All This and Heaven Too (1940) - Anatole Litvak

MGM had Norma Shearer, and Warner Bros. had Bette Davis. Both actresses scored an Oscar early in their career, and found themselves as perennial nominees for the next decade. Davis appeared in a best picture nominee for the third straight year, in fact appearing in two in 1940. For this reason Litvak's picture gets buried under the reputation of William Wyler's The Letter. Both Wyler and Litvak's film also shared nominations in the cinematography category as well. However, the acting isn't bad. Both Davis and Charles Boyer hand in exemplary performances, but lord this film is long. At two and a half hours the picture just seems to suffer for it. Not to say that any of it is particularly slow or dragging, but the pace could be livelier. The loose plot is with Davis the governess of a group of regular child actors, who's father (Boyer) starts to fall in love with. Scandal ensues and the film becomes a melodramtic snore fest. I'm starting to wonder if the Academy had a rule to nominate 3 period films for every contemporary picture. This was set in mid 19th Century France.

*All This and Heaven Too was nominated for best picture, black and white cinematography, and best supporting actress (Barbara O'Niel)