Author: thehorsesheadblog

Finally! After the NFR saw its shadow last December and declared six more weeks of winter, it has finally returned to give us 25 new inductees, bringing the total number of NFR movies to 925. Here in chronological order is the Class of 2025…or 2026, we’ll get back to that in a bit. As always, movies marked with * are ones nominated by me this round, and movies marked with + are ones I have nominated in previous years.

• The Tramp and the Dog (1896)
• The Oath of the Sword (1914)
• The Maid of McMillan (1916)
• The Lady (1925)
• Sparrows (1926)
• Ten Nights in a Barroom (1926)
• White Christmas (1954)+
• High Society (1956)
• Brooklyn Bridge (1981)
• Say Amen, Somebody (1982)
• The Thing (1982)
• The Big Chill (1983)
• The Karate Kid (1984)+
• Glory (1989)
• Philadelphia (1993)
• Before Sunrise (1995)
• Clueless (1995)+
• The Truman Show (1998)*
• Frida (2002)+
• The Hours (2002)
• The Incredibles (2004)*
• The Wrecking Crew (2008)
• Inception (2010)*
• The Loving Story (2011)
• The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

And finally: As some of you may know, the National Film Preservation Act is currently set to expire at the end of FY26. Given the current unstable political climate, I genuinely have no idea whether or not the NFR will get renewed, but I’m trying to stay optimistic (again, emphasis on “trying”). All we have control over now is letting our voices be heard. If you feel so inclined, reach out to your House representative and find out which way they plan to vote (heck, call your Senator too, see what they can do about it). If that’s not your style, I encourage you to submit your NFR nomination ballot early this year. That way, the Library of Congress has the numbers to support their case for renewal (let’s see if we can crack 8,000 nominated movies this year!). As for me, I’m gonna keep cranking out these posts, and with any luck my last post in December will be about the Class of 2026 and movie #950.

The Plot: Frank Bigelow (Edmond O’Brien) walks into a police station to report a murder…his own! We flashback to a few days earlier; Bigelow is a successful accountant and notary public in Banning, California. On a whim, Bigelow flies up to San Francisco for some R&R and ends up going to a local nightclub with some newfound friends. The next morning, Bigelow wakes up to what he thinks is a hangover, but a trip to the doctor reveals he ingested a “luminous toxin” with no known antidote and only 24 hours to live! With the help of his faithful secretary Paula (Pamela Britton), Bigelow retraces his steps to determine who would want to poison him and why. Will Bigelow find his killer, or will he end up…Dead On Arrival?

Why It Matters: The NFR calls the film “fast-paced and suspenseful”, saluting O’Brien’s performance and praising the film for being “more cynical than the average film noir”.

But Does It Really?: “D.O.A.” is not without its flaws, but if you’re willing to go along with it, it’s still watchable over 75 years later. We have plenty of B movies on the Registry (including another one starring Edmond O’Brien), but “D.O.A.” is just well known and respected enough that an argument could be made for its NFR inclusion. Plus it’s got on-location footage of downtown L.A.; hardcore cinephiles eat up L.A. footage like catnip. Slightest of passes for “D.O.A.” on the “N.F.R.”

Everybody Gets One: Hailing from what was then Austria-Hungary (now Poland), Rudolph Maté quickly rose the ranks to become a prominent cinematographer in Europe, most notably for Carl Theodor Dreyer’s “The Passion of Joan of Arc”. A move to Hollywood in the mid-1930s saw Maté serve as cinematographer for a number of NFR titles, including “Dodsworth” and “Gilda”. During production of 1947’s “It Had to Be You”, Maté started taking over directorial duties from Don Hartman (I’m not sure why), earning a co-directing credit. “D.O.A.” was Maté’s third film as a director, following his first solo effort, fellow noir title “The Dark Past”.

