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38 out of 45 people found the following comment useful :-
Restrained, But Emotionally Jarring Film, 5 May 2005

Author: nycritic

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Film-making at its best is what describes THE LITTLE FOXES, directed by William Wyler, shot by Gregg Toland -- he of deep focus fame -- adapted from a Lillian Hellman play and with Bette Davis playing a ruthless matriarch with a velvet glove.

How far can greed take a person? This seems to be the question lingering over anyone who witnesses the story of the Hubbard's plot to secure money for a cotton mill they plan to run to expand their wealth even more. It's certainly a question that doesn't faze any of the Hubbard siblings -- they need 75,000 dollars to complete it and will get it one way or another --, certainly not Regina Giddens, who also intends to use her estranged husband's bonds for this purpose. That she effectively manipulates her daughter Alexandra into bringing him back to the house proves just what she can do to get what she wants, and an easy proof is the way she lazily relaxes over the sofa, regarding everything with semi-droopy eyes, knowing full well the extent of what she owns, and that it won't take long for her to own even more. That even when he shows signs of failing health she doesn't back down -- she will hound him for every penny he's got, even if it means letting him die without his medication, as she calmly does after a scene of verbal recriminations.

A cruel story that never feels preachy, THE LITTLE FOXES translates better on the screen than on the page: much like THE CHILDREN'S HOUR, much to the respect of those who admire Lillian Hellman's plays, there are many flaws throughout that seem a little forced in either resolution or non-resolution. The film version goes much deeper in establishing the moral decay of a family while adding another -- that of David Hewitt, played by Richard Carlson -- to give some contrast to the amount of unlikeable characters that populate Hellman's view of 1900's America. Having Toland take full charge of his particular way of composition in service of the story as opposed to style over substance is the key to making this movie and its performances work; otherwise it would be just another chamber drama in three acts. His and Wyler's direction allow for every minute detail in Davis' top-notch performance to come through: the chilling scene with her sitting in the sofa, looking dead ahead, as her husband crawls to his death up the stairs, is one of remarkable power -- more so due to its restraint of emotion, as is the final scene when she watches Alexandra leave and retreats from the windows into shadows.

There's an interesting similarity in this film and Ingmar Bergman's CRIES AND WHISPERS. Both films had a virtuous person who was near death, both films had characters who were essentially monsters flaunting their ugliness to each other, each movie had one sympathetic female who walks away from the claustrophobic household and into a better future. Obviously the similarity is thematic; siblings as monsters have been seen since Shakespeare, but in a time where period dramas relied more on romance and less on the underlying yet savage cruelty people inflict on each other, THE LITTLE FOXES is definitely one who has dated well. The only scene which lacks a little punch is the final scene in which Alexandra confronts Regina. It diminishes Alexandra's character somewhat, makes her weak, but I think also it's the choice Teresa Wright took when applying herself to this role; plus, it was her first film appearance against none other than Bette Davis in full command of Who she was. Aside from that, this is a somewhat difficult yet absorbing drama to watch, and after seeing Davis as Regina Giddens, it would be hard to see Tallulah conveying Regina's cold cruelty. A great film.

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26 out of 31 people found the following comment useful :-
Magnificent adaptation of Hellman's hit play, 17 February 2003
Author: heathnick69 from Stonehaven, Scotland

As the greedy, conniving Regina Giddons, Bette Davis gives a fascinating performance which ranks with her very finest. Tallulah Bankhead had her greatest stage success playing Regina on Broadway in 1939. Wyler wanted Davis to portray Regina with a more sympathetic "hot house" flavour, but Bette was adamant that the character was a witch in spades: the resulting performance is striking. Regina Giddons is a classic example of a character movie viewers love to hate. Carl Benton Reid is great as the equally greedy brother and Dan Duryea is fine as Leo the crumb. As Alexandra, Teresa Wright is almost annoyingly innocent in the beginning, but she wisens up considerably towards the end of the film: "Why, Alexandra, you have spirit after all. I used to think you were all sugar-water" says a frankly impressed Regina. As the alcoholic flibbertigibbet Birdie, Patricia Collinge is perfection personified: a truly memorable portrait brilliantly enacted. Herbert Marshall is fine as the tragically deceived Horace who shouldn't depend on his "lovely" wife to fetch his heart medicine for him. A magnificent example of a great play transferred to film, Wyler's guiding hand is patent throughout: they definitely don't make films like this anymore - no matter what the cost.

