Dark Victory (1939)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Edmund Goulding

Writers:

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

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.

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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Black Ace	...	Judith's Horse (uncredited)
Marian Alden	...	Judith's friend (uncredited)
Wilda Bennett	...	Judith's friend (uncredited)
Diane Bernard	...	Lucy (a servant) (uncredited)
Richard Bond	...	Judith's friend (uncredited)
Sidney Bracey	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Nat Carr	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Glen Cavender	...	Headwaiter (uncredited)
Mary Currier	...	Nightclub singer (uncredited)
Frank Darien	...	Anxious little man (uncredited)
Edgar Edwards	...	Trainer (uncredited)
Paulette Evans	...	Judith's friend (uncredited)
Jack A. Goodrich	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Eddie Graham	...	Doctor (uncredited)
John Harron	...	George (man taking Judith's coat) (uncredited)
Leyland Hodgson	...	Judith's friend (uncredited)
Stuart Holmes	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Alexander Leftwich	...	Specialist #2 (uncredited)
Frank Mayo	...	Judith's friend (uncredited)
Will Morgan	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Jack Mower	...	Veterinarian (uncredited)
David Newell	...	Judith's friend (uncredited)
Wedgwood Nowell	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Ila Rhodes	...	Secretary (uncredited)
John Ridgely	...	Man making crack about Judith (uncredited)
Speirs Ruskell	...	Henry Curtiss (Dr. Steele's assistant) (uncredited)
Cliff Saum	...	Moving Man (uncredited)
Jeffrey Sayre	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Rosella Towne	...	Girl in box (uncredited)
William Worthington	...	Specialist #1 (uncredited)
Maris Wrixon	...	Judith's friend (uncredited)

Directed by
Edmund Goulding

Writing credits
Casey Robinson		(screenplay)
George Emerson Brewer Jr.		(play) and
Bertram Bloch		(play)

Produced by
David Lewis	....	associate producer
Hal B. Wallis	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Max Steiner
Howard Jackson		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Ernest Haller		(photographed by) (as Ernie Haller)

Film Editing by
William Holmes

Art Direction by
Robert M. Haas		(as Robert Haas)

Costume Design by
Orry-Kelly		(gowns)

Production Management
Jack L. Warner	....	executive in charge of production
Robert Ross	....	unit manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Frank Heath	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Robert B. Lee	....	sound

Stunts
Audrey Scott	....	riding double: Bette Davis (uncredited)

Music Department
Leo F. Forbstein	....	musical director
Hugo Friedhofer	....	orchestral arranger

Other crew
Irving Rapper	....	dialogue director (uncredited)
Dr. Leo Morton Schulman	....	technical advisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• First National Pictures
• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1939) (USA) (theatrical)
• Key Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1997) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (????) (USA) (video)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)

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:

Bette Davis said that this was her favorite role to play.

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 Baby Blue Marine (1976)

Soundtrack:

Vienna Blood

A great Bette Davis movie, but I was surprised it had a credit error.

I've seen this movie three times (once in a theater) and it seems to get better with each viewing. There is no question that this is one of the best movies Bette Davis had made, with her skill evident in every scene she's in. With an able supporting cast, especially by Geraldine Fitzgerald and George Brent, and a fine Max Steiner score, movies do not get much better. I loved the scene where she orders "prognosis negative" in a restaurant just to let Brent and Fitzgerald know that she knows she's been lied to about her condition. It's just a wonderful movie.

I was surprised that such a prestigious film would have a credit error. The end credits list Lottie Williams as playing Lucy, where in fact she plays Agatha. Lucy was played by Diane Bernard.