Seriously, Oscars?: No Oscar nominations for “D.O.A.”, but many of the film’s major creatives had brushes with the Academy. Rudolph Maté received five Oscar nominations throughout his career for his cinematography (including for “The Pride of the Yankees”), Edmond O’Brien went on to win Best Supporting Actor for “The Barefoot Contessa”, and screenwriters Clarence Greene and Russell Rouse took home Oscars as part of the “Pillow Talk” writing team.

• After watching him oscillate between lead roles in the B pictures and supporting roles in the A pictures, I consider Edmond O’Brien the Avis of leading men: He’s not number one, but he tries harder. Also, “D.O.A.” continues a weird trend in NFR films where Edmond O’Brien’s character’s occupation is something mundane, yet always leads to adventure and danger. He’s an accountant and notary public here, a life insurance investigator in “The Killers”, and a US Treasury agent in “White Heat”. What’s next, a renegade patent examiner?
• One of the film’s major attributes, especially for its time, is on-location footage of both San Francisco and Los Angeles. As a former resident of San Francisco, I love seeing this old footage of the city back in the ‘50s. One question: What was Market Week? It looks like a busy celebration in this movie that brings in lots of out-of-towners. I remember Farmers Market on Embarcadero, and I remember Fleet Week, but I don’t recall Market Week.
• This is one of those movies that is so of its time, this post could just be one long “Wow, That’s Dated” segment. Movies in the late ‘40s/early ‘50s had a different vibe to them. I can’t quite articulate it, but it was just a completely different way of living than we’re used to now. Everything was just fancier, from how people interacted with each other to the overall aesthetics. It’s a little like watching “The Twilight Zone”.
• Perhaps the film’s most dated moment: a musical interlude with those jive-crazy Fishermen. The scene is entertaining, but it begs the question: Why are the shortest movies always the ones with the most padding?

• Easily the most unrealistic part of this movie: Bigelow just hopping onto a cable car. Where’s your Clipper Card? Speaking of San Francisco, that’s Grace Cathedral on Sacramento Street that Frank walks by on his way to the doctor. It’s a beautiful view, but that also means Frank just walked up the steepest, longest staircase I’ve ever endured. He should be a puddle of sweat by now. And while he’s there, there’s a really good Tiki bar about a block away. He should check that out before he dies.
• Bigelow gets two different sets of poison tests from two different doctors? I hope his health insurance covers all of this. On a related note, the doctor Bigelow gets his second opinion from is played by Frank Gerstle, a craggy-faced character actor who has made a few appearances throughout the NFR. I know him best for a film of his that got the “MST3K” treatment, playing a much less helpful doctor in “The Atomic Brain”.
• I don’t have much to say about Pamela Britton’s work as Paula, other than she does okay with the limited role of “girl Friday”/pseudo-love interest. Britton’s filmography is scarce (she worked primarily on the stage), but she got her due in the ‘60s with a regular role on “My Favorite Martian”.
• Another very unrealistic story beat: Flying from San Francisco to Los Angeles is not that easy. Maybe back then, but definitely not now. I imagine airports back then were like taxi stands: a row of planes just lined up waiting for passengers to hop in. “Fly me to L.A. my good man, and step on it!”
• Halliday’s secretary is played by Beverly Campbell, who shortly after this film would revert back to her maiden name, Beverly Garland, and find success on TV, most notably on “My Three Sons”. And hey, she’s got an “MST3K” connection, too! Garland pops up in both “Gunslinger” and “It Conquered the World”.
• Like I said, cinephiles love when L.A. plays itself in a movie (Hell, there’s a whole movie about it). As we venture into downtown L.A., you’ll notice several shots prominently featuring the Million Dollar Theater, one of the earliest movie houses in the U.S. – built by no less than Sid Grauman. At the time of filming “D.O.A.”, the Million Dollar Theater was owned by Harry Popkin, also known as…the producer of “D.O.A.”!
• As the plot points start to pile-up on each other in the second half, I started asking, “Am I supposed to be following any of this?” This movie is 90 percent MacGuffins, with Bigelow following each new lead until something else gets his attention. Is this film moving too fast or am I moving too slow?
• Shoutout to Luther Adler as Majak, the man who may be behind all of this…or not. Adler was primarily a stage actor, and was one of the original members of the Group Theater along with his sister, Stella Adler. “D.O.A.” was one of only a handful of films Adler appeared in, but as a testament to his clout in the acting world, he gets third billing in this movie for essentially one scene. Either that or he had a great agent.
• What the hell is going on with Majak’s henchman Chester? Neville Brand is giving an unhinged performance that, while entertaining, is throwing the movie out of whack (similar to Dennis Weaver in “Touch of Evil”). And why does he keep talking in the third person? Is he George Costanza? Chester’s gettin’ upset! Side note: Neville Brand gives us our third “MST3K” connection…well sorta: He’s in “Angels Revenge” but his scenes were all cut for the “MST3K” version.
• As Frank and Paula have their dramatic scene on a street corner professing their love for each other, all I could think was “Get out of the streets! They are trying to kill you!” They couldn’t hear me though because, ya know, it’s a movie.
• The scene where Majak and his men hunt down Bigelow on a bus is probably why L.A. doesn’t have reliable public transit anymore.
• The film’s ending wraps everything up a little too quickly, but we get a reprieve of that weird “swirling toilet” flashback thing! And to top it all off, after “The End” we get a disclaimer attributed to Technical Adviser Edward F. Dunne, M.D.: “The medical facts in this motion picture are authentic. Luminous toxin is a descriptive term for an actual poison.” What is happening!?

