For other uses, see Dark Victory.

Dark Victory
Poster promoting Oscar nominations
Directed by	Edmund Goulding
Written by	Casey Robinson Based on the play by George Brewer and Bertram Bloch
Starring	Bette Davis George Brent Humphrey Bogart Geraldine Fitzgerald
Music by	Max Steiner
Cinematography	Ernest Haller
Editing by	William Holmes
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release date(s)	April 22, 1939  United States
Running time	104 minutes
Language	English
IMDb profile

Dark Victory is a 1939 American drama film directed by Edmund Goulding. Edmund Goulding ( March 20, 1891 - December 24, 1959) was a film director Casey Robinson ( October 17, 1903 - December 6, 1979) was an American producer and director of mostly B Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (April 5 1908 – October 6 1989 was an American actress of Film, Television and Theatre. George Brent ( March 15 1899 - May 26 1979) was an Irish film and television Actor in American cinema. Geraldine Fitzgerald ( November 24, 1913 &ndash July 17, 2005) was an Academy Award -nominated Irish -American This article is about the film composer For other persons with the same name see Max Steiner. Ernest Haller, ASC also credited as Ernie B Haller, ( 31 May 1896 - 21 October 1970) was an American Cinematographer William Holmes may refer to William Holmes (academic, Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University 1732&ndash1735 William Holmes (1779-1851 Warner Bros Entertainment Inc (or Warner Bros, Warner Bros Pictures) is one of the world's largest producers of Film and The United States of America —commonly referred to as the English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States The year 1939 in film involved some significant events Events Movie historians and film buffs often look back on the year 1939 as "the The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A drama film is a Film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes Edmund Goulding ( March 20, 1891 - December 24, 1959) was a film director The screenplay by Casey Robinson was based on the unsuccessful 1934 play of the same title by George Brewer and Bertram Bloch. See also Pre-production Screenwriting A screenplay or script is a written plan authored by a Screenwriter, for a Film or Television Casey Robinson ( October 17, 1903 - December 6, 1979) was an American producer and director of mostly B

Plot synopsis

Judith Traherne is a young, carefree, hedonistic Long Island socialite/heiress with a passion for horses, fast cars, and too much smoking and drinking. Hedonism is the Philosophy that Pleasure is of ultimate importance, the most important pursuit Long Island is an island located in southeastern New York, USA, its western shores directly across from Manhattan, from which the island stretches Smoking is a practice where a substance most commonly Tobacco, is burned and the Smoke tasted or inhaled She initially ignores severe headaches and brief episodes of dizziness and double vision, but when she uncharacteristically takes a spill while riding, and then tumbles down a flight of stairs, her secretary/best friend Ann King insists she see the family doctor, who refers her to a specialist.

Dr. Frederick Steele is in the midst of closing his New York City office in preparation of a move to Brattleboro, Vermont, where he plans to devote his time to brain cell research and scientific study on their growth. The City of New York Brattleboro is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States, located in the southeast corner of the state along the state line with New Hampshire He reluctantly agrees to see Judith, who is cold and openly antagonistic toward him. She shows signs of short-term memory loss, but dismisses her symptoms. Steele convinces her the ailments she's experiencing are serious and potentially life-threatening, and puts his career plans on hold to tend to her.

When diagnostic tests confirm his suspicions, Judith agrees to surgery to remove a malignant brain tumor. A brain tumor is any intracranial Tumor created by abnormal and uncontrolled cell division, normally either in the Brain itself ( Neurons Steele discovers the tumor is inoperable, and realizes she has less than a year to live. The end will be painless but swift - shortly after experiencing total blindness, Judith will pass away.

In order to allow her a few more months of happiness, Steele opts to keep the diagnosis a secret and assures Judith and Ann the surgery was a success. Ann is suspicious and confronts Steele, who admits the truth. She agrees to remain silent.

