Dark Victory (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
Get your box of tissues ready, for 'Dark Victory' (directed by Edmund Goulding, Razor's Edge, Nightmare Alley) is one of the great tearjerkers that Golden Era Hollywood produced in the 1930s. The great Bette Davis stars as Judith Traherne, an impetuous, headstrong, wealthy Long Island socialite & sportswoman living a hedonistic lifestyle; partying muchly with the likes of alcoholic pal, Alec (Ronald Reagan). Her best friend/secretary Ann (Geraldine Fitzgerald) notices that something is 'off' with Judith lately and, insists that she see Dr. Parsons (Henry Travers). He attributes her intense migraines, blurry vision & numbness to a generic neurological problem, so she keeps living her life; but her fall off of a horse gives her pause.
This causes obstinate Judith to see brilliant - and handsome - neurosurgeon, Dr. Frederick Steele (George Brent) ... who discovers that she actually has a malignant brain tumor. He operates & believes she is cured. They fall in love; she has never felt such genuine happiness & peace in her life before. But in fact, the operation only allows for her to live a few more months without pain; blindness will ensue, as well. To soften the blow, Frederick & Ann withhold this info from Judith until it becomes absolutely necessary to tell her. Judith discovers the truth on her own & is devastated; thankfully, all her loved ones are there for her; including her horse trainer, Michael (Humphrey Bogart, with a thick & sketchy Irish brogue), who encourages her make the most of the time she has left. Leaving for peaceful Vermont, she bravely decides to live out her dimming days with great dignity ... and a 'dark victory'.
Cynics today might find the story & its execution to be dated, or even corny. I see that -- but I just don't care. 'Dark Victory' is one of those movies that was a fixture on television when I was growing up; I'd see my mom & grandma quietly sobbing at the end. In the final moments, as fate would have it, Frederick attends a medical conference in NY to learn about an experimental cure, just as Judith's eyesight starts to fail while planting flowers in her garden. The end is near, as she resignedly climbs the stairs to her bedroom. This film is designed to evoke a strong emotional reaction and, so it does. Edmund Goulding's astute directing, Max Steiner gorgeous music, Bette Davis' performance of a tragic woman facing death ... all done to perfection.
'Dark Victory' is, along with Jezebel, Now Voyager, All About Eve & Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?, one of Davis' signature movies & finest performances; not to mention she hit it out of the ball park in 1939, not just with this movie, but also with The Old Maid {see my review} & The Private Lives of Elizabeth & Essex. In this film, Davis ably transitions from carefree, frivolous debutante to stoic, empathetic victim with ease; her quiet fortitude in the face of death is something to see. Had there been no Vivien Leigh in Gone With the Wind this year, Davis surely would have won the Academy Award for Best Actress. I was moved by Geraldine Fitzgerald as loyal Ann; holding close to her friend as she slips away. And Davis' fave leading man, George Brent gives one of his better performances as loving Frederick. 'Dark Victory' is simply one of the most distinguished melodramas of 1939.
This causes obstinate Judith to see brilliant - and handsome - neurosurgeon, Dr. Frederick Steele (George Brent) ... who discovers that she actually has a malignant brain tumor. He operates & believes she is cured. They fall in love; she has never felt such genuine happiness & peace in her life before. But in fact, the operation only allows for her to live a few more months without pain; blindness will ensue, as well. To soften the blow, Frederick & Ann withhold this info from Judith until it becomes absolutely necessary to tell her. Judith discovers the truth on her own & is devastated; thankfully, all her loved ones are there for her; including her horse trainer, Michael (Humphrey Bogart, with a thick & sketchy Irish brogue), who encourages her make the most of the time she has left. Leaving for peaceful Vermont, she bravely decides to live out her dimming days with great dignity ... and a 'dark victory'.
Cynics today might find the story & its execution to be dated, or even corny. I see that -- but I just don't care. 'Dark Victory' is one of those movies that was a fixture on television when I was growing up; I'd see my mom & grandma quietly sobbing at the end. In the final moments, as fate would have it, Frederick attends a medical conference in NY to learn about an experimental cure, just as Judith's eyesight starts to fail while planting flowers in her garden. The end is near, as she resignedly climbs the stairs to her bedroom. This film is designed to evoke a strong emotional reaction and, so it does. Edmund Goulding's astute directing, Max Steiner gorgeous music, Bette Davis' performance of a tragic woman facing death ... all done to perfection.
'Dark Victory' is, along with Jezebel, Now Voyager, All About Eve & Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?, one of Davis' signature movies & finest performances; not to mention she hit it out of the ball park in 1939, not just with this movie, but also with The Old Maid {see my review} & The Private Lives of Elizabeth & Essex. In this film, Davis ably transitions from carefree, frivolous debutante to stoic, empathetic victim with ease; her quiet fortitude in the face of death is something to see. Had there been no Vivien Leigh in Gone With the Wind this year, Davis surely would have won the Academy Award for Best Actress. I was moved by Geraldine Fitzgerald as loyal Ann; holding close to her friend as she slips away. And Davis' fave leading man, George Brent gives one of his better performances as loving Frederick. 'Dark Victory' is simply one of the most distinguished melodramas of 1939.