Right of Way (1983)---Better Late Than Never, The One and Only, Late-Career Pairing of Bette Davis and James Stewart

Impossible as it may be to believe, it wasn't until they were both 75-years old, that screen legends Bette Davis and James Stewart ever made a film together (both were born in 1908). While both are extremely beloved, iconic stars of the golden age, it took until 1983 for their film paths to cross for the first (and only) time.  That film, an emotional, heart-tugging, made-for-Cable-TV drama called Right of Way, also stars Melinda Dillon.  Based on Richard Lee's play of the same name, Right of Way is my addition to the "Diamonds and Gold Blogathon" hosted by Wide Screen World and Caftan Woman.  This event---dedicated to celebrating stars who were working well into their senior years---is sure to have a multitude of terrific entries.  You can access all the other articles HERE.

Elderly and long-married Teddy and Minnie Dwyer (Stewart and Davis) have recently learned that Minnie is afflicted with a terminal blood disorder.  Although there are complex treatments which could possibly buy her a bit more time, Minnie's prognosis is bleak, and the couple, who have lived together as one for years, have determined that they will die together as one.  Wanting to inform their daughter, Ruda (Melinda Dillon), of their plans, Teddy phones her and requests that she come for a visit.

Shocked by her parents' suicide plan---yet unable to talk them out of it---Ruda contacts Human Services, and after a social worker visits the Dwyer's unkempt home, Teddy and Minnie are rendered unable to care for themselves.  Knowing it is only a matter of time until they are under the state's care and no longer free to do as they please, the couple realize they will have to act quickly if they hope to be in control of when and how they die.  How it all plays out is the balance of the film.




It seems amazing to me that the only pairing of these two screen legends did not take place until the tail-end of both their careers.  While I don't know how they got along on set (Bette Davis, Larger Than Life doesn't say), they gave every appearance of being a loving, devoted, decades-married couple. The tender scenes between them easily reminded me of my own parents, grandparents, and in-laws.  I found Jimmy and Bette both to be wonderful and very believable in their roles.  Bette was typical Bette---sharp-tongued and not inclined to tolerate any foolishness.  Jimmy, too, was his usual self---lovable, slightly confused, somewhat-stammering. If I closed my eyes and just let my mind go, I would have thought Margo Channing and Elwood P. Dowd had come together.  What a testament to both of them that their iconic All About Eve and Harvey characters could still be envisioned at the end of their careers.

While patient suicide and euthanasia generate much controversy here in the 21st century, back in the early 1980's, they did even more so, making Right of Way quite bold for its time. I want to make clear that while I enjoyed this film and give it 4 stars, because of my faith, I absolutely cannot condone euthanasia or patient suicide.  However, the subject is handled with dignity and sensitivity and makes for a powerful discussion-piece kind of film.  Also, with many of us Baby Boomer/Generation X'ers currently watching our own parents age, Right of Way will probably hit close to home for the bulk of us.

Unfortunately, it doesn't appear that Right of Way is out on DVD; it is, however, available on VHS, as well as on YouTube (HERE).  I do hope you get a chance to see it, especially if you are a Bette Davis or Jimmy Stewart fan.

Happy viewing!!

The Old Maid (1939)

Working my way through the titles highlighted in Majestic Hollywood, The Greatest Films of 1939, I recently enjoyed a re-watch of The Old Maid, a period drama starring Bette Davis and Miriam Hopkins.  George Brent gets third billing, although he is only around for the first fifteen minutes or so.  Based on Zoe Akin's Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name, The Old Maid features Donald Crisp and Jane Bryan in supporting roles.

Misses Davis and Hopkins portray cousins, Charlotte and Delia Lovell.  As the film begins in the early 1860's, Delia (Hopkins) is about to be married, and on her wedding day, her former love, Clem Spender (George Brent), arrives back in town and stops by for a visit.  Clem had left town a few years before---off to make his fortune---and when he didn't return, Delia assumed he no longer loved her and, thus, made plans to marry another man---one who was wealthy and socially prominent.  When Clem, who is still in love with Delia, declares his intent to make a scene at the wedding, cousin Charlotte (Bette Davis), in love with Clem herself, sets off to reason with him.  Wanting to comfort him, she ends up spending the night with him; the next day, however, Clem, now part of the Union Army, sets off for war...and he never returns, having been killed in battle.

