That was an excellent one.

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

Ivy (1947) is an excellent "gaslight noir" film, with elements of Hitchcock and Victorian Gothic. Joan Fontaine is superb as the beautiful villainess Ivy. The film is visually stunning, with a suspenseful storyline. This rare gem deserves more recognition. Ivy is a beautiful blonde woman with a soft voice and elegant manners. She wears gorgeous Edwardian fashions, and extravagant hats with veils. However, beneath the alluring exterior is a cold hearted woman who is obsessed with having beautiful things, such as gowns, jewelry and opulent apartments. She is ruthless in her pursuit of beautiful items, to the point of murder. Ivy spent all her husband's money, and her lover is a doctor who cares for the poor. Neither man can give Ivy the beautiful things she craves.When Ivy meets the much older multimillionaire Miles Rushworth, she plots to scheme her way into his heart.There is a dramatic scene on Rushworth's yacht where Ivy tries to seduce him. Ivy appears in the doorway, looking gorgeous in a low-cut evening gown. Rushworth is tempted, but tells her that he does not become involved with married women.When Ivy's husband refuses to divorce her, she resorts to poisoning him, and then frames her lover for the murder. Suspense builds as the police try to determine who murdered Ivy's husband.Ivy hides her poison in a black purse with a strange clasp in the shape of a woman's face. The female face clasp is symbolic, as poison was a woman's weapon in the Victorian and Edwardian eras, because it was secretive and nonconfrontational. This is a "gaslight noir" film, set in Edwardian England, but with 1940s noir light and shadow, including the iconic noir slatted shadows. The movie has some Hitchcockian elements, such as a cool blonde, a man wrongfully accused, mirrors, and a build up of suspense.Victorian Gothic elements include the spooky clairvoyant woman, and her assistant who plays an eerie tune on the piano. The eerie music recurs throughout the film, and adds to the atmosphere. Legendary art director and producer William Cameron Menzies gave the film stunning visuals and atmosphere. The sets are lavish. Ivy's costumes are gorgeous confections of lace, chiffon and glitter. This film has a suspenseful storyline, excellent performances, lavish sets and costumes, great atmosphere, dramatic noir lighting, and a beautiful villainess. Hopefully a DVD will be released soon.

Joan Fontaine is at the peak of her talent and beauty, when she starred in this outstanding Victorian era film noir. Fontaine plays the patrician, tremulous poisoner with a courteous, polite manner, and she adds the right amount of imbalance, that helps to make the sinister ambitions of Ivy, most convincing. The first scene is gripping and sets the mood perfectly, through-out the entire film. Ivy visits a fortune teller, and is very delighted when the woman predicts that "an abundance of money" and "another man" will soon come her way. When she encounters Miles Rushworth, ( Herbert Marshall ) that afternoon, it seems the predication has come. But first she must get rid of her sweet, but happy-go-lucky, layabout husband Jervis Lexton, ( Richard Ney ). Ivy also has an ex-lover, Roger Gretorex, ( Patric Knowles ) who can't get the alluring beauty out of his system. Ivy weaves her way through this duplicitous tangled web, but she has made some fatal mistakes along the way. Cedric Hardwicke plays the suspecting Inspector Orpington, who won't give up until he settles the mysterious case of death. I especially enjoyed the surprise ending for the wicked Ivy. Joan Fontaine is absolutely stunning in her Orry Kelly wardrobe and lovely wide-brimmed hats with tantalizing veils. The Victorian decor sets are extremely realistic, and the atmosphere perfectly presents the impending doom. All the actors give fine performances in this forgotten, extraordinary suspenseful film. It is gripping from beginning to end, and is good enough to stand with other classics of it's time. A thrilling movie that is well worth a look.

Miss Fontaine's spectacular gowns were by Travis Banton, not Orry-Kelly, as your credits indicate. A previous commenter mentions that Ivy takes place in the 20s or 30's! This film is most DEFINITELY set in Victorian London, long before the roaring twenties. In any case, this is a dazzling and fascinating film to watch. Fontaine gives a multifaceted performance, and is much better than her sister would have been in the role. Olivia would have given it her usual first ladyish, sexless, to-the-manner-born touch. Joan, however, lets you know that her hold on these men is highly sexual, although no part of her body below her neck is exposed, other than her hands. Hats off to Una O'Connor in her bit as the seer. She is truly eerie and terrifying.

I found this to be a very enjoyable melodrama.The story is about how Joan Fontaine tries to rid herself of a husband and a lover in order to obtain a wealthy Englishman.Solid performances by the supporting players are outstanding as is the lead performance of Joan Fontaine.Also great were the costumes and the sets--very impressive and realistic, at least they looked that way to me.I'm a sucker for these old black and white melodrama mysteries and I found this one to be one of the best ones.