What Became of the Children? - All This, and Heaven Too (1940) Discussion

[–] jg67 16 years ago

The detective that was questioning Bette said the children were with their grandfather in Corsica.

"Nature, Mr. Allnut, is what we're put in this world to rise above".

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[–] TheRealBambi 16 years ago

I missed that part ~ thanks for the info.

It kind of bugged me that the children became such an insignificant part of the film so suddenly. For that reason alone, I gave it a lower rating than I might otherwise.

Bambi

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[–] Daverat 15 years ago

Bambi - what did you expect? the film was already 140 minutes long and for a period piece in 1940 that was quite lengthy. Also, the novel upon which the film is based was written by Davis' character's Grandneice so it makes sense that it would not go into events that Henriette was not involved in such as the eventual fate of the Children. The story is based on actual facts so anyone wanting to know what happened to the kids can look them up on Wikipedia or Royalty.Nu

Voting a nearly perfect film down a few stars for not having had the foresight to know that a few viewers 60 years later would want to know in detail what happened to the kids is just silly.

Incidentally, the Duc had ten children with his wife. Go here for a more complete description of events:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_de_Choiseul-Praslin

Here is the article about the Grandfather who likely had custody of the children:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horace_François_Bastien_Sébastiani_de_La_ Porta

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[–] Catfishbunter 13 years ago

I agree with the OP and Bambi...I feel like the sudden disappearance of the children and the film's inability to provide any meaningful closure for them hurts the film. Both Henrietta and the Duc sacrificed throughout the film for the children but they were entirely absent for the last 45 minutes - 1 hour. Very disappointing.

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[–] 13 years ago

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[–] butaneggbert 8 years ago

For me that helped me feel how abrupt and disturbing the loss of the children was for her. They were completely entwined in her life, and then they disappeared all but overnight.

For the writer/director to put the audience in the shoes of the heroine was pretty well done, I thought.

By the way, at least some of the grown children took serious issue with the ex-governess' version of events, and very much sided with their mother.

_______________

Nothing to see here, move along.

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[–] mark-1589 11 years ago

How should the film have dealt with the children at the end? It was Henriette's story, and the point was that, quite suddenly and irreparably, she became a marked woman in France (in recounting her story to the American schoolchidren at the end Henriette even intimates that her scandal sparked the 1848 Revolution - utter nonsense historically) and was forever separated from the children. In order for the audience to experience and understand her suffering genuinely, it is important that WE also never learn the fate of the children. Far from being a plothole, that is part of the tragedy of this story. This is not a Hallmark Hall of Fame sappy TV movie of the week after all.

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[–] angelexposed 11 years ago

While it never "sparked" the revolution, I read somewhere that it was considered to be one of the contributing factors to the revolution.

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We've become a race of peeping toms.

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[–] mcannady1 9 years ago

Movie girl: I too wished to know what became of the children! In the novel I searched in vain for the answer. However, after Henriette left there she goes on to teach in a girls' school. She has been given a recommendation by the Reverend
Henry Field, whom she eventually married. Most of the novel deals with her life after she marries. We do not find out about the heartbroken children. I concluded that they did go to live with their grandfather after their horrific experience of losing both parents and their wonderful governess!

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[–] texastreasure517 8 years ago

This page lists all the children of the Duke and Duchess. Evidently the film includes only the three eldest daughters and the youngest son! http://gw.geneanet.org/genroy?lang=en&p=theobald&n=de+choiseul+praslin

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[–] mcannady1 8 years ago

Movie girl: I wondered about that too! Also, what became of the ones at home after the murder. I guess they went to the relatives. Such a shocking thing and very sad. Just watching it - B. O'Neil is so realistic as the wife 'scorned'. So sad if that was what really happened. She must have nagged him to the point that he lost it and killed her. After all,.in watching, he didn't cheat and it made it worse with accusations from his wife.

A sad spot when Bette said she was a woman too and could understand. IT must have been awful for the wife to be ignored. In her defense, he keeps saying he does not wish to hurt her, but he sounds robotic. He never really forgives her/ and they go on like that.

It is my favorite film since I was a kid last year! (smile) - and I will see it again tonight. Every part is played magnificently from Bette's part of Henriette to Isabel and the other children. OF course, Charles Boyer is superb there too.

Thanks for the info on the children.

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[–] texastreasure517 8 years ago

You're welcome, and so glad you like classic movies, too. It falls right in with my love of history; it's a window into another time. I've always watched old movies and usually preferred them to new films. It seems like there's always something or someone new to be discovered. Enjoy!

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[–] mcannady1 8 years ago

Movie girl: Thanks! I grew up in the 50's and 60's watching old movies with my big sister. We both developed the life-long hobby. Our parents loved the 30's and 40's and we found ourselves looking into that window of time as well. Today I collect "older" films as I always called them. My sister lives in TX. and she still loves them. Right now I am watching James Mason in Odd Man Out. I love the British Film Noirs too. I feel the same way. There is always something new to be discovered!

All This and Heaven Too is a real masterpiece that is truly timeless. IF you have not seen The Rains Came with Tyrone Power and Myrna Loy ('37) it is well worth watching with a very profound story.

One reason I stayed with the older films is the romance that was wonderful in a lot of them. When I was still a teen they were slowly removing all that in the 70's under the guise of taking the censorship from the films. After that it was never the same. Not in every case, but you will find the best ones have an understated romance.

Enjoy too!

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