With his wise and wellinformed take on the production and accomplishments of such movie milestones as jezebel, all about eve, and now, voyager, as well as the turbulent life and complicated personality of the actress who made them, sikovs dark victory brings to life the twotime academy awardwinning actresss unmistakable screen style, and. Dark victory is a 1934 broadway play written by george brewer jr. She would need all that strength when she faced illness in her final years, knowing that she could achieve a dark victory by meeting death on her terms. In dark victory, noted film critic and biographer ed sikov paints the most detailed picture ever delivered of bette davis, the intelligent, opinionated, and unusual woman who wasin the words of a close friendone of the major events of the twentieth century. Read the full synopsis of dark victory, 1939, directed by edmund goulding, with bette davis, george brent, humphrey bogart, at turner classic movies. I thought tchaikovskys swan lake would render the tragic dimension of the characters destiny. Dark victory is a part comic book series written by jeph loeb and drawn by tim sale. Free shipping and pickup in store on eligible orders. I write more about her films than about, say, her marriages because i care about them a great deal more and because they define her legacy in a way a series of failed husbands cannot.
Nov 12, 2007 the legendary film star bette davis was what might charitably be called a real piece of work. With ed sikovs dark victory as evidence, i submit that the answer is a reluctant. The first half of the book goes through her movies one by one,and tells you how she got to be in that movie,who her costars were and her many disagreements with just about every director or costar she had. Dark victory is essential reading for anyone interested in bette davis, even though much has already been written about her. The life of bette davis paperback september 30, 2008 by ed sikov author. Dark victory was irishborn actress geraldine fitzgeralds first american film, after having appeared in films made in england, and on the broadway stage. Keeping bette davis in the dark, even this kinder and gentler bette, is never an easy proposition or a truly good idea.
The life and times of billy wilder, 1999 steps into the ring with battlin bette of warner bros. The life of bette davis, i saw a way to update my knowledge of this great actress and i learned a lot. A comprehensive biography of the actress who defied the hollywood moguls to. The legendary hollywood star blazes a fiery trail in this enthralling portrait of a brilliant actress and the movies her talent elevated to. The legendary film star bette davis was what might charitably be called a real piece of work. The screenplay by casey robinson was based on the 1934 play of the same title by george brewer and bertram bloch, starring tallulah bankhead. Cigarettes were to bette davis what a bottle of southern comfort was to janis joplin or a halfunbuttoned black. Per biographer ed sikov, in his 2007 book dark victory. April 5, 1908 october 6, 1989 was an american actress of film, television and theater. Bette davis daughter margot merrill lived mostly out of. Nov 07, 2016 bette davis aunt charlotte meets dr jaquith from now voyager 1942 duration. Dark victory is the story of bette daviss life as focused through her art. Bette davis, a personal biography applause books by charlotte chandler. The long halloween and was originally published from 1999 to 2000 by dc comics.
Bette davis speaks is the first interview book with the late legend. A young socialite is diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor, and must decide whether or not shell meet her final days with dignity. Frederick steele george brent, quite a bit stiffer than he was as a southern charmer in jezebel, also opposite davis. Bette davis prognosis negative from dark victory 1939. But soon enough, dark victory returns to its characteristic register, and when judith decides to turn the tables on hubby frederick and keep her own secrets, the movie reprises its. Wallis convinced davis that she could actually benefit by using these reallife emotions of pain and loss to enhance the portrayal of her character judith. But then davis would up her game and deliver an extraordinary scene. Judith traherne bette davis is a very wealthy long island heiress whose life is a constant whirl of cocktails, parties, and wild living. Mar 12, 2017 in dark victory, noted film critic and biographer ed sikov paints the most detailed picture ever delivered of bette davis, the intelligent, opinionated, and unusual woman who was.
