The Incomparable Miss Bette Davis

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 11/6/04 at 12:29pm

Many consider Davis THE leading actress of her time.

She could play heavy drama(OF HUMAN BONDAGE, THE PETRIFIED FOREST, THE LITTLE FOXES);

romantic drama (DARK VICTORY, A STOLEN LIFE, NOW, VOYAGER);

or comedy (THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER, THE BRIDE CAME C.O.D., IT'S LOVE I'M AFTER).

She was nominated for the Academy Award ELEVEN times and won twice (DANGEROUS, JEZEBEL).


Elaine Stritch had this to say regarding Davis:

"Bette Davis taught Hollywood to follow an actress instead of the actress following the camera, and she's probably the best movie actress there's ever been."

[Glebb]

Posted: 11/6/04 at 12:36pm

She was great in horror flicks too!
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE?

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 11/6/04 at 12:39pm

That's RIGHT, Glebb!

I totally passed over her career in Horror Films of the 1960s and 70s!!!

(Although I believe many Davis fans do so as well.) :)

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 11/6/04 at 12:42pm

So, how would you compare and contrast Davis with today's leading ladies in movies?

Or do you think that it's difficult to compare an artist from one era to artists of a different one. . . ?

Posted: 11/6/04 at 12:44pm

Love is not enough. It must be the foundation, the cornerstone - but not the complete structure. It is much too pliable, too yielding.
Bette Davis

This became a credo of mine...attempt the impossible in order to improve your work.
Bette Davis

To fulfill a dream, to be allowed to sweat over lonely labor, to be given the chance to create, is the meat and potatoes of life.
Bette Davis

I am doomed to an eternity of compulsive work. No set goal achieved satisfies. Success only breeds a new goal. The golden apple devoured has seeds. It is endless.
Bette Davis, The Lonely Life, 1962

I do not regret one professional enemy I have made. Any actor who doesn't dare to make an enemy should get out of the business.
Bette Davis, The Lonely Life, 1962

I was thought to be 'stuck up.' I wasn't. I was just sure of myself. This is and always has been an unforgivable quality to the unsure.
Bette Davis, The Lonely Life, 1962

It has been my experience that one cannot, in any shape or form, depend on human relations for lasting reward. It is only work that truly satisfies.
Bette Davis, The Lonely Life, 1962

My passions were all gathered together like fingers that made a fist. Drive is considered aggression today; I knew it then as purpose.
Bette Davis, The Lonely Life, 1962

There are new words now that excuse everybody. Give me the good old days of heroes and villains. the people you can bravo or hiss. There was a truth to them that all the slick credulity of today cannot touch.
Bette Davis, The Lonely Life, 1962

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 11/6/04 at 12:46pm

Do you think Davis would enjoy the same success if she were starting her career today?

Posted: 11/6/04 at 12:50pm

She'd eat most of these 'hot young things' for a mid-morning snack, and then head off to work.

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 11/6/04 at 12:54pm

Well, DG, I see we have a true Bette Davis FAN in the house!

What are some of your favorite Davis movies?

[BTW, I agree. THE LONELY LIFE (her autobiography) is FASCINATING reading.]

Posted: 11/6/04 at 12:57pm

My favorite is The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex, with very strong feelings for All About Eve, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? and The Whales of August.

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 11/6/04 at 1:02pm

Yes, THE WHALES OF AUGUST is in my opinion, an excellent but for some reason underlooked film which also stars another screen luminary--Lillian Gish.

Posted: 11/6/04 at 1:13pm

Not to mention Ann Sothern and Vincent Price! It's way too quiet a film to have registered on the general movie-going public's radar - which is perhaps why I liked it so much.

[PB ENT.]

Posted: 11/6/04 at 1:17pm

Count me in, guys... I think Ms. Davis is to "acting" as Ms. Ball is to "comedy"....legendary and in a class of their own!

And I agree that only a few female actresses or comedians can even stand in their shadows.

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 11/6/04 at 1:18pm

I always thought Ann Sothern's WHOLE film career was overlooked, DG, she didn't really become well known until the advent of Television.

(Remember "Private Secretary"?)

[BwayLover]

Posted: 11/6/04 at 1:38pm

I LOVE "The Whales Of August". What a great movie! I think my favorite Davis movie would have to be "All About Eve", with "The Bride Came C.O.D" and "Jezebel" as runner ups.

In my book, Bette Davis is truly the greatest of them all, surpassing Hebpurn and all the others in her generation, and all those who followed as well. She was brave, relentless and brilliant- one of a kind!

[Glebb]

Posted: 11/6/04 at 1:50pm

NOW VOYAGER
JEZEBEL
ALL ABOUT EVE
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE?
MR SKEFFINGTON
DARK VICTORY
JUAREZ
A STOLEN LIFE
Both of her Elizabeth I movies

Love the list above and would like to see OLD AQUAINTANCE and OF HUMAN BONDAGE.

Updated On: 11/6/04 at 01:50 PM

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 11/6/04 at 2:13pm

Did anyone see the parady of A STOLEN LIFE on Carol Burnett--Burnett played "both" Twin Sisters at the same time in "A Swiped Life"--it's PRICELESS! :)

[MaTakeALookAtMe]

Posted: 11/6/04 at 2:44pm

I love this thread! Thanks for the quotes DGrant...

[Jon]

Posted: 11/6/04 at 5:13pm

I like her as the sweet young ingenue of THE PETRIFIED FOREST. She was quite beautiful in a waifish way - looked kind of like Brittany Murphy.

[BwayLover]

Posted: 11/7/04 at 2:12am

Did you ever see the picture of Susan Sarandon where she was made up to look like Bette Davis in OF HUMAN BONDAGE? The resemblance was uncanny!

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 11/7/04 at 8:12am

No, BL, NEVER saw that.

Could you maybe surf the Internet and dig it up for us?

[son_of_a_gunn_25]

Posted: 11/7/04 at 8:17am

http://www.themakeupgallery.info/likeness/stars/30s.htm There ya go ME.

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 11/7/04 at 8:23am

THANKS, soag25!!! :)

[Glebb]

Posted: 11/7/04 at 12:11pm

Don't remember much of the "Swiped Life" sketch. Only know that I will never forget the title. :)

[broadwaystar2b]

Posted: 11/7/04 at 12:18pm

I don't think there are ANY movie actresses today that can hold a CANDLE to Ms.Davis in All About Eve.
I have one qualm with her though, and this is a paraphase, but I believe she once said that people only work on Broadway because they can't make it to Hollywood.

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 11/7/04 at 12:49pm

Although I don't know for sure, I find it hard to believe that Davis would say something like that.

She was trained to be a classic stage actress at a Dramatic School (one of her classmates was Lucille Ball) and did four shows on Broadway before being signed by Warner Brothers for film roles.

Later, when her film career began to wane, she returned to Broadway and did three shows (including TWO'S COMPANY--a musical!!! The First Act Finale was a musical parody of Somerset Maughm's classic RAIN called "Roll Along, Sadie.")