Dark Victory (1939)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Edmund Goulding

Writers:

Casey Robinson (screenplay)
George Emerson Brewer Jr. (play) ...

Release Date:

22 April 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

"I've Crammed EVERY MINUTE SO FULL of waste. And now there's so little time. I don't know what to do. I'm afraid!"

Plot:

A young socialite is diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour, and must decide whether she'll meet her final days with dignity.

Plot Keywords:

Doctor | Brain Tumor | Secretary | Horse | Horse Trainer

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars.

US TV Schedule:

Thur. July 23

10:00 PM

TCM

Cast

Bette Davis	...	Judith Traherne
George Brent	...	Dr. Frederick Steele
Humphrey Bogart	...	Michael O'Leary
Geraldine Fitzgerald	...	Ann King
Ronald Reagan	...	Alec
Henry Travers	...	Dr. Parsons
Cora Witherspoon	...	Carrie
Dorothy Peterson	...	Miss Wainwright
Virginia Brissac	...	Martha
Charles Richman	...	Colonel Mantle
Herbert Rawlinson	...	Dr. Carter
Leonard Mudie	...	Dr. Driscoll
Fay Helm	...	Miss Dodd
Lottie Williams	...	Lucy

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #4835) | Germany:6

Filming Locations:

San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

First National Pictures

Trivia:

This was Bette Davis' biggest moneymaker up to that point in her career.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When the setting changes to Vermont towards the end of the film, there is snow on the ground and it is obviously winter. Yet most of the trees in front of the house still have leaves on them.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Michael O'Leary: [on the phone] Hello, there. Is this the house? I've been trying to get you.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Stars on Horseback (1943)

Soundtrack:

OH, GIVE ME TIME FOR TENDERNESS

Wonderful Sentimental Movie

The twenty-three years old wealthy sportswoman Judith Traherne (Bette Davis) has painful headaches and double-vision, and the family doctor, Dr. Parsons (Henry Travers), convinces her to go with her best friend Ann King (Geraldine Fitzgerald) to a consultation with a famous specialist. After the physical examination, Dr. Frederick Steele (George Brent) finds that Judy has a lethal glioma brain tumor, and he immediately operates her to withdraw the tumor. However, the result of the biopic examination indicates that she has less than six months of life, but Dr. Steele and Ann hides the diagnose from Judy. Meanwhile, Judy and Dr. Steele fall in love for each other, and they decide to get married and move to Vermont. But Judy finds the correspondence from the laboratory and very depressed, she starts to drink and have a promiscuous life. Later, she realizes that she should spend the last moments of her life with her love.

"Dark Victory" is a wonderful sentimental movie with three nominations to the Oscar: Best Lead Actress (Beth Davies), Best Music Score (Max Steiner) and Best Picture (David Lewis). Although having an unpleasant theme, the message is beautiful and never corny. Bette Davis is amazing in the lead role, very well supported by Geraldine Fitzgerald and George Brent. Humphrey Bogart in beginning of career in the role of a horse whisperer, and the ham actor Ronald Reagan in the role of a playboy have a minor participation. Warner do Brasil only recently released this DVD in Brazil, in a Box with three other excellent movies of Bette Davies. Unfortunately, the Brazilian DVD has a great error in Chapter 18: the subtitles of the lyric of the song "Time for Tenderness" have the word "@ confirmar" (meaning "to confirm") on each line. I believe that who translated the song, wanted to confirm the translation, and sent the draft without deleting the markings to the DVD authoring. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "Vitória Amarga" ("Bitter Victory")