• “D.O.A.” is one of three NFR titles to be overdubbed by the short-lived ‘80s TV show “Mad Movies” (the others are “Cyrano de Bergerac” and “Night of the Living Dead”). The writers decided that Edmond O’Brien looks like Desi Arnaz, so the whole episode is an extended “I Love Lucy” parody. I think the O’Brien/Arnaz connection is a stretch, but it’s always great finding an excuse to reference “Mad Movies” on this blog.

• On a related note: “D.O.A.” recently received another parody commentary track, this time courtesy of Bridget Nelson and Mary Jo Pehl at Rifftrax. Clearly I am not the only person who felt the need to make fun of this movie.

• Another advent of the film’s public domain status is its frequent remakes and/or movies that can steal heavily from “D.O.A.” without paying anyone, most notably a 1988 remake with Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan. Among the others, I saw the 2006 pseudo-remake “Crank” years ago. It has elements of “D.O.A.” mixed with “Speed” and is…well it’s awful, there’s no two ways around it. And somehow there’s a sequel?

Another topic I am woefully unqualified to discuss at length: the American AIDS epidemic of the 1980s. While “Common Threads” provides an excellent overview, this post can only cover so much of it, and I encourage you to do further research.

The Plot: In the early 1980s, a large number of Americans started being diagnosed with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), leading to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Because a majority of these cases involved gay men, most of America (including the US government) turned a blind eye to this growing epidemic, and by 1985 over 13,000 Americans had died from AIDS. That same year, the National AIDS Memorial began the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, with handmade panels honoring those who had died from the virus, creating the largest communal art project in the world. “Common Threads” tells the story of five people whose names are memorialized on the Quilt, as told by their surviving family, friends, and partners, some of whom were also dying of AIDS at the time of filming.

Why It Matters: The NFR praises the film for being both “a heart-breaking record” of the AIDS crisis and “an extraordinary monument” to the activism it spawned. The write-up also includes a link to the Library of Congress page about the AIDS Memorial Quilt.

But Does It Really?: Watching “Common Threads” was easily one of the most emotional experiences I’ve had for this blog. Although I was alive for the AIDS crisis, I didn’t really become aware of it until after its peak in the mid-90s, and this film compellingly showed me the immediacy of AIDS in the ‘80s. I was deeply moved by this film’s tribute to not only those who died from AIDS, but to their communities that stepped up to fight it. “Common Threads” captures an important moment in American history with love and strength, honoring those affected by the virus without becoming manipulative or insincere. I’m glad the film has finally joined the NFR ranks, and I can’t recommend it enough.

