Dark Victory

US (1939): Drama

In one of the roles most identified with Bette Davis, she shows her quicksilver ability to change emotional tempo from flighty high-handedness to despair to brave resignation. As a beautiful, effervescent social butterfly she leads a carefree life until she learns she has a fatal brain tumor. Given a respite by the healing hands of her handsome young doctor (George Brent), she falls in love with both him and life itself. Edmund Goulding directs an excellent Warner Bros. cast that includes Humphrey Bogart, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Ronald Reagan and Henry Travers. Beware the colorized version.

Davis' character, Judith Traherne, was played on stage by Tallulah Bankhead in the short-lived production of the play that was written by George Emmerson Brewer Jr. and Bertram Bloch. (amctv.com)

 Use this link to view the original theatrical trailer for Dark Victory on TCM.com.

3 nominations