Autumn Leaves

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Autumn Leaves

1956

1h 48m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

90%

Tomatometer

10 Reviews

66%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

After lonely, middle-aged woman Millicent Weatherby (Joan Crawford) meets the vibrant and young Burt Hanson (Cliff Robertson) at a restaurant, they go out on a date. Although Millicent is wary of their age difference, she eventually marries him. Soon she is shocked to encounter Virginia (Vera Miles), Burt's ex-wife. Virginia claims that Burt is mentally unstable, which is later backed by Burt's father (Lorne Greene). Confused and scared, Millicent tries to learn the truth about her new husband.

Richard Brody

The New Yorker

It's a story about mental illness, which is presented with a terrifying frankness as well as a constructive view of psychotherapy at a time when it was often stigmatized.

Sep 19, 2016

Full Review

Dan Callahan

Slant Magazine

The collision of Aldrich's tough style with the soapy material makes for a film that never loses its queasy tension.

Rated: 4/4

Jun 16, 2004

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Francois Truffaut

Arts (France)

What we ought to admire here is essentially the precision of the direction of the actors... Joan Crawford, raw and at fever pitch as never before, stroking Cliff Robertson, a frail and mischievous youngster -- this alone is worth the price of the ticket.

Apr 4, 2022

Full Review

Josh Larsen

LarsenOnFilm

...another earnest exploration of mental illness starring Joan Crawford.

Rated: 2.5/4

Mar 22, 2022

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Nathanael Hood

MUBI

For once we see Aldrich look upon a broken world and smile to himself that things could be better.

Rated: 8/10

Dec 27, 2018

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Robert Aldrich puts his signature grim and dark sensibility on this intense noir melodrama, starring Joan Crawford as an older career-driven femme falling for the younger and handsome Cliff Robertson, not realizing his mental problems.

Rated: B+

Jul 29, 2010

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Ronald R

Ron R It was a very engaging movie, and Joan Crawford did a splendid, convincing portrayal of a lonely spinster...Not too dissimilar to spam dating today. As a psychologist, the mental health treatments back then (shock therapy, etc.) are badly outdated. But, for a 1958 vintage movie, I enjoyed it,

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

06/11/24

Full Review

Sister I

One of the very best Joan Crawford movies I've ever seen. Real-to-date raw emotions, thoughts, and reactions to real-life mental health crises. This film could easily be made today. Essentially, because of how mental health awareness has been essential in the fight to save millions of people who have suffered in silence due to its stigma. The particular method of shocking a person in this movie, of course, would not be the method used today. One thing for sure without a doubt is that the characters are very relatable and therefore each of the main characters (husband & wife) has individual challenges. Enclosing, it took extremely phenomenal actors to create in them the emotions, fears, stress, and distrust, that most feel or felt at one time or another in this life in dealing with a mental health crisis or not.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/19/24

Full Review

Steve D

Takes a while to get going but it is powerful and beautifully acted.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/24/24

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Les P

Disturbing but good.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/19/23

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s r

Pretty good, but Crawford's melodrama horribly distracted.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

interesting to watch. Melodramatic

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

Full Review

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Robert Aldrich

Director

Joan Crawford

Millicent Wetherby

Cliff Robertson

Burt Hanson

Vera Miles

Virginia Hanson

Lorne Greene

Mr. Hanson

Ruth Donnelly

Liz Eckhart

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Synopsis

After lonely, middle-aged woman Millicent Weatherby (Joan Crawford) meets the vibrant and young Burt Hanson (Cliff Robertson) at a restaurant, they go out on a date. Although Millicent is wary of their age difference, she eventually marries him. Soon she is shocked to encounter Virginia (Vera Miles), Burt's ex-wife. Virginia claims that Burt is mentally unstable, which is later backed by Burt's father (Lorne Greene). Confused and scared, Millicent tries to learn the truth about her new husband.

Director: Robert Aldrich
Producer: William Goetz
Production Co: William Goetz Productions
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Runtime: 1h 48m