In 19th-century New York, shy and awkward Catherine Sloper (Olivia de Havilland) lives under the cold scrutiny of her domineering father, Dr. Austin Sloper (Ralph Richardson). When the charming and handsome Morris Townsend (Montgomery Clift) begins courting her, Catherine blossoms with newfound confidence and love.
But her father believes Morris is a fortune hunter and cruelly forbids the marriage, setting off a battle of wills that exposes the emotional manipulation, pride, and heartbreak at the core of their lives. Based on Henry James’s Washington Square, The Heiress is a masterful period drama about love, betrayal, and the cost of self-respect, featuring an Academy Award-winning performance by Olivia de Havilland.
