Bette Davis Eyes

[electrolux137]

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<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="9td4m-0-0"><span data-offset-key="9td4m-0-0"><span data-text="true">WOW! Look who was on Perry Mason: Bette Davis! She played an attorney who took on a case for Mason while he was laid up (in the hospital apparently). </span></span></div>
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<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="fbrku-0-0"><span data-offset-key="fbrku-0-0"><span data-text="true">Does anyone know if this was for more than one episode? She pretty much chewed up the scenery as usual but was very entertaining -- if not quite believable as an attorney......</span></span></div>
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[gottahaveahoove]

I saw it too.

Wasn't shegreat?  Our classic "Miss Bette".

 

[caligula]

My favorite Bette Davis movie is "All about Eve!" second favorite is "Now Voyager."

 

[cuffs054]

Caligula, you have great taste! I totally agree.

 

[danorob1]

Just finished watching "what ever happened to baby Jane"...
Love it...

 

[gottahaveahoove]

I watched it again last Sat

I can watch it w/o the sound, lol.


 Tonight begins "Feud"... the story about the making of it.  But, I don't have that cable.

 

[vacerator]

John,

I watched it last night. In the beginning, the gal playing Betty Davis sounds more like Katherine Hepburn. I think it's hard for any actress to play those two.
The producer wanting to make Baby Jane had the funds, but no studio, so he asked Jack Warner to do it. "Are you kidding me?" After Betty sued me to release her from her contract? No way! She caused the entire studio contract structure to crumble even though I won. No, I won't work with either of those two again.
So then the new producer tells Warner; "she only wanted better scripts." "I'll pay you first!" Then he agrees to make the movie. Both actresses had script issues with their studios, but he tells Warner movies are not doing well because of television, and the only genre' TV isn't currently in is horror, and baby Jane will bring in revenue.
At the contract signing Joan keeps pushing a bottle of Pepsi in front of Betty, and Betty keeps pushing it away. Joan realizes Betty was offered $600 more per week, so she doesn't sign. She tells the producer, it's not the money, it's about respect. "I want $1,500." I will gain Betty's respect.

 

[gottahaveahoove]

Somehow I'll get to see it.

It would be almost impossible to portray either of them perfectly. I have the book, "Divine Feud". It tells numerous stories about the making of that film . Gotta love it all!

 

[air-waycharlie]

As someone who has studied both for nearly 40 years, been to their childhood homes, read every biography about them and books on Warner Bros. and MGM studios--the TV show is an extremely poor depiction of two of the greatest female stars in the 20th century. I suffered through part one last night.

No disrespect intended, but Susan Sarandon looks nothing like Bette Davis and Jessica Lange,now where do I begin with that look? (IMHO too much nip and tuck.) Joan and Bette must be turning in their graves. Attempting to define these great ladies of filmdom in a limited TV series is nothing short of disgraceful. For some reason, the gossip mongers of Hollywood want to promote their feud. In that era if men were ballsy and spoke out, they were, "real men". When women did it, they were bitches. Seems reasonable, right?

Since the show is on FX, (who?), most people won't see it or even hear of it. My generation will continue to remember them both as actresses that left an indelible mark on Hollywood in their day and for generations of inspiring actresses to come.

They were both different with different styles. But the films.....aaahhh... those wonderful black and white masterpieces that still entertain and fascinate. Now go out and rent or Netflix your favorite and skip the drivel.

 

[caligula]

Thanks for the kind words.

Hi cuffsO54:

Caligula, being a cat, was not a movie buff, the only thing he liked was to sleep on the couch next to me as I watched the movies with Bette Davis, Tracy/Hepburn, Bogart/Bacall, and many others.

Here he is getting into the packages on Christmas morning of 1987.

Alex Taber.

 

[gottahaveahoove]

I've only heard less than stellar

reviews on this series. No one seems to think the acting was that great. Certainly, Jessica Lange looks like a very 'pained' Joan. I still think I want to see it. But, everyone I know who has seen it is less than impressed. It would be darn near impossible to really do either of them justice. It's hard to imitate/portray people like these. I just saw the film; "Jackie"... TWICE It was THAT good. The actress who portrayed her was wonderful: the voice, etc. It puts Jackie in a very different light. The only detail I was shocked to see missed was that Jackie was left-handed. In this movie, she was not. How that could have 'slipped by' is beyond me. YES: I miss VERY LITTLE ..... in many aspects.

 

[cuffs054]

Alex, do you remember the name of the movie where Bette played Judith Trahearn, the rich socalite with brain cancer?

 

[air-waycharlie]

"All About Eve", was shown today on the big screen in Charlotte as part of the TCM Fathom Event features.

It is soooo much better on the big screen in all it's glory. Bette Davis is just wonderful as is the whole film ensemble.

Next month we will have the Hitchcock film, "North By Northwest", another perfect film.

(The Davis film referenced in the previous post is, "Dark Victory".)

 

[caligula]

As for Dark Victory.

Did you know that Humphrey Bogart had a small part in this one? Bette teamed up with Bogart again in Marked Woman. And let's not forget that it was Bette who got Bogart started when they did The Petrified Forest.

Another favorite of mine is Dead Ringer. Bette kills her twin, takes her place and all hell breaks loose.

 

[caligula]

Eve!

Hi Charlie, have you read the book 'All about all about Eve?' Interesting and a great look at the background.

As to the Bette Davis/ Jack Warner fight, he said "she'll never work in this town again" but changed his tune with All about Eve.

On another note, Lauren Bacall was awesome as Margo Channing in the musical Applause, which I had the pleasure of seeing opening night on Broadway. Bacall in a gay bar stopped the show. So did Bonnie Franklin (One day at a time) when she sang the title song.

 

[cuffs054]

Thanks Air Way, that's it. I also remember seeing a b/w movie that takes place in England(?). Bette plays the wife whose husband had been missing for years. He comes back but she's in love with someone else. She knocks him off but gets caught by the friendly village doc. It has to be 40yrs ago but I still remember Bette doing her thing in this huge english manor house.

 

[vacerator]

The acting

in the new series can only be as good as Susan and Jessica are able to portray two very unique actress styles, but the stories are what makes it.
It rekindles memories of their films and personalities. I think they and even Faye Dunaway would approve.
I'm looking forward to more episodes myself.
"but Blanche, ya are in that chair." "I've written a letter to daddy".
Wire hangers and all, Hush hush sweet Charlotte (Olivia Dehaviland is another favorite), and love for a blind pianist in one film too. Then there was Trog, and the circus movie.
Even if all their films weren't box office smashes, there were good scenes by them in all of them. Betty even plays a flight instructor in I think a Disney production?

 

[air-waycharlie]

Cuffs054,

The first films that come to mind with a plot similar to what you described are, "Deception", and, "The Great Lie". Do either of those titles sound familiar?

If you like Miss Davis, both are definitely worth viewing.

Vacerator,

Don't forget, "Strait Jacket". It was so campy and bad that it is good. When Lucy Harbin, (Joan Crawford), lights her cigarette after striking a match on a spinning record.............well, it's pure Crawford camp in a pure Crawford film at the close of her career. One of my favorites!

Alex,

I did read that book and thanks for mentioning it. There was an excerpt in, "Vanity Fair", several years ago.

 

[vacerator]

That dress!

and the muffin top too! Priceless!