Fast forward a few years...Charlotte, now engaged to Delia's husband's brother, is running a home for war orphans.  It is expected that when she marries, she will give up the home; however, there is one particular child---a girl named Tina---whom Charlotte has no intention of giving up.

On Charlotte's wedding day, Delia discovers that Tina's full name is Clementina and that she is Charlotte's own child, from a man who died in the war; putting two and two together, Delia realizes that Tina is Clem's child...a fact that enrages her.  To think that Charlotte had been with Clem---her love---is more than she can stand; determined to make Charlotte pay, she lies to her brother-in-law and he calls off the wedding.

After Delia's husband dies several months later, Charlotte and Tina are invited to come live with her.   Since Charlotte was never married and cannot publicly call Tina her child, Tina calls her "Aunt Charlotte."  Delia becomes rather a mother to the little girl, and once, to Charlotte's incredible heartbreak, she even calls Delia "mommy."

Fast forwarding several more years, Tina has become a young woman (played by Jane Bryan), and Delia, not Charlotte, receives her love, praise, and affection.  Aunt Charlotte, who has sacrificed for years, is despised and mocked by the girl.  Yet to tell Tina the truth---that the unwed Charlotte is her mother---would destroy all hopes for a legitimate beau, so Charlotte says nothing, all the while being totally brokenhearted because the daughter she loves has rejected her and now calls Delia "mother."  Will Tina ever change?  Will Charlotte's broken heart ever heal?  These are the questions which will play out in the balance of the film.



Pairing two such strong, formidable actresses, who already had hatred/jealousy issues between them, found director Edmund Goulding "more often refereeing than directing; filming went slowly, as each woman fought for every scene she was in.  One co-worker said "Working with these two ladies is a slow drag."  Goulding himself was to say, "There were times when they behaved like perfect little bitches". . . However, the women's intense dislike for each other did have a positive side, for it not only added to their pleasure in making the picture but also proved so mutually stimulating that Warners production chief Hal Wallis planned to team them again."  [1]  The women were paired again, in Old Acquaintance.

A huge Bette Davis fan, I enjoy having the opportunity to catch Bette in a sympathetic role for a change. She's terrific here---as she is always.  What I find so impressive about Bette is that beyond her brilliant acting, she was always willing to take on unglamorous roles and be seen as dowdy, ugly, and unsophisticated.  Her acting was so great that she didn't have to get by on looks alone.

The Old Maid is a lot like one of my top 25 films, Stella Dallas, in that it is the story of a mother's sacrificial love for her daughter.  However, while I give The Old Maid 4 stars, I do prefer Stella Dallas, mostly because of the daughters' character.  Here in The Old Maid, Tina is selfish and obnoxious, whereas Lolly, Anne Shirley's Stella Dallas character, is loving and caring.  Because of Clementina's attitude, I just never had the affection for her that I had for Lolly.

Out on DVD, The Old Maid should be fairly easy to track down.  I hope you get a chance to see it.

Happy viewing!!

[1]  Majestic Hollywood, The Greatest Films of 1939, by Mark A. Vieira, Running Press, 2013.

The Whales of August (1987)

To celebrate the 101st anniversary of the Gish sisters' (Lillian and Dorothy) screen debut, Movies Silently and The Motion Pictures are hosting a blogathon in their honor. This is my contribution to the event.  Go HERE for a list of the others who are participating.

Deep into their twilight years, screen legends Lillian Gish and Bette Davis joined forces in The Whales of August, a poignant film which explores how people cope with the aging process and the thought of approaching death.  Also starring Vincent Price, and featuring Ann Sothern and Harry Carey, Jr. in supporting roles, this 1987 film was adapted from the David Berry play of the same name.  It saw Miss Sothern receiving a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award nomination.