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18 out of 20 people found the following comment useful :-
Crisp Dialog, Great Acting & Photography, 27 September 2006

Author: ccthemovieman-1 from Lockport, NY, United States

This was a surprisingly good movie - for me, not people who like Bette Davis and melodramas. They got what they hoped for, another solid film with her starring in it. I don't particularly care for Davis or "soaps," but I liked this film and see it more of a straight drama, anyway, especially because of the crisp dialog.

It's a story about money and how to use it or how to acquire more of it through deceit and greed. Davis, as "Regina Gidden," is the most greedy of the Gidden clan, vying for more money with her brothers who aren't exactly trustworthy people themselves. Among the three, there wasn't anyone to root for since the family shared in their lust for money. Davis does her normal excellent acting job but I enjoyed Charles Dingle as "(Uncle) Ben Hubbard" best. I liked his lines more than anyone's and the way he delivered them. Carl Benton Reid played the other greedy Hubbard brother, "Oscar" and Dan Duryea was interesting as Oscar's dumb son, 'Leo."

Herbert Marshall was good, too, as Regina's husband "Horace." He was an honest, principled man and thus, the black sheep in that household. Unfortunately, he was dying and his death played a big part in this story.

The sub-plot in this tale is the coming-of-age of Hubbard daughter "Alexandra" played by Teresa Wright. Her "coming of age" translates to finally standing up to her domineering mother. Richard Carlson plays her reluctant boyfriend "David Hewitt" who, in the end, is won over when "Alexandra" grows up.

So, this excellent cast, complemented by an outstanding director in William Wyler and world-class cinematographer Gregg Toland all adds up to a solid, memorable film.

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27 out of 38 people found the following comment useful :-
Want to know what "greed" means?, 25 August 2004

Author: Henry Fields (kikecam@teleline.es) from Spain

One of the several masterpieces made by master William Wyler, and definetely one of the best movies of all times. As he did in The Letter, Mr. Wyler counted on Bette Davis and Herbert Marshall to play the leading roles in Little Foxes; and the choice worked out perfectly again.

I'm sure that some of the others reviewers will have written about the story of Little Foxes (greed, betrayal, hate... against honesty and loyalty), so I won't. I'll talk about some other things:

-Bette Davis: for me there're no more than 5 actresses which would deserve the title of "best actress ever": Katharine Hepburn, Ingrid Bergman, Audrey Hepburn, Barbra Stanwyck, and of course Bette. She was the best playing evil women, heartless, unmerciful ones. And there's no doubt that the character of Reggina Gibbens gathers all those characteristics together. The performing of Bette Davis is memorable (as expected), and the way she says things such as "I don't hate you, I just feel contempt for you"... that are just like a punch in your face. There should be a picture of Mrs. Davis in the dictionaries next to that sentence that says "look that kills". Bette Davis was the look that killed.

-The Film: "Millimetric" it would be a nice word to define the script. Some of the dialogues of Little Foxes are part of the history of cinema, especially the ones between Reggina and her husband. The scene in which she watches him have a heartattack is simply devastating. There are lots of long shot-sequences that intensify the tension, and Wyler's sense of rhythm is something to be shown in Cinema School even nowadays (especially nowadays).

We got the Gioconda, the Basílica of San Pedro in Vatican, the Guernica... and we got movies such as The Little Foxes.

My rate: 10/10

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21 out of 28 people found the following comment useful :-
Watchable study of greed...Davis at her best..., 28 March 2004
Author: Neil Doyle from U.S.A.

The only other film I can think of that matches this one for its study of greed is TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE. Both have a rather downbeat and moralistic ending, but here the sudden end to the story comes as a bit of a disappointment. Too bad that William Wyler didn't stress the "loneliness" theme of Bette's character to give more strength to the ending that merely shows her watching her daughter walking away from her in the rain with a young man.

But aside from the abrupt and rather weak ending, this is a magnificent version of the Lillian Hellman stage play. I saw Elizabeth Taylor in a Broadway revival of the show years ago and she left none of the impact that BETTE DAVIS does here. Davis had the benefit of William Wyler's direction, as did all other members of the cast.