Everybody Gets One: While this is one of three NFR entries for director Rob Epstein, this is the only NFR entry directed by his longtime collaborator Jeffrey Friedman. Originally an actor in his native New York, Jeffrey Friedman pivoted to editing in the 1970s, working in the editorial department for such films as “Raging Bull”. Friedman was inspired to become a documentarian after seeing “Word Is Out” (another NFR entry), and moved to San Francisco, where he met Rob Epstein at a party. “Common Threads” was Friedman’s second directing credit after 1987’s “Faces of the Enemy”, and his first with Epstein.

Wow, That’s Dated: The only giveaway is the original score by Bobby McFerrin. Anyone who was alive when “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” hit the airwaves will instantly clock McFerrin’s unique a cappella sound (accompanied here by his ten-person Voicestra). Understandably, McFerrin’s work here is much more subdued than his famous hit song, and always respectful and reverent to the topic.

Seriously, Oscars?: At the 1990 Academy Awards, “Common Threads” won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature. Due to eligibility rules, only the producers (Rob Epstein and Bill Couturié) received the award, although Jeffrey Friedman did go on stage and accept with the producing team. Friedman’s first and so far only Oscar nomination came in 2019 for the documentary short “End Game”. Side note: The Red Ribbon for AIDS awareness, synonymous with award ceremonies throughout the 1990s, wouldn’t make its first appearance until the 1991 Tony Awards thanks to the efforts of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

• Sadly, the number of AIDS-related deaths in the United States continued to climb after the release of “Common Threads”. These numbers would not begin to decrease until the late 1990s with the establishment of the National AIDS Strategy and the uptick in high active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). As of this writing, over 700,000 Americans have died of HIV/AIDS since the 1970s, with 13,000 AIDS related deaths every year. There is so much more to discuss beyond the scope of this blog, and the SF AIDS Foundation is a good place to start.
• Since its unveiling in 1987, the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt has toured across the country, and as of this writing resides in San Francisco. The Quilt now has over 50,000 panels, which have been digitized and can be viewed online at the AIDS Memorial website.

Today, The Horse’s Head turns nine years old, and I’d like to mark the occasion by honoring a TV show that has been a major influence on this blog since the very beginning. “Mystery Science Theater 3000” (aka “MST3K”) is my go-to comfort show, and it has come up on this blog with some regularity over the years. So it only seemed natural to salute “Mystery Science Theater 3000” and point out some surprising connections the show has to the National Film Registry.

For starters, a quick summary of “Mystery Science Theater 3000”. Created by stand-up comedian Joel Hodgson, the original run of “MST3K” ran from 1988 to 1999, first locally on KTMA in Saint Paul, Minnesota, then nationally on the Comedy Channel (which begat Comedy Central), and finally on the Sci-Fi Channel. A revival series ran from 2017 to 2022, first on Netflix, then on the show’s own streaming service Gizmoplex. Despite all these changes, the basic premise was always the same: A person trapped on a space station orbiting Earth is forced to watch terrible movies as part of an evil experiment. To retaliate, the person (initially Hodgson himself, later Mike Nelson) and their robot pals Tom Servo and Crow provide snarky commentary throughout the movie, riffing on the films’ poor production qualities while silhouettes of them sitting in a theater appear on the bottom of the screen. In short, “Mystery Science Theater” is the greatest TV show concept for any film lover, turning even the worst dreck into a “so-bad-it’s-good” viewing experience.

