Bette Davis | Hollywood Yesterday

In This Our Life: Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, Billie Burke, and Frank Craven…

April 25, 2023 By Joi

George Brent, Bette Davis, Olivia De Havilland, Frank Craven, and Billie Burke

One of my favorite Bette Davis performances and one of my favorite Frank Craven performances happen in the same film, the wonderful drama In This Our Life (1942, directed by John Huston).

While Olivia de Havilland, George Brent, Billie Burke, Charles Coburn, Dennis Morgan, and Hattie McDaniel are all wonderful (as always), Bette Davis and Frank Craven are the movie’s driving force. Truth be told, Bette Davis is positively mesmerizing in this film – you cannot take your eyes off of her. Every movement, expression, and gesture scream film-noir siren and she is delicious in the classification.

Bette Davis, Billie Burke, and Frank Craven – In This Our Life

While this film isn’t considered a film-noir, I’ve always wished it were for the mere reason that it would have put her up there in the ranks of the great film-noir actresses Lauren Bacall, Gloria Grahame, Barbara Stanwyck, Joan Crawford, and Claire Trevor. Not that the iconic Bette needs to be at the top of yet another list – she has an insane number of them as it is!

If you’ve never seen In This Our Life, I hope you’ll find it soon and enjoy one of the iconic Bette Davis’ best performances. You can find In This Our Life (Amazon link) on dvd or watch the drama on Prime Video.

Dennis Morgan, Bette Davis, and Olivia de Havilland – In This Our Life

Bette Davis, Stunning Publicity Pictures for The Little Foxes

May 10, 2022 By Joi

Bette Davis, The Little Foxes

1941 Drama-Romance The Little Foxes was directed by the wonderful William Wyler and stars the equally wonderful Bette Davis. The cast also includes Teresa Wright, Herbert Marshall, Dan Duryea, and Richard Carlson.

While Bette Davis was spectacular in every single role she ever stepped into, there’s something extra, extra special about her performance here, as Regina Giddens. It’s one of those delicious performances where you come away saying, “She was born to play this role!”

Only thing is, when it comes to Bette Davis, I find myself saying these words VERY often!

You can find The Little Foxes on dvd (Amazon link) or watch the movie on Prime Video.

Bette Davis

Bette Davis, Dark Victory…. One of the All-Time Great Performances

April 8, 2022 By Joi

Bette Davis, Dark Victory (1939)

Whenever I think of extraordinary performances, the name Bette Davis comes up… like, A LOT. I’d never be able to name my one favorite Bette Davis performance (or movie), but Dark Victory would absolutely near the top of both lists. She is breathtakingly wonderful in this film and should have been awarded an Oscar for each hand!

Dark Victory was directed by Edmund Goulding and also stars George Brent, Humphrey Bogart, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Ronald Reagan, and Henry Travers. It’s far from being a “feel good” film but if you ever want to see one of the truly great performances by one of old Hollywood’s greatest stars, this is absolutely a movie to consider.

Bette Davis

You can find Dark Victory on dvd (Amazon link) or watch on Prime Video.

Bette Davis 100th Anniversary Collection

Bette Davis, George Brent, and Humphrey Bogart in Dark Victory

February 9, 2022 By Joi

Bette Davis and George Brent, Dark Victory

Dark Victory was directed by Edmund Goulding, stars the phenomenal Bette Davis, George Brent, Humphrey Bogart, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Ronald Reagan, and Henry Travers (Clarence the Angel in Miracle on 34th Street). If you’ve never seen this one – I highly recommend it. Mind you it isn’t a “feel good” movie by any stretch but it is out of this world good and seeing one of the greatest actresses ever doing some of her best work is Heaven on earth for a film lover.

Humphrey Bogart and Bette Davis, Dark Victory

You can find Dark Victory on dvd (Amazon link) or watch on Prime Video.

Bette Davis in a Stunning Promotional Photo for Dark Victory

January 27, 2022 By Joi

Bette Davis was extraordinary in every film and every role but one of the best has to be her portrayal of Judith Traherne in the 1939 emotionally-moving (to say the least!) Dark Victory. Directed by Edmund Goulding, the drama also stars George Brent, Humphrey Bogart, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Ronald Reagan, and Henry Travers (Clarence the Angel in Miracle on 34th Street).

This film is a workshop in acting from all cast members, but especially the lady, herself… Bette Davis.

You can find Dark Victory on dvd (Amazon link) or watch on Prime Video.

Bette Davis 100th Anniversary Collection

Bette Davis in One of Her Most Memorable Films, Dark Victory

January 19, 2022 By Joi

Bette Davis, Dark Victory

This film is a workshop in acting from all cast members, but especially the lady, herself… Bette Davis.