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Widowed elderly sisters Libby Strong (Bette Davis) and Sarah Webber (Lillian Gish) have been spending their summers in a cottage on the coast of Maine all their lives.  As young girls, they, along with their friend Tisha (Ann Sothern), used to watch expectantly for the annual August arrival of the migrating whales.  Eventually, the whales no longer made an appearance, but that is not the only change the women have known.

                                                               

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Libby is blind . . . and bitter.  Somewhat estranged from her daughter, she is now dependent upon Sarah to take care of her.  Yet far from being grateful for Sarah’s love and care, Libby is crotchety, unhappy, and extremely negative.  She believes death is right at her door, even suggesting to Sarah that they are too old to consider new things, that their lives are over and the grim reaper will be along for them any day now.

Sarah, who lost her husband in the war, enjoys painting and gardening.  Kind and friendly, she has struck the fancy of Mr. Maranov (Vincent Price), a down on his luck Russian nobleman.  After inviting him to dine with her and Libby, Sarah spends some time primping and reminiscing about her late husband.

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A true gentleman, Mr. Maranov accepts Sarah's dinner invitation, even bringing along that morning's catch to share with the sisters. Libby is rude to him, though, saying there is no need for him in their house.  Although Sarah would be interested in seeing the kindly gentleman, with Libby’s negativity, it doesn’t seem likely that she will.  Sarah very much wants to go on with living for what time she has left, while Libby feels that her life is already over. Tisha suggests to Sarah that she make other arrangements for Libby and then move in with her.

Will Libby ever be able to enjoy the time she has left, thus enabling Sarah to do the same?  Or will Sarah be forced to make other arrangements for her sister so that she will be able to embrace the remaining years of her life?  These are the questions which play out in the balance of this touching drama.

The Whales of August is a lovely, sentimental, heart-tugging movie, made all the more so by the knowledge that it is, essentially, a goodbye song---and not just for Libby and Sarah.  This is the final film of both Miss Gish and Miss Sothern and the next to last of Miss Davis.  Vincent Price would make less than a half dozen more films after this one, so he is in the final stages of his career as well, and director Lindsay Anderson made no more feature films after this.  In a touching and beautiful way, The Whales of August gives us--and each of them---the chance to say goodbye.

     

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Hard to believe that Miss Gish is 93 years old here---she definitely aged beautifully and looks years younger than her age. Gracious, spry, and lovely, she gives a moving performance, ending her seven-and-a-half decade career on a beautiful, grace-filled note. By taking on this role "at the age of 93, Miss Gish became the oldest actress to have appeared in a starring role."[1]

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Bette Davis, two years away from her death here, is very clearly in poor health.  Earlier in the decade, she had battled cancer (which would ultimately return and be the cause of her death) and been afflicted with a series of strokes, resulting in partial paralysis of the left side of her face.  The effects of the paralysis are obvious. Still, though, she does her usual great job of bringing an unkind, largely unlikable character to life, and she plays blind very believably. Without all the bizarre makeup so prevalent in her late-career films, Bette looks less harsh---younger-looking even---than in some of her 1960's works.  Even here at the end of her career, she remains my #1 gal.

Putting these two screen legends together, of course, had the potential for contention and rivalry.  However, according to Bette Davis, Larger Than Life,  “Miss Gish proved far tougher and more impervious to Davis’s barbs than many lesser players by simply switching off her hearing aid whenever any nonsense occurred.”  [1] Touche for Lilllian!  That is definitely one way to tune out those who drive us crazy!

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Vincent Price, while not having a whole lot to do, is well-suited to this role.  Given that I have a predisposed negativity towards Mr. Price (the result of The House of Usher as a child), for me to see him in a positive light says a lot for the man’s acting skills.  I enjoyed his chivalrous character here.  Ann Sothern received a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her work here, and while she doesn't have much to do, she's funny and sweet in her role.  

Besides Misses Gish and Davis, the other star of The Whales of August is the stunning scenery.  Who wouldn’t enjoy a trip to the coast of Maine after finishing this. Although the film is slow-moving and without any dramatic action scenes or special effects, the characters, the stars’ performances, the scenery, and the touching story are enough to make it quite charming. 