Throughout its runs, over 200 movies and shorts were riffed on “MST3K”, and although none of them have made the NFR (so far), many of them have a connection or two with the Registry. Most of these connections come through shared cast and crew, especially the handful of B movies on the NFR. For example, Roger Corman directed NFR entry “House of Usher”, but also at least five MST3K films, including “The Undead”, and “Teenage Caveman”. Several “MST3K” episodes feature a prolific film legend on their way up (John Williams composed the score for “Daddy-O”, Clint Eastwood played a bit part in “Revenge of the Creature”) or more likely on their way down. (John Carradine in “The Unearthly”, Basil Rathbone in “The Magic Sword”, half the cast of “Angels’ Revenge”). The list of shared personnel goes on and on (heck, both lists feature Lassie!), but my favorite of all “MST3K”/NFR connections comes from a boom operator on “Unforgiven” who also worked for the sound team on “The Final Sacrifice”: the wonderfully named Kelly Zombor.

While no NFR movie was ever featured on “MST3K”, there are some honorable mentions, most of them courtesy of various specials made by the “MST3K” team throughout their run. Clips from “Pulp Fiction”, “Forrest Gump”, “The Lion King”, “Hoop Dreams”, and “The Shawshank Redemption” made appearances during the “MST3K Little Gold Statue Preview Special”, “L.A. Confidential” and “Titanic” were featured on the “Academy of Robots’ Choice Awards Special”, and “Saving Private Ryan” was briefly mocked on the “2^nd Annual Summer Blockbuster Review”. There are also several NFR titles that have received commentaries from Rifftrax, a follow-up to “MST3K” from former head writer/star Michael J. Nelson. As of this writing, over 20 NFR titles have a Rifftrax commentary, from “Casablanca” to “Star Wars” to “The Dark Knight”. Special mention to the Rifftrax of “Titanic”, which features a rare reprise of an “MST3K” riff: “I’m going to sink this bitch.”

But the National Film Preservation Board hasn’t completely ignored the cheesy movies of “MST3K”: there are a number of “MST3K” films and shorts that are on the Library of Congress’ official list of movies not yet on the Registry. In chronological order, they are:

• A Case of Spring Fever (1940) (short)
• Hired! (1940) (short)
• The Chicken of Tomorrow (1948) (short)
• A Date with Your Family (1950) (short)
• The Home Economics Story (1951) (short)
• Rocketship X-M (1951)
• Radar Men from the Moon (1952) (serial)
• Robot Monster (1953)
• Bride of the Monster (1955)
• This Island Earth (1955)
• Beginning of the End (1957)
• I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957)
• Mr. B. Natural (1957) (short)
• The Undead (1957)
• War of the Colossal Beast (1958)
• The Phantom Planet (1961)
• The Brain That Wouldn’t Die (1962)
• Eegah (1962)
• The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies (1963)
• Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964)
• Teenage Strangler (1964)
• Manos: The Hands of Fate (1966)
• Marooned (1969) (aired on “MST3K” under the name “Space Travelers”)
• The Giant Spider Invasion (1975)
• Mac and Me (1988)

By my count that’s 25 movies, the same number of movies added to the NFR every year. Coincidence? Yes! How or why any of these made the LoC’s list I have no idea, and while I have my doubts that any of them will ever make the NFR cut, if I had to pick one, hmmm….I dunno, “This Island Earth”? It’s in “E.T.” so that must count for something. I’ll say this, though: if the NFR ever wanted to add one of these movies to the list purely by virtue of its awfulness, “Manos” would make it in a heartbeat.

So thank you, “Mystery Science Theater 3000”, for getting me through some tough times and making me laugh so much over the years. And thanks for reminding all of us that you can learn as much from the bad movies as you can from the quote-unquote “classics”. As for me, Year Ten of The Horse’s Head has officially begun!

Happy Viewing and Keep Circulating the Tapes,
Tony

There’s not much I can say about “Leave Her to Heaven” without spoiling some of the film’s key moments. Consider yourself warned.

