All This, and Heaven Too (1940) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

The Duchess became jealous because Henriette's warmth and kindness made her children love the governess more than their own mother. The Duchess had a volatile temperament and felt insecure watching Henriette form a close bond with both the children and her husband, the Duc. This resentment grew into open hostility, leading her to refuse Henriette a letter of recommendation and eventually fabricate false letters to destroy Henriette's reputation.

Foreshadowing: Earlier in the film, the Duchess's erratic moods and the fragile state of her marriage are established, foreshadowing her irrational behavior toward Henriette.

• duchess
• henriette
• jealousy
• resentment
• governess

The Duc killed his wife in a moment of desperation driven by fear of scandal and protectiveness toward Henriette. The Duchess had fabricated counterfeit letters that portrayed Henriette as a schemer, which threatened to ruin her reputation completely. When confronted with this manipulation, the Duc, whose love for Henriette was genuine but unspoken, acted violently to end the situation, though the precise details of the murder are portrayed with restraint in the film.

Foreshadowing: The mounting tension between the Duchess's growing paranoia and the Duke's silent devotion to Henriette builds to this breaking point.

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• murder
• kill
• death

The Duke refused to confess because he feared an admission of his love for Henriette would condemn her. As a peer of France, his case would be tried by fellow nobles, and he knew that revealing his passionate motive, love for his employee, could be used to argue that Henriette had seduced or manipulated him into the crime. He chose silence to protect her, even at the cost of his own life.

Foreshadowing: Pierre's earlier warning to Henriette to leave the household hints at the Duke's deepening feelings.

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• confession
• confess
• murder
• henriette
• protection

The Duke drank poison to avoid a public trial that would force him to either confess his crime and implicate Henriette, or lie and potentially face torture. By choosing poison, he could die privately while still protecting Henriette's name. Before dying, he revealed his love for Henriette to the loyal servant Pierre, ensuring the truth would be known even if not spoken publicly.

Foreshadowing: The earlier tension between the Duke's duty to his family and his growing feelings for Henriette sets up this tragic choice.

• duke
• poison
• suicide
• trial
• death
• confession

The Duchess fabricated fake letters that presented Henriette as scheming and manipulative, letters the Duchess claimed to have written but had never actually authored. These counterfeit documents were designed to turn public opinion against Henriette and destroy her character, effectively weaponizing written words to create a false narrative that portrayed Henriette as unworthy of employment or respect.

Foreshadowing: The Duchess's earlier refusal to provide a recommendation shows her willingness to use her authority against Henriette.

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• letters
• forgery
• fake
• counterfeit
• reputation

Yes, Henriette developed genuine feelings for the Duc, though their relationship remained unspoken and proper. Her affection grew through their mutual care for the children and the respect they shared. The Duc's love for her was confirmed when he refused to confess to the murder, choosing death over exposing a love that could have ruined her. Before dying, he revealed his feelings to Pierre, making their mutual but unspoken bond clear.

Foreshadowing: The subtle moments of connection between Henriette and the Duc throughout the film build toward this revelation.

• henriette
• duc
• love
• relationship
• romance

Henriette was arrested because the Duchess's death and the Duke's subsequent suicide created suspicion around her. With no direct evidence that Henriette had solicited the murder, and with Pierre's testimony confirming the Duke's confession that his actions were solely his own, authorities had no basis to charge her. The lack of evidence against her led to her release from the Conciergerie prison.

Foreshadowing: Pierre's earlier warning to Henriette to leave the household demonstrates his loyalty and sets up his later role in her exoneration.

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• arrest
• exonerated
• cleared
• conciergerie
• prison

The film doesn't detail the specific fate of the children following the Duchess's murder and the Duke's death. The narrative focuses on Henriette's journey and her eventual vindication. The children were left orphaned by the violence, though the film's emphasis remains on the adults' tragic circumstances rather than the children's aftermath.

Foreshadowing: Henriette's deep bond with the children is established early, making their absence after the tragedy poignant.

• children
• fate
• orphan
• praslin
• family

The film ends with Reverend Henry Field proposing marriage to Henriette, and the narrative implies she accepts. Field had recommended her for a teaching position in America while she was imprisoned, offering her a path to a new life in what she calls "the land of the free." His proposal signals a hopeful future beyond the scandal and tragedy she endured in France.

Foreshadowing: Field's recommendation early in Henriette's困境 establishes his role as her protector and potential future husband.

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• marriage
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• american
• future

The Duchess refused to provide a letter of recommendation because she wanted to prevent Henriette from leaving and finding another position. By blocking Henriette's ability to secure future employment, the Duchess sought to keep her trapped in the Praslin household where she could continue to監視 and control her. This act of petty revenge was driven by the Duchess's jealousy and desire to maintain power over the governess who had won her family's affection.

Foreshadowing: The Duchess's controlling behavior and volatile personality are established from the beginning of Henriette's tenure.

• duchess
• recommendation
• letter
• refused
• employment