Ronald Reagan and Bette Davis (center, left to right) in the film's trailer

Judith and Steele become involved romantically and eventually engaged. While helping his assistant pack the office prior to their departure for Vermont, Judith discovers her case history file containing letters from several doctors, all of them confirming a negative prognosis. Assuming Steele was marrying her out of pity, Judith breaks off the engagement and reverts to her former lifestyle. One day, her stablehand Michael O'Leary, who for years has loved her from afar, confronts her about her unruly behavior and she confesses she's dying. For other uses see Groom A groom is an employee who is responsible for some or all aspects of the welfare of a stable owner's Horses and/or Their conversation convinces her she should spend her final months happy, dignified, and with the man she loves. She apologizes to Steele, and the two marry and move to Vermont. (Throughout he film Judith and O'Leary engage in arguments about the prospects of a colt, Challenger. O'Leary insists Challenger will never make a racehorse while Judith sees him as a future cahampion, and just before her death O'Leary admits she was correct. )

Three months later, Ann comes to visit. She and Judith are in the garden planting bulbs when Judith comments on how odd it is she still feels the heat of the sun under the rapidly darkening skies. She realizes she actually is losing her vision and approaching the end. Steele is scheduled to present his most recent medical findings (which hold out the long-term prospect of a cure for this type of cancer) in New York, and Judith, making an excuse to remain home, helps him pack and sends him off. Then, after bidding Ann, her housekeeper Martha, and her dogs farewell, she climbs the stairs, gets into bed, and nestles under a comforter as the screen slowly fades to black.

Production notes

Tallulah Bankhead starred as Judith Traherne in the 1934 Broadway production, which ran for 51 performances at the Plymouth Theatre ^[1]. Tallulah Brockman Bankhead ( January 31, 1902 – December 12, 1968) was an American Actress, talk-show host and Broadway theater, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 39 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located The Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre is a legitimate Broadway theatre located at 236 West 45th Street ( George Abbott Way) in midtown- Manhattan.

In 1935, David O. Selznick wanted to cast Greta Garbo in Dark Victory, but Garbo chose to play the lead in Anna Karenina, instead. David O Selznick, born David Selznick ( May 10, 1902 &ndash June 22, 1965) was one of the iconic Hollywood producers Greta Garbo ( 18 September 1905 &ndash 15 April 1990) was a Swedish-American actress during Hollywood 's Anna Karenina is a critically acclaimed 1935 drama film directed by Clarence Brown.

Dark Victory was the eighth on-screen teaming of Bette Davis and George Brent. Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (April 5 1908 – October 6 1989 was an American actress of Film, Television and Theatre. George Brent ( March 15 1899 - May 26 1979) was an Irish film and television Actor in American cinema. Davis had recently ended affairs with William Wyler and Howard Hughes and her husband Ham Nelson had filed for divorce, and after the first few days of filming she begged to be released from her contract, claiming she was too sick to continue. William Wyler ( July 1, 1902 – July 27, 1981) was a four-time Academy Award -winning motion picture director Howard Robard Hughes Jr (December 24 1905 – April 5 1976 was an American Aviator, Industrialist, Film producer / director, Philanthropist Producer Hal Wallis responded, "I've seen the rushes - stay sick!" She found comfort with Brent, who had just divorced Ruth Chatterton, and the two embarked on an affair that continued throughout filming and for a year after ^[2]. Ruth Chatterton ( December 24, 1893 - November 24, 1961) was a two-time Academy Award -nominated American actress

The tune "Oh, Give Me Time for Tenderness" sung by Judith was written by Edmund Goulding and Elsie Janis. Elsie Janis (March 16 1889 – February 26 1956 was an American singer songwriter actress and Screenwriter. The voice of Vera Van was dubbed for Davis. In filmmaking, dubbing or looping is the process of recording or replacing voices for a Motion picture.

The film premiered at Radio City Music Hall. Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue located in New York City 's Rockefeller Center.

Several of the characters are Irish or Irish-American (Bogart speaks with an Irish accent, Davis's character is Irish-American, Fitzgerald's character describes herself as "Irish" though in this context she may mean Irish-American) and the housekeeper may also be read as Irish though this is nowhere explicitly stated. Brent was Irish by birth but here plays a New England Yankee whose puritanical temperament initially clashes with the idle-rich New Yorkers.

