone. As great as this is at its best, I can't say it's 100% perfect. Even at its most difficult, though, the proceedings are tremendously compelling, tragic and heartrending but also endearing. And everything about this film is marvelous, each part in and of itself making a bigger impression than I ever anticipated from the outset, bent toward amplifying the torrent of emotions on hand, and working in concert to complement one another. Aldrich is all but brilliant in orchestrating scenes, imbuing even some specific shots with outstanding personality, though his task is made easier by an exceptional cast that reaches deep to give sharp, complex performances on down the line. Crawford, Robertson, Vera Miles and Lorne Greene, Sheppard Strudwick - no matter the size of the part of the nature of the role, from one to the next every actor is terrific, and I adore them all. Hans J. Salter's original score lends powerful ambience to the course of events, and Charles Lang's cinematography is just as vivid as Aldrich's direction. Production design, art direction, hair and makeup, Michael Luciano's editing, and more are all fantastic.

And still none of this would be possible without tight writing, but Rouverol, Meltzer, and Blees have indeed done a fine job. The dialogue is vibrant, and the characters come off as very real and complicated. The tale at large is relatively small, concise and specific, yet in both its lighter facets and in its more tense, harrowing aspects there's a measure of universality in the telling that makes the plot terribly engrossing. And along with all this, I must also point out the scene writing, which at select points is especially crucial to the impact that the film has. The "walk" that leads to an injury is almost excruciating for the turns that are taken in the span of a few minutes; a later moment in which certain sounds trouble Milly emphatically recalls one of the most resonant, haunting moments from all six seasons of 'Breaking bad,' and took my breath away. As if all this weren't enough, I must also compliment the writing team, and all involved, for delicate handling of subject matter that even today is often managed poorly in cinema; for the 1950s, 'Autumn leaves' feels well ahead of its time. There is no judgment, no condescension, and no prejudice or persecution, except from those who are clearly awful people. The feature tries very hard to be balanced and considerate, presenting such a condition in a way that serves up the intended drama for storytelling while very pointedly never losing sight of the character's humanity. I'm in no position to offer absolute judgment, but I'm inclined to think the movie has a definite leg up on many others in this matter.

I can safely say I didn't know anything about this before I sat for it, save for the involvement of the chief stars. I'm so pleased with what this feature actually is. From the blithely pleasant first length, to the dire, heavy turns to follow, this is overall exceedingly well-rounded and thoughtful, and crafted with care and intelligence. There might be instances when the saga doesn't meet with total, pure success, yet these are fleeting and minor in comparison to the wonderfully robust viewing experience it otherwise represents. Everyone in front of the camera and behind it turned in stupendous work to make this just about the very best picture it could be, and the result is unquestionably enjoyable as a movie-goer, satisfying, and rewarding. I suppose a content warning may be necessary for those with particular sensitivity to topics of mental illness, but beyond this 'Autumn leaves' is so very well done that as far as I'm concerned it earns a solid recommendation for all comers. If you have the opportunity to watch, this holds up quite well even decades later and is certainly worth checking out!

This 1956 drama was directed by the re known Robert Aldrich. He brings the old and the new to this film. The old, being the professionalism and experience of Joan Crawford and matching her with the new, up and coming young talented Cliff Robertson. This was his first starring role. Coming from Broadway he brought a very strong presence to the part. He and Joan were splendid together. In one of her rare underplayed roles, where she isn't playing the queen bee, she gives a sensitive and honest portrayal of a lonely woman who accidentally meets a young man and falls in love. Crawford and those wonderful expressive eyes are beautifully photographed with shadows in glorious black and white. Playing opposite her and definitely holding his own, Robertson goes from nice guy to a sort of psychotic mess. His slow changing from one to the other was masterful. He showed his abilities and what was yet to come his way, including his Academy Award performance in CHARLY. Together Joan and Cliff light up the screen in an almost melodramatic way, yet quite realistic. Reminded me of another Crawford film and another new young actor, Jack Palance in SUDDEN FEAR. Rounding out the cast is Lorne Greene as Cliff's no good father, Vera Miles as the wife asking for a divorce and veteran actor Shepperd Strudwick playing the doctor who heals our hero. Look for two well played supporting roles in this. Bringing comedy relief to the drama is veteran actress Ruth Donnely, as the manager of the apartment building Joan lives in. She just walks into the apartments, picks up newspapers and magazines and makes herself at home bringing all the gossip with her. She's a hoot. There's also a cameo performance by Marjorie Bennett as the waitress of a diner. Just her facial expressions as she waits on our lovers is worth the entire scene. She walks off with it. Remember her as the mother of Victor Buono in BABY JANE? Hats off to a seldom seen movie and one of Crawford's best.

(A line from one of the characters of the movie)

Wow! I watched this on TV on a lark - the movie had a "To Be Announced" and no description, so I didn't know what to expect; I didn't know the story line. My only previous experience with Joan Crawford as an actress was "Baby Jane", and I really don't know much about her.

This was an unexpected treat - the acting throughout is superb, and since it is B&W, the use of dramatic lighting and use of unusual camera angles adds depth and drama to the story.

When Millicent begins to realize that Burt is a pathological liar, it made me want to say, "Run, girl, RUN!". But then, the villains appear on the scene (Vera Miles and Lorne Greene), and the awful truth is revealed. (BTW, I only knew Greene as Ben Cartwright, but when he was younger, he was HOT! And, that VOICE! But, I digress...). One of the best lines - that made me laugh out loud - that other viewers have mentioned, "And YOU....you SLUT!" - is so good because of how Crawford delivers it. Such dignity.

It is a true phenomenon that when a mind is faced with an unspeakable trauma, the creation of a 'fantasy life' can be created to make the trauma more "manageable". Burt's breakdown is understandable, but the horrific truth of how most psycho-therapy was conducted back in the day (drugs and electro-shock therapy) makes the sanitarium scenes difficult to watch.

But...the deep strength of Millicent is the true face of love. To love another so much that she wanted Burt to have a happy future, even if it didn't include her, is what this reviewer sees as the very heart of love. Although actors are trained to portray a wide range of characters and emotions, I believe that a woman must be truly strong to be able to portray Millicent - and that gives one insight as to Joan Crawford's own character.

And, how does it end? That is for you to find out. Watch it - it's gripping, entertaining, engaging - and the kind of movie you can watch with someone special. And, watching how they respond to this movie will give YOU some insights!

Autumn Leaves finds Joan Crawford as fortyish unmarried woman living alone in a court bungalow with landlady Ruth Donnelly for occasional company. A chance meeting with young Cliff Robertson at a concert brings two people with needs together.

Cliff's needs are much bigger than her's however. For all his surface charm, the man has some deep issues. Part of which is that he's grown up without a mother another part of which his father Lorne Greene did him one terrible hurt.

The film was Cliff Robertson's breakout role and he does a fine job, running the whole emotional alphabet from the charming and shallow young man who overcompensates a lot to his mental breakdown with Crawford which is terrifying. Crawford gets one of her best late career roles as well. Not much is said about her mental state, but the way she interprets the part, Joan's needs are as much maternal as romantic and Robertson seems to fill the bill.

For those of you who expect to see wise and patriarchal Ben Cartwright, that is not the Lorne Greene you see here. In fact before being cast in Bonanza, Greene played a nice variety of nasty people in such films as The Buccaneer, Tight Spot, and this one. Vera Miles is also here as Robertson's ex-wife and a piece of work herself.

Robert Aldrich does a good job with Joan Crawford and the rest of the cast. But the film really belongs to Cliff Robertson, after this performance, his career was assured.