Out on DVD, The Whales of August ought to be fairly easy to track down.  Fans of any of these four wonderful stars will enjoy catching them in their final years.  I'm calling this a 4-star film---one definitely worth a watch.

Happy viewing!

[1]  Bette Davis, Larger Than Life, by Richard Schickel and George Perry, Running Press Book Publishers, 2009

Lots of Talent Born Today

April 5th has seen much talent coming into the world...3 major stars were born on this day.

Bette Davis (April 5, 1908 - October 6, 1989)

Spencer Tracy  (April 5, 1900 - June 10, 1967)

Gregory Peck  (April 5, 1916 - June 12, 2003)


Thinking of all three of these great stars on their birthday...and feeling thankful that we have so many wonderful movies by which we can remember them.

All This and Heaven Too (4 stars)

All This and Heaven Too, from 1940, is a romantic drama starring Bette Davis and Charles Boyer, with Barbara O'Neill taking on a supporting role.  This film, which I recently watched for the 3rd time in honor of Bette's birthday month, is based on a mid-nineteenth-century scandal in France.  Novelist Rachel Field was descended from the central figure, and it is her novel upon which the film is based.

In 1846, at Miss Haines School for Young Ladies, the new French teacher---Henriette Deluzy (Bette Davis)---has just been introduced to her students.  As the girls begin to gossip amongst themselves and even ask her how to spell the name of a notorious French prison, Miss Deluzy feels defeated and is about to give up her new post.  However, in the end, she decides to share a story with the girls...a story which will show them that life is not always a pretty picture.

After her former governess position has ended, Miss Deluzy travels to Paris, where she will governess for the children of the Duc and Duchesse de Praselin (Charles Boyer and Barbara O'Neill).  The Duc is quite close to the children---3 daughters, ages 8-13, and 1 son, almost 4---and they love him dearly.  The duchesse, on the other hand, is easily exasperated with them and has nearly zero interest in their lives.  Starved for the attention and love of a mother, the children attach very easily to Miss Deluzy, and they thrive under her tutelage and care.

The Duchesse is an emotionally volatile woman, who flies into fits of rage constantly.  Her hatred and anger have driven her husband away, and while the Duc and Duchesse are civil to each other, it's quite obvious that there is no love in their marriage.  In fact, they occupy separate bedrooms---and have done so since before their son's birth.  His children and his government duties are the Duc's only happiness.

As the months go by, Henriette's presence in the home brings a peace which the Duc had all but forgotten existed, and he is extremely grateful for all she has done.  Though he may, in fact, be in love with Henriette, he never oversteps the bounds of their relationship, nor does Henriette behave inappropriately toward him.  The Duchesse, though, deep into another episode of mania, sees Henriette as a thief---out to steal her husband and the affections of her children.  Enraged and extremely jealous, she forces Henriette to leave her employ, an action which infuriates the Duc and brings about the scandal which will follow Henriette to America.  The exact nature of that scandal and how it all plays out is the balance of the film.



All This and Heaven Too is a beautiful and tender movie, one that seems a bit out of the norm for Bette Davis.  She gets a chance to play maternal in this film, and she does it very well.  The chemistry between her and the children is superb. Her character is pure delight---a bit sugary sweet---but delightful nonetheless.  Her performance is, as always, top-notch.

This is the film which allowed me to finally like Charles Boyer.  After having seen him in Gaslight, where he gave what I deem an Oscar-winning performance (for which he was nominated, but didn't win), I just couldn't like him, for in that film he was an evil husband trying to drive wife Ingrid Bergman mad.  He played the part SO well that it clouded my opinion of him---for a couple of years.  It took several movies before I could actually like him and stop seeing him as "a killer."  Here in All This and Heaven Too, I really enjoyed him.

Barbara O'Neill is completely fabulous in her role.  She was nominated for best supporting actress...rightfully so, because she was brilliant!!  The four children are totally precious.  You will love them, especially the little boy.  The oldest girl is played by June Lockhart, and wow, she looks the same here in 1940 as she did playing the mother on Lost in Space in the 1960's.  The youngest daughter is played by the beautiful Ann Todd.  Middle daughter is Virginia Weidler, Katharine Hepburn's younger sister in The Philadelphia Story.  The little boy is Richard Nichols, who you will undoubtedly recognize from a few other films.  He is totally, completely, 100% adorable!!

