Mourning Becomes Electra (1947)

Set against the backdrop of the American Civil War's aftermath, "Mourning Becomes Electra" weaves a tale of the Mannons, a wealthy and esteemed New England family. Patriarch Ezra Mannon (Raymond Massey), a war hero turned mayor, returns to his discontented wife Christine (Katina Paxinou) and adoring daughter Lavinia (Rosalind Russell), whose affectionate ties with him border on romantic. Meanwhile, their son Orin (Sir Michael Redgrave) shares an unnaturally close bond with Christine, a relationship that mirrors the tenderness and warmth missing from the parental marriage. Beneath the Mannons' public persona of respectability, they are a family fraught with hidden turmoil and dysfunction. Ezra's love for Christine meets with cold indifference, concealing her deep-seated loathing for him. Lavinia, referred to as Vinnie, and Orin appear poised to wed their childhood friends, Peter (Kirk Douglas) and Hazel Niles (Nancy Coleman), until their family's secret tensions begin to unravel. While Ezra and Orin are away at war, the family's façade starts to crumble. Vinnie's love for ship's Captain Adam Brant (Leo Genn) turns bitter when she discovers his illicit affair with Christine. The revelation of Adam's true lineage only fuels Vinnie's resentment, setting the stage for a tragic chain of events. Adam and Christine conspire to eliminate Ezra, dreaming of a shared future. Upon the war heroes' return, an enlightened Vinnie attempts to reveal her mother's deceit to Orin, now matured by war. The siblings, however, find themselves at odds, each seeking their own version of love, happiness, and elusive peace within their troubled household. As justice is exacted for Ezra's murder, Orin descends into madness, and his subsequent suicide note threatens to disrupt Vinnie's budding romance with Peter. This intricate narrative of "Mourning Becomes Electra" explores the depths of family ties, unrequited love, and the destructive power of secrets, painting a captivating portrait of a family's descent into chaos.

Mourning Becomes Electra is a drama movie featuring Rosalind Russell and directed by Dudley Nichols.

Mourning Becomes Electra is currently streaming on DIRECTV.