Happy Valentine's Day!

Here are some of my movie picks for this Valentine's Day!

Great Romantic Classics, but have a box of tissues ready:
1. Casablanca
2. Random Harvest
3. Now, Voyager
4. An Affair To Remember

For the more Light-hearted Romantics:
1. The Thomas Crown Affair (1968)
2. Love In The Afternoon
3. Adam's Rib
4. Here Comes The Groom
5. Charade
6. It Happened One Night
7. Pride and Prejudice (1940)

Some Contemporary Choices:
1. Pride and Prejudice (2005)
2. Letters to Juliet
3. Hitch

Have a good one!

An On Screen Victory For Bette Davis

If you ever had any doubts about what a great actress Bette Davis was, then you most probably have not seen her Oscar nominated performance in Dark Victory (1939). I had the chance to see this spectacular Warner Brothers film on TCM night before last, as part of their 31 Days of Oscar programming. This film was recognized at the 12th Academy Awards in 1940, nominated for Best Picture, in addition to Best Actress, and Best Original Score. However, the competition was unbelievably stiff that year. Gone with the Wind won Best Picture. The other runners up included The Wizard of Oz, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Wuthering Heights, and five other impressive films. The story Dark Victory comes from a play of the same title and was developed for the movie screen by Casey Robinson. Robinson wrote the screenplays for five other Bette Davis films, one of which is my favorite Now, Voyager.

In the movie, Davis plays Judy Traherne, a 23 year old woman in high society with a passion for horses, parties, and life. Eager to enjoy her life independently, in complete control, she hides the fact that she has been experiencing headaches, blurry vision, and dizzy spells from everyone except her best friend Anne (Geraldine Fitzgerald). To her doctor, she dismisses these episodes as consequences of a hangover. However, an accident persuades her doctor that there is something terribly wrong with Judy, and he asks his colleague Dr. Frederick Steele (played by George Brent) to take a look at her. A young capable brain surgeon, Dr. Steele is frustrated with how little scientific knowledge there is concerning the brain and plans to move to Vermont to begin research on brain cells. After a brief meeting with Judy however, he agrees to take her as his last patient before moving. When he confirms that Judy has a malignant brain tumor, he persuades her to have it surgically removed. After the surgery, Dr. Steele receives word that although the tumor was removed, there is a high chance of recurrence. In the case of a recurrence, there would be no long-term warning signs as there were before, but instead a sudden loss of vision at which point there would be little anyone could do. It appears that Judy only has 10 months to live.

Distraught, and unwilling to shatter Judy's spirit and capacity for life, Dr. Steele decides not to discuss her prognosis, but to instead say she will make a full recovery. Her best friend Anne soon discovers the truth, but understands Dr. Steele's reasons for not telling Judy about her condition.

Dr. Steele has just told Anne (left) that Judy (Bette Davis, right) has only a short while left to live. Judy hasn't heard their conversation.

Judy, unaware of her prognosis, continues to enjoy her life and frequent visits from Dr. Steele, who is growing to care for her, as she is growing to care for him. He proposes to Judy and as they prepare to move to Vermont for a life together, we start to wonder if Dr. Steele will ever tell Judy about her negative prognosis.

It is at that point that Judy discovers the truth on her own...She takes a trip to Dr. Steele's office to meet him for the afternoon, unaware that he intends to meet her out at a restaurant. At his office, the carefree Judy discovers her medical file, and that all of the doctors that Dr. Steele has written to about her situation have confirmed that she will not live. A dramatic change in Judy is seen immediately. Her friendly loving disposition abruptly morphs into a spiteful sarcastic attitude outwardly, and inwardly, one of overwhelming sadness and disbelief.



Judy soon rebels against Dr. Steele and Anne, upset with them and the truth that they kept from her. Her life begins to spiral out of her control, as she tries to escape her fears of being controlled by the dark matter inside her. It takes her time to realize that she wants to find peace and happiness with what time she has left. That's done with a little help from Bogie (Humphrey Bogart), who makes an appearance as Michael O'Leary, the stable man on her estate. Judy's conversation with Michael reminds her how much she is in love with Dr. Steele, and she hurries to mend their relationship.

The always talented Humphrey Bogart as Michael O'Leary

 

A new life for Dr. and Mrs. Steele in Vermont

Towards the end of the film, Judy and Dr. Steele have started a beautiful life together in Vermont. He has begun his research to understand the brain...to discover the scientific unknown, so that eventually victory can be claimed over the darkness that has limited his time with Judy. The rest of the film is just as amazing as the beginning and middle. I won't write what happens at the end. I highly recommend seeing this touching and poignant classic film.

Throughout the entire film, Davis brings an honesty to the role that makes her character so real. She was able to capture the essence of every emotion with her big eyes and translate these emotions so well. Bette's acting allows the audience to follow her character's many transitions: from a young, carefree girl to a worried, but hopeful patient, to a grateful and elated woman in love, to a complex individual with complicated feelings, and finally to a content, strong, courageous figure at peace and very much loved.

While Judy's character was constantly changing in response to her ever changing circumstances, it was important that the rest of her life, and the characters in the story, remain consistent. Dr. Steele represented this stable force in the story, and George Brent portrayed him extremely well. He was believable as the reserved neurosurgeon, who cared deeply for Judy and carried the burden of knowing her condition was terminal. Brent's emotional range was more limited, but this was because the focus of the film was on Judy. It was more important that Brent's character appear strong and devoted to Judy unconditionally. For most of the film then, Dr. Steele looked as if he was searching for something...a way to come to terms with reality, a way to help Judy, and a way to make Judy happy. Towards the end of the film, this look is gone...he has found what he was looking for.

This truly is one of the very best films I've seen. All the credit goes to a fantastic cast, and to Edmund Goulding for wonderful direction. Its 1940 Oscar nomination was well deserved, as is its recognition as a great American classic film!

Here's a trailer:

One last note: If you were watching closely, you may have spotted a familiar face in the trailer. A young Ronald Reagan plays the part of Alec Hamm, one of Judy's friends. Only one year later, Reagan would appear in his most memorable on screen role as football player George Gipp, earning himself the nickname the "Gipper".