US Release date: 6 October 1949
First Melbourne Saturday Suburban: 29 April 1950
Genre: USA
Country: Drama
Running time: 115 minutes
Director: William Wyler
Cast: Olivia de Havilland, Montgomery Clift & Ralph Richardson
Australian Distributor: Paramount
Melbourne Premiere Venue: Union’s State theatre for three weeks from 10 February 1950 as a feature only presentation.
Suburban Release Type: Union 7-W-1
Rankings
| Rank | ||
| EF Points | 414 | 8 |
| EF PPE | 9.63 | 2 |
| Metres Travelled | 487,188 | 149 |
| Average MT | 11,330 | 33 |
| Engagements | 43 | 204 |
| Slots | 109 | 6 |
| Weeks | 40 | 2 |
| Weeks as % of engagements | 93.02% | 3 |
| Saturdays | 2 | 324 |
| Sats as % of engagements | 4.65% | 346 |
| Tuesdays | 1 | 337 |
| Tues as % of engagements | 2.33% | 346 |
| First billed | 30 | 135 |
| Second billed | 0 | 293* |
| Feature only | 13 | 6 |
Independent ratios
| Engagements weeks 1-10 | 42 |
| Ratio | 97.67% |
| Difference to chain ratio | 11.00% |
| Eng weeks 11-26 | 1 |
| Ratio | 2.33% |
| Difference to chain ratio | -5.29% |
| Eng weeks 27-52 | 0 |
| Ratio | 0.00% |
| Difference to chain ratio | -5.71% |
| Hoyts eng | 0 |
| Ratio | 0.00% |
| Difference to chain ratio | -0.84% |
| Independent eng | 36 |
| Ratio | 83.72% |
| Difference to chain ratio | 6.61% |
| Suburban eng | 7 |
| Ratio | 16.28% |
| Difference to chain ratio | -5.77% |
Notes: The critically acclaimed (and Oscar winning) adaptation of Henry James’ novel was an EF blockbuster – one of the few films to exceed 400 points (ranking 8th) and placing in the top ten of another five metrics. 40 full weeks and 12 feature only screenings took it into the stratosphere.
The Heiress engagements
| SUBURB | VENUE | CHAIN | DATE | W | D | B | CO-FEATURE |
| Albert Park | Kinema | Independent | 29/4/50 | 1 | W | F | FO |
| Burnley | Burnley | Independent | 29/4/50 | 1 | W | 1 | West Point Widow |
| North Carlton | Adelphi | Independent | 29/4/50 | 1 | W | 1 | West Point Widow |
| Richmond | National | Independent | 29/4/50 | 1 | W | 1 | Emergency Squad |
| St.Kilda | Astor | Independent | 29/4/50 | 1 | W | F | FO |
| Toorak | Village | Independent | 29/4/50 | 1 | W | F | FO |
| St.Kilda | Palais | Suburban | 29/4/50 | 1 | W | 1 | The Huggetts Abroad |
| Brunswick | Empire | Independent | 6/5/50 | 2 | W | 1 | Doctor Broadway |
| Caulfield | Camden | Independent | 6/5/50 | 2 | W | 1 | Big Town Scandal |
| Elsternwick | Esquire | Independent | 6/5/50 | 2 | W | F | FO |
| Malvern | Embassy | Independent | 6/5/50 | 2 | W | F | FO |
| Moonee Ponds | Moonee | Independent | 6/5/50 | 2 | W | F | FO |
| West Brunswick | Western | Independent | 6/5/50 | 2 | W | 1 | Million Dollar Legs |
| Westgarth | Westgarth | Independent | 6/5/50 | 2 | W | 1 | Emergency Squad |
| Preston | Planet | Suburban | 6/5/50 | 2 | W | 1 | King of Alcatraz |
| East Brunswick | Liberty | Independent | 13/5/50 | 3 | W | 1 | Parole Fixer |
| East Malvern | Waverley | Independent | 13/5/50 | 3 | W | F | FO |
| Essendon | Regal | Independent | 13/5/50 | 3 | W | 1 | Champagne for Two |
| Glenferrie | Glen | Independent | 13/5/50 | 3 | W | 1 | Rusty Saves a Life |
| Hawthorn | Vogue | Independent | 13/5/50 | 3 | W | 1 | Rusty Saves a Life |
| Balwyn | Balwyn | Suburban | 13/5/50 | 3 | W | 1 | West Point Widow |
| Camberwell | Rivoli | Suburban | 13/5/50 | 3 | W | F | FO |
| Ormond | Plaza | Suburban | 13/5/50 | 3 | W | 1 | Murder in Reverse |
| Preston | St. James | Suburban | 13/5/50 | 3 | W | 1 | Champagne for Two |
| Elwood | Broadway | Independent | 20/5/50 | 4 | S | 1 | Incident |
| Ashburton | Civic | Independent | 20/5/50 | 4 | W | 1 | Say it in French |
| Middle Brighton | Dendy | Independent | 20/5/50 | 4 | W | F | FO |
| North Brighton | Gardenvale | Independent | 20/5/50 | 4 | W | 1 | Bulldog Drummond’s Escape |
| Footscray | Grand | Independent | 20/5/50 | 4 | W | 1 | Disbarred |
| Sandringham | Roxy | Independent | 20/5/50 | 4 | W | 1 | Chinatown |
| Coburg | Plaza | Independent | 27/5/50 | 5 | W | 1 | The Big Fight |
| Heidelberg | Orient | Independent | 27/5/50 | 5 | W | 1 | Big Town Scandal |
| Newport | Plaza | Independent | 27/5/50 | 5 | W | F | FO |
| Surrey Hills | Surrey | Independent | 27/5/50 | 5 | W | 1 | Bill and Coo |
| Williamstown | Empress | Independent | 27/5/50 | 5 | W | F | FO |
| Yarraville | Sun | Independent | 27/5/50 | 5 | W | 1 | Disbarred |
| North Melbourne | Central | Independent | 3/6/50 | 6 | W | 1 | Bulldog Drummond Escapes |
| Oakleigh | Plaza | Independent | 3/6/50 | 6 | W | F | FO |
| Port Melbourne | Port | Independent | 3/6/50 | 6 | W | 1 | Dangerous Passage |
| Chelsea | Plaza | Independent | 10/6/50 | 7 | W | F | FO |
| Box Hill | Regent | Suburban | 10/6/50 | 7 | W | 1 | South of Samoa |
| North Richmond | Victoria | Independent | 24/6/50 | 9 | S | 1 | Fly Away Peter |
| Reservoir | Plaza | Independent | 21/10/50 | 26 | T | 1 | Savage Splendour |
The 1950 Project 