HERBERT MARSHALL is excellent as the only truly decent main character in the story. His performance here is reminiscent of the work he did as Bette's weak husband in THE LETTER--but the scene where she denies him his medicine is as brilliantly played and filmed as any scene in the entire film.

TERESA WRIGHT is a bit sugary as the sweet daughter but rises to the final moments--although I thought her last confrontation with her mother could have been even more harsh than Wyler permitted it to be. She and Davis were both Oscar nominated but lost to others. This scene loses some of its vitality due to Wright's low-key playing.

All the other performers are more than equal to their tasks and the beautiful deep focus B&W photography of Gregg Toland is remarkable and deepens the tone of the story. Charles Dingle stands out particularly in the supporting cast, as Bette's conniving brother who is left, in the end, with nothing but a "sense of humor" about the outcome. Dan Duryea is convincing as the dumb Leo and Richard Carlson does nicely as Wright's boyfriend who realizes that she has a lot of learning to do about the household before she grows up.

Most chilling aspect of the whole film is Bette Davis' towering performance as Regina--perhaps the most realistic of all of her "bad" roles.

But for an even more powerful study of greed, I suggest you watch TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE.

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13 out of 14 people found the following comment useful :-
Davis is unforgettable, 1 September 1999
Author: Robert D. Ruplenas

This film fully deserves its reputation as one of the most scorching dramas of greed and corruption ever placed on celluloid. A deceptively slow start soon draws into the machinations of the Hubbard clan whose brazen backstabbings and betrayals even today make our jaws drop. Davis' stunning portrayal of the supremely grasping Regina Giddens leads a stellar cast which does a superb job of delineating a finely drawn group of characters. Charles Dingle's deceptively warm smile masks the cooly intelligent deviousness of Ben Hubbard. Carl Reid's Oscar Hubbard is just as malicious but his inferior intelligence makes him yield to his brother's and sister's lead. Dan Duryea nicely portrays the imbecilic and immature Leo Hubbard, a characterization which borders on but never crosses over into comedy. Patricia Collinge breaks our hearts as the broken-spirited and alcoholic Birdie, Oscar's wife. Herbert Marshall's performance as the doomed Horace, Regina's husband, delineates the pain, anger, and sense of betrayal burning beneath his deathly illness. The star of the proceedings, however, is clearly Davis. Wyler's superb direction blends all these characters into a masterful whole.

Hellman's skill as a dramatist must be credited for much of this, but her Marxist inclinations clearly peep through the seams of the dialogue.

I'm glad I finally had a chance to see this undoubted classic. Thanks again to that great channel, American Movie Classics.

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15 out of 20 people found the following comment useful :-
Turn To Stone, 29 September 2004

Author: BumpyRide from TCM's Basement

Like a fine locomotive, this film picks up steam with each passing scene. Each building upon the next, gaining speed until it culminates in a cinematic masterpiece, and the expression "Betty Davis Eyes" is born!

Not having seen the entire movie until recently, I knew about the "staircase" scene, and everyone knows which one I'm referring to, my heart raced as I kept waiting for it to happen. It's a superb, disturbing moment, with Bette giving a look that could turn Medusa to stone!

Theresa Wright has long been a favorite of mine. Some people have said her character was too nice and sweet. Perhaps, but Xan was probably supposed to be around the age of 16, but she holds her own against Bette. Patricia Collinge was incredible, giving a controlled yet brittle performance of an abused wife who turns to alcohol. In fact the entire ensemble works so well together that there is no weak link in the production.