The Plot: Novelist Richard Harland (Cornel Wilde) meets socialite Ellen Berent (Gene Tierney) on a train in New Mexico, and a brief flirtation begins. It turns out they are both staying with the same mutual friend, attorney Glen Robie (Ray Collins), which gives Richard a chance to meet Ellen’s family, including her adopted sister Ruth (Jeanne Crain). After a few days together, Ellen announces that she is marrying Richard, a surprise to everyone, including Richard, but especially to Ellen’s now ex-fiancé Russell Quinton (Vincent Price). Ellen and Richard’s marriage quickly takes a turn for the worse, with Ellen becoming increasingly possessive of Richard, and jealous of the time he spends with his kid brother Danny (Darryl Hickman) and her sister. And if you think you know where this dark psychological drama is going, no you don’t.

Why It Matters: The NFR praises the film for being “the magnificent exception” to the rules of film noir. The work of Tierney and cinematographer Leon Shamroy is celebrated as well.

But Does It Really?: I saw “Leave Her to Heaven” for the first time about 15 years ago, and it has stayed with me as one of the great underrated Classic Hollywood movies of the ‘40s. “Leave Her to Heaven” stands out because it seems to break all the rules of classic filmmaking. It has all the hallmarks of film noir, but it’s in color and in broad daylight. It stars one of the most glamorous movie stars of the era, yet her character is unredeemable with complex, unspoken motivations. “Leave Her to Heaven” continues to shock and surprise 80 years later, and is definitely worth a watch, to say nothing of its deserving spot on the Registry.

Everybody Gets One: Cornel Wilde started his career as a professional fencer, but when Laurence Olivier hired him as a fencing instructor for his Broadway production of “Romeo and Juliet”, Olivier cast Wilde as Tybalt, and the performance got him film offers in Hollywood. The same year Wilde starred in “Heaven”, he was loaned out to Columbia to play Frédéric Chopin in “A Song to Remember”, which earned him an Oscar nomination. “Heaven” is also the sole credited NFR appearance for fellow Fox contract player Jeannie Crain (she appears in the chorus of “The Gang’s All Here”). After “Heaven”, Crain received an Oscar nomination for Elia Kazan’s “Pinky” for playing…a light-skinned Black woman!? Oh no…

Title Track: Ooh! Ooh! I know this one! It’s from “Hamlet”. Act I, Scene V, the Ghost of Hamlet’s father telling Hamlet not to blame his mother for his murder. “Leave her to heaven, and to those thorns that in her bosom lodge to prick and sting her.” Finally, my theater degree’s paying off!

Seriously, Oscars?: One of the biggest hits of 1945, “Leave Her to Heaven” received four Oscar nominations, winning one for Leon Shamroy’s cinematography. Gene Tierney received the only Oscar nomination of her career, losing Best Actress to Joan Crawford for “Mildred Pierce”.

• As far as I can tell, the movie is pretty faithful to the book. Weirdly enough, despite the fame and availability of the movie, the novel “Leave Her to Heaven” has been out of print for years.
• California’s Bass Lake near Yosemite doubles for this movie’s Deer Lake, Maine. Here, Glen Robie recounts the events of the film via flashback, making Deer Lake one of filmdom’s most scenic framing devices.
• Cornel Wilde and Gene Tierney have some wonderful chemistry together, especially in their first scene on the train. Tierney in particular threads her character’s needle very well. You know something is different with Ellen, but it’s intriguing, mysterious; it makes you want to learn more about her. You can’t fault Richard at this point for wanting to spend more time with her.

• My only other experience with Gene Tierney is in her fellow NFR film “Laura”. Both play to her strengths as enigmatic objects of desire, but Ellen is hands down the more interesting character, and Tierney is clearly relishing the role of a lifetime. Prior to my post-viewing research, I assumed Tierney’s career after the 1940s declined as a result of retirement or being overlooked in favor of younger starlets. Turns out neither is true; sadly Tierney’s career started to wane in the 1950s due to a number of personal issues we won’t get into here. Although she stayed out of the limelight during these rough patches, Tierney still got plenty of film and TV offers, and would occasionally return to the screen when she was in better health.