According to Bette Davis, Larger Than Life, Bette felt that the "fundamental flaw in this film...was that the Duchesse should have been physically repellant rather than a good-looking neurotic.  The motivation for her murder, she felt, was not convincing, but she also thought that, in spite of the novelist's contention that the attraction never went beyond expressions of friendship, the Duc and Henriette had been lovers and that she was guilty of complicity."   Just have to say...I can't believe Bette felt Barbara O'Neill was a good-looking neurotic here.  I didn't find her pretty in the least---her skin was horribly pockmarked, in a way I've never noticed in other movies.  I thought she was rather homely.  As far as being a neurotic, my guess is that the Duchesse had what we now know is bipolar disorder...or else severe hormonal imbalances.

While the film is a bit on the long side (141 minutes), I didn't feel that it dragged.  I enjoyed every minute of it, and I highly recommend it.  Since it's out on DVD, it ought to be fairly easy to track down.   Additionally, it is on the TCM schedule for Wednesday, May 23rd, at 9:30 a.m. (ET).

Happy viewing!!

Dangerous (4 stars)

Dangerous, from 1935, is a romantic drama starring Bette Davis and Franchot Tone.  Featuring Margaret Lindsay in a supporting role, Dangerous is the film which garnered the fabulous Miss Davis her first Best Actress Academy Award.  Additionally, it is the film which, in many ways, was the catalyst for the long-running feud between Bette Davis and Joan Crawford---Bette and her co-star Franchot Tone were romantically linked during the filming of Dangerous, and Bette was quite in love with him, but he ended up marrying Joan later that year.  We all know that a woman's jealousy and bitterness over a lost love could definitely bring about a years-long feud/rivalry.

Ever since one of her leading men was killed on opening night, stage actress Joyce Heath has been labeled a jinx.  Though formerly wildly successful, the jinx label has Joyce's career in ruins, and now, a shell of what she once was, she has turned to the bottle.  While drinking gin in a cheap bar one night, Joyce is recognized by one of her ardent fans---architect Don Bellows (Franchot Tone); though Joyce really wants to be left alone in her drunkenness, Don proceeds to tell her how moved he was by her performance in Romeo and Juliet.  When Joyce passes out, Don takes her to his home, where she can sleep off the liquor.

With a house in the country---to which he only goes on weekends---Don offers Joyce an invitation to stay for the week.  In the beginning, Joyce drinks first thing in the morning, but by the time Don returns at the end of the week, she has begun to look and feel better.

Though Don's initial intent is to help Joyce rehabilitate her life and, thus, restore her career, things go further than that, and he ends up kissing her.  Eventually, he breaks things off with his fiance, Gail Armitage (Margaret Lindsay), and asks Joyce to marry him.  Additionally,  though Joyce still thinks of herself as a jinx and tries to talk him out of it, Don puts up the money to produce the play which will re-launch her career.

Rehearsals of the play go well, and it is anticipated that the show will be a huge success.  It seems as if life is smiling on Joyce Heath again and that the jinx is broken...but is it?  How everything plays out is the balance of the film.






Dangerous features another fabulous performance by the simply amazing Bette Davis.  The character she portrays---struggling, boozing Joyce Heath---is complex, and it is those types of characters which allow Miss Davis's talent to shine brightly.  Quite simply, I think she is the best dramatic actress of all time...nearly always turning out an Academy Award-winning performance.  Interestingly, though she won the Oscar for her work in Dangerous, Bette is on record (per Robert Osborne's informational snippet) as saying that she didn't feel she deserved the win for this role.  Though she thought her work in Of Human Bondage (for which she wasn't even nominated) the year before was Oscar worthy, she felt 1935's win belonged to Katharine Hepburn for her work in Alice Adams.  Funny, I've seen Alice Adams, and I am absolutely not in agreement with Bette.  I think she was beyond Oscar worthy here in Dangerous and that The Academy chose the right actress for the win.  At any rate, Bette will absolutely not disappoint in this film.