Dark victory by edmund goulding bette davis, george brent. Bette davis, versatile, volatile american actress whose raw, unbridled intensity kept her at the top of her profession for 50 years. Nov 04, 2007 life was a bumpy ride for bette davis, a tempestuous star who played tempestuous characters. The last time i saw bette davis, she was in her dotage, the painful ravages of cancer and a paralyzing stroke cruelly evident. In dark victory, bette davis judith traherne continually shifts between putting on a brave face and letting it slip. Dark victory is a 1939 american drama film directed by edmund goulding, starring bette davis and featuring george brent, humphrey bogart, geraldine. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Dark victory ought to be a bad bette davis vehicle these do exist. This was the eighth, of eleven, onscreen teaming of bette davis and george brent. Sep 18, 2017 bette davis battled studio bosses, husbands and rivals during her long acting career, establishing a tough persona in real life to match her enduring hollywood image. Dark victory is a 1939 film based on a 1934 stageplay. With bette davis, george brent, humphrey bogart, geraldine fitzgerald. According to davis biographer ed sikov in dark victory, frye accompanied davis back to her home, where the actressunsure of what else to dobegan making a breakfast of scrambled eggs and.
Sep 12, 2017 then came the publication of a book by bettes daughter barbara hyman. The legendary hollywood star blazes a fiery trail in this enthrall. The legendary hollywood star blazes a fiery trail in this enthralling portrait of a brilliant actress and the movies her talent elevated to greatness she was. The life of bette davis, the film star said that margot at 8 years old was in all other ways, except for her size. Dark victory is a 1939 american drama film directed by edmund goulding, starring bette davis and featuring george brent, humphrey bogart, geraldine fitzgerald, ronald reagan, henry travers and cora witherspoon. Unlike a spate of prior biographies, here the leading lady and womanaheadofhertime speaks for herself in more than a dozen interviews with journalist and confidant boze hadleigh from the mid1970s on. Life was a bumpy ride for bette davis, a tempestuous star who played tempestuous characters. Bette davis gave a strongly emotional performance of heiress judith traherne in dark victory. The official facebook page for dark victory ive crammed every minute so full of waste. Offscreen, bette davis suffered a nervous breakdown during filming as a result of her crumbling marriage to harmon nelson. Drawing on new interviews with friends, directors, and admirers, as well as archival. With a career spanning 60 years and 100 acting credits, she is regarded as one of the greatest actresses in hollywood history. Bette davis earned an oscar nomination for her role in the classic fourhanky tearjerker dark victory.
The life of bette davis and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. Sikov spends twothirds of the book documenting the grueling production of most of the 52 films. Though its embrasure of love, marriage, and romance feel petty against its betters, dark victory is a good film in and of itself, propelled by a great bette davis performance and george brents. It premiered on november 7 at the plymouth theatre and ran until december 19.
Long before susan sarandon, julia roberts, debra winger and ali macgraw all died tragically young from an incurable disease in stepmom, steel magnolias, terms of endearment and love story respectively, bette davis did it in the 1939 three hanky weeper dark victory. Davis, in 1939, was the biggest star in the firmament. Bette daviss assistant wants to set the record straight. Ed sikov a biography of bette davis, focusing on her acting career, drawing from interviews with friends, directors, and admirers, archival research, and a new look at her films to provide insights into her. Clip from dark victory judy becomes blind duration.
The life of bette davis hardcover october 30, 2007 by ed sikov author. The life of bette davis by professor ed sikov online at alibris. In dark victory, the noted film critic and biographer ed sikov paints the most detailed picture ever delivered of this intelligent, opinionated, and unusual woman who wasin the words of a close friendone of the major events of the twentieth century. She was known for such movies as of human bondage, jezebel, dark victory, the little foxes, all about eve, and whatever happened to baby jane.
The series takes place primarily during the thirdfourth year of batmans career. Then came the publication of a book by bettes daughter barbara hyman. Dark victory book, a book by david marr and marian wilkinson. She had four of them, all of whom found her difficult, cantankerous, sniping, rude. Tallulah bankhead originated the role of judith traherne in the broadway production, which ran for 51. Jan 16, 2010 bette davis gave a strongly emotional performance of heiress judith traherne in dark victory. A lively long island socialite suffering from headaches and blurred vision, judith is diagnosed with a brain tumor by dr. I have seen several of her films, including my favorites deception, the bride came c. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The book itself was a gift from the babys nursemaid, a mrs. Pure soap business, and could have been handled more interestingly.