• Boy this movie sure takes its time getting started. You can tell it’s based on a book; a lot of character development and little episodes before we finally get to the meat of things.
• I’m still not used to seeing young Vincent Price in movies. Price was 34 when making “Heaven”, and is not sporting his trademark mustache, which makes him look even younger. As much as his later work in horror movies seeps into his film persona, given how intense Ellen has been acting I’m actually scared for Vincent. 
• Danny is getting his polio treatment in Warm Springs, Georgia. Say hi to FDR while you’re there!
• Despite being a full-fledged adult, I regress into my 12-year-old self anytime a character in a movie is named Dick, especially when other characters say things like “Has Dick been busy lately?” and “Can we show Dick tomorrow?” Stop that, you’re making me giggle!
• It always amuses me in classic movies when the leading lady goes to bed in full hair and makeup while wearing a skintight nightgown. Also, watching Richard and Ellen sleep in separate beds in this movie made me realize that sales for nightstands must have doubled once married couples started sharing beds. 
• My god Ellen’s psychotic. And she’s not being shy about it, I feel like she’s throwing plenty of red flags for everyone to notice. It’s like a gender-swapped “Gaslight”.
• I knew the scene where Ellen takes Danny out swimming in the lake was coming, but damn if it didn’t take my breath away again this time. Ellen is so cold the whole time, patiently waiting for Danny to stop fighting the water and drown. It’s chilling. Also I appreciate the sequence’s lack of a score, it really ramps up the suspense. Take a breather, Alfred Newman. You’ve earned it.

• As I said before, you can’t fault Richard for being drawn to Ellen in the first place, or even for being in denial when her psychosis becomes more obvious. What I can fault Richard for is not dedicating his book to his wife. Rookie mistake, man.
• I really don’t want to spoil the next big evil turn Ellen takes, so I’m just going to say the word “stairs” and if you know you know. I just kept saying “oh my god” over and over again while watching that scene.

• My main question for this movie is “How did the Hays Code permit any of this?” The Code had its qualms with the story, with major notes given to the aforementioned stair scene. Their other major request was to downplay the affair between Richard and Ruth, which actually improves the movie; we never know for sure if there was an affair or if it’s just Ellen’s paranoia. But what I really want to know is how did the Code approve of Ellen committing suicide? We know from “Double Indemnity” that the Hays Code didn’t consider suicide a justifiable form of punishment for the bad guy, so how did they get away with it here? Is it because Ellen confessed to the murders beforehand? I can definitely see “Leave Her to Heaven” being an early crack in the Production Code armor.
• Before she succumbs to her own poison, Ellen has one hell of a deathbed scene. Tierney plays it a little too over the top; maybe the melodrama of it played okay in 1945, but I imagine this scene gets a few unintentional chuckles at modern screenings. 
• Ellen’s final act of evil is framing Ruth for her suicide, turning the film’s last half hour into a courtroom drama with Vincent Price’ Quinton – now the county district attorney – grandstanding at the chance to grill his ex-girlfriend’s sister and husband. Price is clearly having a ball, but can Quinton serve as D.A. in a case pertaining to his ex-girlfriend’s death? Isn’t that a huge conflict of interest? Speaking of attorneys, Glen Robie sucks. Now I’m not one of your fancy city lawyers, but shouldn’t he be shouting “Objection” any time Quinton starts asking leading or prejudicial questions to Ruth and Richard? Shouldn’t he call a doctor to the stand to question Ellen’s mental state? And remember, Robie’s narrating the movie, so this is all his version of the story. “Yes, Quinton kept hounding my clients with question after question. And what did I do, you ask? Jack squat.”
• What a weird ending. Everything gets summed up very quickly by Robie, and we get one final shot of Richard and Ruth at the lake house. I’m not sure how much of this ending is true to the book, but after everything I’ve been through in the last two hours I was left thinking “Wait, that’s it?”

• While “Leave Her to Heaven” isn’t as well remembered as other noir thrillers of the era, it is not without its devoted fans. Among them, Martin Scorsese, which is all the reasoning I need to explain how this movie got on the NFR.