Franchot Tone was kind and endearing.  I really loved his character---a man of integrity and honesty.  There was great chemistry between him and Miss Davis.  It's easy to understand how love of that man could bring to life a years-long feud.  There is a twist in this film---one which I never anticipated---and though I would have liked a different ending, I do think it had the right ending!!

Definitely see this one if you can.  It's newly out on DVD (released last month), so you ought to be able to track it down.

Happy viewing!!

The Sisters (3 stars)

The Sisters is a 1938 drama starring the very dashing Errol Flynn and the always-sensational Bette Davis.  Featuring Anita Louise, Jane Bryan, Alan Hale, Donald Crisp, and Ian Hunter in supporting roles, The Sisters begins in Silver Bow, Montana, in 1904.  The nation has just re-elected Theodore Roosevelt to the presidency, and the Elliot family is among those who are enjoying a lavish election-eve ball.

Mr. and Mrs. Elliott (Henry Travers and Beulah Bondi) are the parents of three daughters---Louise (Bette Davis), Helen, (Anita Louise), and Grace (Jane Bryan)---all of whom are of marriageable age.  Oldest daughter, Louise, is involved with the banker's son, Tom; however, since Tom hasn’t popped the question yet, Louise is all eyes when a family friend (Alan Hale) makes his entrance, accompanied by a handsome stranger (Errol Flynn) in town on business.

As Louise is dancing with another man, the good-looking stranger cuts in,

and after introducing himself as Frank Medlin---a newspaperman from San Francisco---he proceeds to sweep Louise off her feet. For the remainder of the evening, Frank's eyes are only for Louise, and Louise's eyes are only for Frank.

By the time they part company several hours later, they are both smitten with each other, causing Frank to stay on in Montana awhile longer.

Telling Louise that he is trying to write a novel but isn’t really getting anywhere with it, Frank admits that he is a bit of a dreamer and has a touch of wanderlust in him. Knowing that, however, doesn’t change Louise’s feelings for Frank; she realizes he is restless and irresponsible and not as ambitious as she and her sisters were brought up to expect, but, still, she loves him and upon his asking, marries him and returns to San Francisco with him.

Though she tries to encourage Frank to get to work on his novel, he just can’t seem to get his act together long enough to be successful. In due time, feeling as though he’s the kind of husband who makes people feel sorry for his wife, Frank starts to drink heavily; upset because he knows Louise’s sisters, who have both recently gotten married to financially stable men, have everything, Frank begins to indulge in self-pity.

Though he wants to be a successful writer...though he longs to be a strong husband…though he loves his dear wife and yearns to be worthy of her love, in the end, Frank desires freedom and the excitement around the next corner even more. Therefore, when he hears a group of men talking about the wonders of world travel, he is absolutely certain that he has finally discovered the life which will bring him happiness; so, penning a short note to Louise, in April 1906, Frank boards a ship and sets sail for the China seas.

While Frank’s ship is sailing away, an earthquake of monumental proportions blasts San Francisco and the wife he left behind. Buildings tumble to the ground…

flames erupt heavenward…

all the world is chaos. Will Louise survive the devastating destruction of that day?  Will Frank find the happiness he is longing for?  And what of Louise's sisters, both of whom have their own marriage troubles?  All of these questions will be played out in the remainder of the film?



While The Sisters is not a favorite Bette Davis film by any means, I did find it enjoyable and interesting.  It's a very solid film, with the usual wonderful acting I've come to expect from my #1 gal.  Her character is strong and resilient...very easy to root for.  Errol Flynn was quite good in his role too, and I thought he and Miss Davis had great chemistry together.  Funny, I've read that they didn't like one another and didn't work well together...I sure didn't pick up on that.  I really thought they were great...I found their love believable.  The supporting cast quite added to my enjoyment of the film.  I liked them all...especially the always-delightful Alan Hale and Lee Patrick, who portrayed Bette's San Francisco neighbor.

This film was released on DVD in late 2011, so I think you should be able to track it down.  Bette and Errol fans will most likely quite enjoy it.

Happy viewing!!