In 1963, the film was remade as Stolen Hours with Susan Hayward. Stolen Hours is a 1963 remake by United Artists of the Bette Davis film Dark Victory, which was released by Warner Susan Hayward ( June 30, 1917 &ndash March 14, 1975) was an Academy Award -winning American Actress. The time frame was updated and the locale changed to England. In 1976 it was remade under its original title as an NBC television movie starring Elizabeth Montgomery as television producer Katherine Merrill under the care of Dr. The National Broadcasting Company ( NBC) is an American Television network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Elizabeth Victoria Montgomery ( April 15, 1933 &ndash May 18, 1995) was an American Film and television The primary role of a television producer is to control all aspects of production ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking Michael Grant, portrayed by Anthony Hopkins. Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins, CBE (born 31 December 1937 is a Welsh Film, stage and Television Actor.

Principal cast

• Bette Davis . . . . . Judith Traherne
• George Brent . . . . . Dr. Frederick Steele
• Geraldine Fitzgerald . Geraldine Fitzgerald ( November 24, 1913 &ndash July 17, 2005) was an Academy Award -nominated Irish -American . . . . Ann King
• Humphrey Bogart . . . . . Michael O'Leary
• Henry Travers . Henry Travers ( March 5, 1874 &ndash October 18, 1965) was an English Actor. . . . . Dr. Parsons
• Ronald Reagan . . . . . Alec Hamm
• Cora Witherspoon . Cora Witherspoon ( January 5 1890 &ndash November 17 1957) was a U . . . . Carrie

Critical response

In his review in the New York Times, Frank S. Nugent observed, "A completely cynical appraisal would dismiss it all as emotional flim-flam, a heartless play upon tender hearts by a playwright and company well versed in the dramatic uses of going blind and improvising on Camille. The Lady of the Camellias (French La Dame aux camélias) is a Novel by Alexandre Dumas fils, first published in 1848 But it is impossible to be that cynical about it. The mood is too poignant, the performances too honest, the craftsmanship too expert. Miss Davis, naturally, has dominated — and quite properly — her film, but Miss Fitzgerald has added a sentient and touching portrayal of the friend, and George Brent, as the surgeon, is — dare we say? — surprisingly self-contained and mature. This once we must run the risk of being called a softy: we won't dismiss Dark Victory with a self-defensive sneer. " ^[3]

Variety called the film "intense drama" and "a nicely produced offering [with] Bette Davis in a powerful and impressive role. Variety is a weekly entertainment trade newspaper founded in New York in 1905 by Sime Silverman " ^[4]

Time Out London describes the film as "a Rolls-Royce of the weepie world. Time Out is a Publishing company based in London, England. The company's best known product is the Time Out weekly listings Magazine A Rolls-Royce car may refer to vehicles produced by Rolls-Royce Limited (1906-1973 Rolls-Royce Motors (1973-2003 which was owned " ^[5]

Awards and nominations

Bette Davis was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress but lost to Vivien Leigh in Gone with the Wind. Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS to Vivien Leigh Lady Olivier (5 November 1913 &ndash 8 July 1967 was an English actress. Gone with the Wind is a 1939 American dramatic - romantic - War film adapted from Margaret Mitchell 's 1936 Max Steiner, who was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Score for both this and Gone with the Wind, lost to Herbert Stothart for The Wizard of Oz. This article is about the film composer For other persons with the same name see Max Steiner. The Academy Award for Original Music Score is presented to the best substantial body of music in the form of dramatic underscoring written specifically Herbert Stothart ( September 11 1885 – February 1 1949) was a Song writer, Arranger, and Composer. The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical - Fantasy film mainly directed by Victor Fleming and based on the 1900 children’s The film itself lost the Academy Award for Best Picture to Gone with the Wind. The Academy Award for Best Motion Picture is one of the Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS to artists working

References

External links

• Dark Victory at the Internet Movie Database
• Dark Victory at Filmsite.org