The Heiress (1949): cast, story & where to watch
1949 · Film · ★ 7.8
Released in 1949, The Heiress is a drama, romance and history film directed by William Wyler, running about 115 minutes. “A truly great motion picture” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. Dull and plain Catherine lives with her emotionally distant father, Dr. Sloper, in 1840s New York. Her days are empty -- filled with little more than needlepoint. Enter handsome Morris Townsend, a dashing social climber with his eye on the spinster's heart and substantial inheritance.
Who’s in it. The Heiress stars Olivia de Havilland as Catherine Sloper, Montgomery Clift as Morris Townsend, Ralph Richardson as Dr. Austin Sloper and Miriam Hopkins as Lavinia Penniman, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.8/10, The Heiress has been warmly received by audiences. It went on to earn $2.3M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Heiress page.
If you liked it. Fans of The Heiress tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The Heiress (1949)?
- In US, The Heiress is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is The Heiress worth watching?
- The Heiress holds an audience score of 7.8 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama, romance and history. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in The Heiress?
- The Heiress stars Olivia de Havilland, Montgomery Clift, Ralph Richardson, Miriam Hopkins and Vanessa Brown.
- When was The Heiress released?
- The Heiress was released in 1949, with a runtime of about 115 minutes.