A Stolen Life (4 stars)

A Stolen Life, from 1946, is a touching romantic drama starring Bette Davis and Glenn Ford, with Dane Clark, Walter Brennan, and Charlie Ruggles taking on supporting roles.  A remake of 1939's Stolen Life, starring Elisabeth Bergner and Michael Redgrave, A Stolen Life provided Miss Davis with her first and only stint as film producer.  This film also provided Bette the opportunity to play a dual role...as twin sisters. Later in her career, in Dead Ringer, she would play twins once more.

The story begins when Kate Bosworth (Bette), an amateur artist, misses the ferry to an island off the coast of Massachusetts, where she was expected at the home of her cousin.

After much coaxing, she is able to arrange a ride to the island with Bill Emerson (Glenn Ford), a man who does some work for the nearby lighthouse.

Attracted to Bill and wanting to see him again, Kate conjures up a reason to visit the lighthouse---she will paint a portrait of the lighthouse keeper, an occupation which will take several days, thus affording her many trips to the keeper's house.

During the two weeks of painting, Kate and Bill spend much time together, and they both realize they are kindred spirits, in that they both enjoy the quiet, slow-paced life of the island. In fact, Bill had even passed up a more lucrative job offer simply because he didn't want the frantic lifestyle it would bring. Although Kate soon falls in love with Bill, she has yet to invite him to call at her house, and they schedule a lunch date in town.

When Kate arrives for lunch, Bill is taken aback by the change in her. Oh, she looks the same, but she is not as reserved as she has normally been. She is flashy and forward and flirtatious...and he likes it.

It isn't until Bill takes her home that he discovers he hadn't had lunch with Kate at all...but with Pat, her twin sister.

And unfortunately for Kate, who is very much in love with him, Bill falls in love with Pat, and the two decide to be married.

Devastated and heartbroken, Kate throws herself into her artwork, all the while trying to be a loving sister and a wonderful sister-in-law. But as the months go on, she finds that all is not well with Bill and Pat's marriage. Bill has had to take the lucrative job he didn't want in order to make enough money to support Pat's spending habits. And when she goes back to the island to try to regroup, Kate is shocked to find that Pat, also, has come back to the island, that she hadn't wanted to accompany Bill on his business trip.

While sailing on the bay one afternoon, a fierce storm kicks up, and the sisters are unable to get back to the island. Although they try to make it to the lighthouse, a huge wave submerges the boat, and despite Kate's endeavors to help her, Pat cannot hang on and is drowned. Just as she slips under the water, with Kate grabbing frantically at her hand, her wedding ring slides from her finger and into the palm of Kate's hand.

When Kate regains consciousness in the bedroom of the lighthouse, she finds that everyone is referring to her as Mrs. Emerson, and from that moment on, she decides that she will be Pat, the wife of Bill, the man she loves. But, as Kate attempts to take on the identity of her sister, she discovers things she never imagined...things which cause her to wonder if she can keep up the charade.  Does Kate continue to live a lie? Does Bill ever find out?  Those are the questions which play out in the remainder of the film.





Bette Davis, Larger Than Life (by Richard Schickel and George Perry) has this to say about A Stolen Life:  "It is an uninspiring work...trite and melodramatic, with cliche-ridden screenplay, A Stolen Life was the only film Davis produced, and although she had hired Curtis Bernhardt to direct, the result was undistinguished."   Funny, I don't feel that way at all.   While I readily admit that A Stolen Life is not one of Bette's most spectacular films, it is, nevertheless, interesting, exciting, and well-acted.  Though I think Bette is positively brilliant when she is being "bad," she also does a wonderful job when she's playing "nice."  Since she didn't often do that, though, it makes this film quite a treat.  Also, Glenn Ford is always solid and commanding...and very masculine.  Walter Brennan is always a delight, and Dane Clark is generally a big plus in a cast as well.  All that combines to make for a very pleasant viewing experience.

The film is out on DVD, plus it is on the TCM schedule for Sunday, April 22nd at 9:45 p.m.  I think it's a touching story and easily an enjoyable 4-star film.

Happy viewing!!

Happy Birthday, Bette Davis!!!