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8 out of 9 people found the following comment useful :-
Communists???, 9 May 2005

Author: jsmmov from United States

First of all, I really like this movie . The whole cast is fine. I especially like Herbert Marshall, Patricia Collinge, Teresa Wright, Charles Dingle, Jessica Grayson, and especially Bette Davis. Her magnificent portrayal should have won her the best actress Oscar. I disagree with two previous reviewers. I find no leftist dialog in this movie. Birdie and Horace are voicing disapproval of those individuals who charge exorbitant interest in order to cheat poor and working class people. This is not called Communism. It is called Christianity. And one reviewer has misquoted David's line in order to try to prove his point. The line is NOT "The white folks have the money...", but rather, "The white folks have the pianos, but the black folks have the voices". Please spare us the hysterical Commie hunters who see Reds under every bed! And one reviewer said that they liked Leo. LEO????? He is one of the most despicable characters in the movie. He is greedy, weak, and stupid. The line changes which this reviewer suggested are simply sappy. They would destroy Ms. Hellman's brilliant script. Birdie SHOULD dislike Leo. He completely unlikeable. And when David knocks Leo down, it is well deserved. Leo is a pig. In fact, all of the greedy monsters in this movie deserve what they get in the end. It's poetic justice.

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12 out of 17 people found the following comment useful :-
"I hope you die! I've been waiting for you to die!", 28 December 2004

Author: cubertfilm-1 from Los Angeles, CA, USA

The Little Foxes is as entertaining today as it was in 1941. Lillian Hellman's theatrical hit with Tallulah Bankhead is magnificently brought to the screen by William Wyler with Bette Davis in the TB role. Davis received her fourth straight Oscar nomination (her sixth over all at that point in her career) for portraying Regina Giddons. It is a performance that rates among the best ever created by Davis, or any other actress for that matter.

Greg Toland's deep focus photography rivals that of his work on Citizen Kane.

It's nine Oscar nominations include Teresa Wright's for best supporting actress.

This was the third and last time Davis and Wyler worked together. During the shoot the two did not get along -- Davis even walked off the set and was almost replaced by Goldwyn. She was loaned to Goldwyn as part of a trade out for Warner Bros to have Gary Cooper for Sgt. York -- he took home the Oscar for best actor.

Dorothy Parker translated the theatrical script for the screen adding more location scenes for Wright.

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7 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :-
Hubbard Family Values, 5 April 2007

Author: bkoganbing from Buffalo, New York

Lillian Hellman's The Little Foxes went from Broadway to Hollywood after it ran 410 performances in the 1939-1940 season through the good offices of Sam Goldwyn. Five members of the Broadway cast came west and repeated their roles, Patricia Collinge, Carl Benton Reid, Charles Dingle, Dan Duryea, and John Marriott. But the lead part of Regina Giddens which gave Tallulah Bankhead her career role on Broadway went to a proved movie name, Bette Davis. Bette then made the part all her own.

Davis is the sister of Ben and Oscar Hubbard, Charles Dingle and Carl Benton Reid. They are a family of trades people, poor white trash in those halcyon years in the South before the Civil War. When the war laid the genteel planter class low, these are the people who prospered and became what was euphemistically entitled 'the new South.'

They're a tough and ruthless family, but they are survivors though the next generation shows little promise because Dan Duryea who is the son of Reid and Patricia Collinge is an idiot and Teresa Wright, the daughter of Davis and Herbert Marshall will be rejecting the values of the previous Hubbard generation.

I don't think Lillian Hellman's Marxist leanings were ever more prominently on display in her writing as in The Little Foxes. Though the characters she creates are brilliant, the elder Hubbards are a rather heavy handed symbols for greedy capitalism. It's not quite clear where Teresa Wright and her suitor Richard Carlson will be on the political spectrum having rejected Hubbard family values.

The plot of the play itself is that Dingle and Reid are ready to invest in a cotton mill with northern businessman Russell Hicks. But they need more money which they're hoping Marshall and Davis will provide. That leads to all kinds of complications, legal and moral for the family.

Hellman left it open as to what will happen. My guess is that she honestly didn't know. Like most Marxists of the day, especially American Marxists, they sat and waited for the great come and get it revolution like fervent Pentacostals waiting for the Judgement Day. Wright in fact wishes for a society where people like her mother and uncles don't run things.

Sadly and this is the weakness of The Little Foxes is that Hellman drew her characters too well. I'd be willing to bet that Ben and Oscar would find a way to wind up Commisars if they had been transplanted into Russia during the revolution. Idealists had a short life span in the early days of the Soviet Union, never more so than after Joseph Stalin took over. Whatever else they are, the Hubbards ain't idealists.

Still The Little Foxes is a riveting drama that will keep your interest through the whole film even if you don't buy the message totally.

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