You can find Dark Victory on dvd (Amazon link) or watch on Prime Video.

Bette Davis and George Brent

Helen Chandler and Bela Lugosi, Dracula (Girl.. RUN!)

October 10, 2021 By Joi

Bela Lugosi and Helen Chandler, Dracula

I remember the first time I saw Dracula (1931)… even as a child I couldn’t for the life of me figure out how anyone didn’t know Bela Lugosi was bad news the minute they saw him! Seriously… how could they not run as far and as fast as they could in the opposite direction the minute they laid eyes on him.

I’m pretty sure I would have outrun a cheetah to get away from his creepy vibes.

Then again, it wouldn’t have made much of a movie, would it?

I read something unusual a little while back. Apparently Bette Davis was considered for the role of Mina but someone “up the line” didn’t think she had enough sex appeal. Really? When the role dictated, she oozed it! Think “In This Our Life,” “Jezebel,” and “The Star” just to name a few.

I mean, her career did okay without this role but I thought the reasoning was preposterous.

You can buy the iconic 1931 film Dracula on dvd (Amazon link) or watch the movie on Prime Video.

Sorry but the Bette Davis fan in me feels compelled to add a particular photo to the post… It’s like she’s telling Mr. Up the Line, “Boy, please.”

Bette Davis, Jezebel

Bette Davis and Joan Crawford on the Set of Whatever Happened to Baby Jane

September 25, 2021 By Joi

Bette Davis and Joan Crawford

One of the most controversial movies among fans of old Hollywood is Whatever Happened to Baby Jane. Some like it, some dislike it, some love it, some loathe it! I, personally, fall somewhere between disliking and loathing it! The fact that Joan Crawford and Victor Buono are outstanding in it keeps me from loathing it entirely. Joan Crawford always, always, always gave a flawless performance, no matter what film she was in and this one is no exception. Not once did she go “too far” or fail to go “far enough.” She was flawless in every scene.

I (personally) believe the same could be and should be said of Bette Davis – until the very last of the movie. I am not sure what was up with the last scenes but (for me, anyway) they sort of got the entire movie derailed.

Again… that is only my opinion, and it’s a rare one from what I’ve seen and heard. Most old movie fans love every minute of this one.

You can find Whatever Happened to Baby Jane on dvd or watch the movie on Prime Video. I’d love to hear your opinions on the movie!

Bette Davis and Joan Crawford

Bette Davis, Jezebel (1938) Publicity Still

August 23, 2021 By Joi

Bette Davis, Jezebel

I have, literally, more things to get done today than I have time in which to do them. What is it with summer anyway? The weather makes you want to sit in the shade, drinking raspberry tea all day but the vegetables and flowers see you sitting there and scream, “Get to work!”

First things first, though, and that means posting this stunningly beautiful picture of Bette Davis from one of my personal favorite movies, Jezebel. She was so deliciously perfect for this role and this film.

You can find Jezebel on dvd (Amazon link) or you can watch it (and mesmerizing Bette Davis) on Prime Video (link to the movie).

And, now I’m off to weed flower beds, water plants, pick tomatoes and cucumbers, and… finally…. sit in the shade with a tall glass of iced raspberry tea!

Bette Davis

Bette Davis, Jezebel (1938)

August 7, 2021 By Joi

Bette Davis, Jezebel

Bette Davis gives one of the all time GREAT performances as Julie Marsden in Jezebel (1938). She’s mesmerizing in every single scene and even a few she isn’t. The extraordinary movie was directed by the wonderful William Wyler and also stars (among others) Henry Fonda, Bette Davis, Theresa Harris, Spring Byington, Fay Bainter, Richard Cromwell, and Margaret Lindsay.

Superb director, superb cast, superb movie.

This film is one of the ones I often recommend when someone either says they’ve never seen a Bette Davis movie or (even more difficult to comprehend) when someone tells me they don’t like Bette Davis.

Whether someone is new to the great Bette Davis or simply hasn’t seen her in roles they will appreciate, these are the films I automatically recommend:

Jezebel
In This Our Life
Dark Victory
The Bride Came C.O.D.

Now, Voyager, All About Eve, and Dark Victory are also (of course) excellent but the four above often draw people to Bette faster. I can only assume it has to do with the characters she plays in the ones above?

Bette Davis, Jezebel

If you’ve never seen Jezebel, I hope you’ll find it really soon. You can find Jezebel on dvd (Amazon link) or you can watch Jezebel on Prime Video (link to the movie).