My #1 gal---the spectacular Bette Davis---is having a birthday today. (April 5, 1908 - October 6, 1989 )

Born Ruth Elizabeth Davis, Bette began her career on the stage in the late 1920's before making her way to Hollywood, where, by 1934, she was well on her way to becoming a major star.  Although appearing in both comedies and dramas, Bette's greatest success came from her dramas; she was nominated for a Best Actress Academy Award ten times, coming away with the win on two occasions.  (Only Meryl Streep and Katharine Hepburn have received more Best Actress nominations than Bette.)  In my opinion, she was completely brilliant---and definitely Oscar-worthy---in nearly every role she ever took on and, therefore, ought to have won far more than just twice.

One thing I so appreciate about Bette is that she was far more concerned with putting forth a believable performance than she was in being a glamour girl---she was always willing to look plain if the part called for it...hideous, even, if necessary. In fact, when playing Mildred in Of Human Bondage, "Davis rejected any Hollywood attempt to make her look pretty in her death scene...(director) John Cromwell was so shocked when she walked on set that he asked her to modify it, but she refused...she wrote: "I made it very clear that Mildred was not going to die of a dread disease looking as if a deb had missed her noon nap.  The last stages of consumption, poverty, and neglect are not pretty, and I intended to be convincing looking."  (From Bette Davis, Larger Than Life)

About a year after getting into classic movies, I discovered this completely sensational actress.  Always a lover of intensely dramatic films, I was on the search for something meaty and highly charged, and knowing that Miss Davis was that kind of actress, I took a chance and branched out from Claudette Colbert, Loretta Young, and Audrey Hepburn.  I was hooked on Bette from that very first film---immediately, she went right to the top of my favorite actress list...and I am now on a mission to see all of her works if possible.

My all-time favorite Bette film is also my all-time favorite movie period.---Now, Voyager (reviewed HERE), also starring Paul Henreid and Claude Rains.  This beautiful movie, in which Bette's character transforms from an ugly, dumpy, emotionally unstable woman into a confident, beautiful one, is one of the films for which she received an Academy Award nomination.  Her character---Charlotte Vale---is my favorite female film character, and the way Bette brought her to life was completely amazing.  I cannot recommend this gorgeous movie highly enough.

Rounding out the list of my top five favorite Bette Davis films are:

2.  Dark Victory  (with George Brent---a role which is said to have been Bette's personal favorite---reviewed HERE)

3.  All About Eve (with Gary Merrill, Anne Baxter, and a host of others)

4.  The Letter  (with Herbert Marshall---the movie which began my love affair with Bette---reviewed HERE)

5.  Mr. Skeffington (with Claude Rains)

Limiting myself to five favorite Bette films is next to impossible.  These are all 5-star films for me, and, in actuality, there are a few more 5-star films which also could be on this list.

So, here's to you, Miss Bette Davis, on your 104th birthday!  You were the most incredible actress I have ever seen, and you will always be my #1.  Thank you for beautifying my life through so many fabulous movies---including my favorite movie of all-time.

April's Blogging Agenda

Another new month means another new focus for me and for this blog.  I loved OD'ing on the films of John Garfield, George Brent, Joan Crawford, Montgomery Clift, and Van Heflin last month, but this month it is time to focus on my #1's.  Yes, my #1 gal and one of my #1 guys both have birthdays in the month of April, and it is their films which I will primarily be watching and writing about this month.  Those #1's being...

the completely sensational, always-brilliant Bette Davis

and the wonderful, gorgeous, immensely talented William Holden

Also, since Tuesday will see me heading off for a 16-day trip to Florida---where I will be enjoying family and friends, sun, sand, and sea---the beach will be heavy on my mind.  Therefore, I will be focusing on "beach" movies as well.

While it most likely will not be possible for me to post every day while I'm gone, with the ability we have to schedule future posts, I am already ahead of the game.   You all may not even notice that I'm gone.

So it's going to be mostly Mr. Holden and Miss Davis here at They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To in the month of April, with beach-related movies seeing action as well.  I hope you'll join me and maybe discover a film or two that you absolutely must see.

Happy viewing!!