MovieChat Forums > Basil Rathbone Discussion > The Heiress

The Heiress

posted 5 years ago by rudeboymurray (3281)
4 replies | jump to latest

When William Wyler adapted the play The Helress for the screen in 1949, Ralph Richardson was cast as Olivia de Havilland’s stern Father. Richardson was superb, but I do wonder how Basil Rathbone would have fared in the role. He had played it on stage to great acclaim and I wonder why he was not cast in the film? It’s not like he wasn’t a ‘name’ in the late ‘40s - maybe by then he was so firmly associated with swashbuckling villains and Sherlock Holmes that the producers feared he wouldn’t be accepted in this role on screen?

[–] greenbudgie (2355) 5 years ago

He refused to resign his film contract in 1946 because he wanted to return to the stage. He only did a couple of narrations for animated shorts until he returned to the big screen in 1954. There were some TV appearances. But his main movie career seemed to have been over from 1946 through his own choice.

[–] rudeboymurray (3281) 5 years ago

I see - Thank you for the thorough explanation!

[–] rudeboymurray (3281) 5 years ago

According to the bio below Rathbone was crushed when Richardson was awarded the part... perhaps he was hopeful of returning to the screen for this one particular role which had been such a success for him on stage?

Whether or not the info is factually correct, the pictures are fantastic!

http://www.basilrathbone.net/biography/

[–] greenbudgie (2355) 5 years ago

Thanks for the link to the great Rathbone bio page. It does seem that he was up for the part in 'The Heiress' according to that. I just wonder if the fact that he was out of contract at the time is the reason that he was disallowed. Negotiation problems perhaps. The pictures on the bio are indeed fantastic.