A Woman's Vengeance (1948)

Top cast42

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Charles Boyer

Henry Maurier

Ann Blyth

Doris Mead

Jessica Tandy

Janet Spence

Cedric Hardwicke

Dr. James Libbard

Mildred Natwick

Nurse Caroline Braddock

Cecil Humphreys

General Spence

Hugh French

Robert Lester

Rachel Kempson

Emily Maurier

Valerie Cardew

Clara

Carl Harbord

Leslie Blake

John Williams

Prosecuting Counsel

Leyland Hodgson

First Warder

Ola Lorraine

Maisey

Harry Cording

Chauffeur McNabb

Patrick Aherne

Warder
(uncredited)

Mari Aldon

Girl
(uncredited)

Wilson Benge

Clerk
(uncredited)

Lydia Bilbrook

Mrs. Fellows
(uncredited)

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Did you know

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Trivia
Henry Maurier quotes from Wordsworth's 'Ode to Duty' (published 1807): "Stern daughter of the Voice of God"

Goofs
Although Emily's gravestone and numerous newspaper articles establish the time of the story as 1931 all the women's hair styles, clothing, and overall demeanor are strictly 1947.

Quotes
General Spence: Wouldn't have minded being a dog myself. Comfortable kennels, free meals, unlimited access to the females of the species, and when you're old, they shoot you. No wheelchairs, no torture, no blasted nurses - one bang and it's over.

Connections
Referenced in Inside the Actors Studio: Martin Scorsese (2002)

An excellent psychological thriller , based on Aldous Huxley's novella (adapted by himself,but the Mona Lisa title was better than that of the film) , with a stellar cast .

Although "Rebecca " was written after Huxley's work , there are shades of Du Maurier's tale : "I feel she's still here" ;in the movie, (like in real life),Boyer is French : il s'appelle Maurier ici ! The scene of the thunder over the house is a great moment to rival the best of Gothic horror movies ;and it' not gratuitous for it comes back in the extraordinary final Boyer/Tandy confrontation which makes your hair stand on end ;the way both are filmed (she seems to be an exterminating angel watching him in Hell) is stunning. In my book ,Tandy steals the show from Blyth .

This "beyond the grave" vengeance will remind you of Stahl's "leave her to heaven " (1946); it's a must for Gothic melodramas buffs.