Autumn Leaves

91%

Tomatometer

11 Reviews

65%

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.

Critics Reviews

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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

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

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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Audience Reviews

View All (36) audience reviews

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 are badly outdated.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 3.5/5 Stars • 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 5/5 Stars • 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 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/24/24 Full Review Les P Disturbing but good. Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 10/19/23 Full Review s r Pretty good, but Crawford's melodrama horribly distracted. Rated 2.5/5 Stars • Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member interesting to watch. Melodramatic Rated 3/5 Stars • Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Autumn Leaves

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Cast & Crew

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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Autumn Leaves (1956)

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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

Autumn Leaves | Rotten Tomatoes (2025)

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Autumn Leaves

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