All That Heaven Allows (1955)

I can't believe that in all my years of being a movie fanatic, I've not watched this movie until now. This 1955 Technicolor masterpiece by Douglas Sirk is just the type of movie I love. Jane Wyman plays Cary Scott, a wealthy widow who is more lonely than she wants to admit. She has plenty of money, her country club social life, two grown children and a somewhat steady beau named Harvey. She becomes friends with her younger gardener, Ron Kirby (Rock Hudson). She finds herself falling in love with him, even though she knows the opposition she will face from her children and her snobby friends. She agrees to marry him, but when she tells her children they at first assume she's going to marry Harvey. They are very upset with her, and things go downhill from there. Cary tries to introduce Ron to her society friends, with a bad result. She accuses him of refusing to see her side, and they part ways. Cary begins to realize that she has made a mistake, especially after her children both leave home. Her daughter gets married, and her son goes to study in Paris for a year. She visits her doctor complaining of headaches, and he tells her she is punishing herself and advises her to marry Ron. She goes to see him, but leaves before talking to him. Ron falls off a cliff (okay, not a large one) but after finding out he is hurt, she rushes to his side, never to leave again.
Jane Wyman and Rock Hudson show in this movie that they were much more than actors, they were Movie Stars. I can only imagine what it would be like to see this great film on the big screen. I loved this movie. The Technicolor photography is crisp and the colors bright. The acting is great, Jane Wyman showing what a terrific actress she was, and Rock Hudson is really good as a man who is happy with himself, and doesn't care about money or social standing. I couldn't find anything I didn't like about this movie, it was that good. Even the fake snow looked real, ha ha. Agnes Moorehead plays Cary's best friend Sara, and although she is skeptical of Cary's relationship with Ron, she sees that her friend is truly in love. This movie is a thousand times better than most of the shit that is shown today in theaters. This is the kind of movie I will definitely watch again and again. Ah, Technicolor, you make me so happy!