Dark Victory
Release date: 1939-04-20
Votes: 152
Genres: Drama, Romance
Socialite Judith Traherne lives a lavish but emotionally empty life. Riding horses is one of her few joys, and her stable master is secretly in love with her. Told she has a brain tumor by her doctor, Frederick Steele, Judith becomes distraught. After she decides to have surgery to remove the tumor, Judith realizes she is in love with Dr. Steele, but more troubling medical news may sabotage her new relationship, and her second chance at life.
Reviews
CinemaSerf
Bette Davis always did know how to play the spoilt little rich girl character well, and my but she does it with aplomb here. She is "Judy", a young woman full of a privileged joie-de-vivre who starts to suffer from headaches and dizzy spells. Her family doctor recommends the specialist "Dr. Steele" (George Brent) who tells her that she has a brain tumour. An operation ensues, she is ostensibly cured and gradually she and "Steele" fall in love. The thing is, though, that her best friend "Ann" (Geraldine Fitzgerald) and her beau know that her prognosis isn't actually that hot - news that rocks the woman to the core when she finds out. A memorable scene around a dinner table demonstrates that skilfully and forcefully! It's hardly a surprise that "Judy" now goes off the rails a bit - plenty of booze and gentlemen friends to distract her from the inevitable, but maybe her friends can rally around and remind her that there might be a better way to live what's left of her life? This is a characterful drama loaded with emotion and chemistry between an on-form Davis and the understated but effective Brent. The writing provides for some strong dialogue and Edmund Goulding creates a working template for both actors to own the film from start to finish. It's not often you can say that Humphrey Bogart made little impact on a film, but here he is very much the oil to their wheels - and his enamoured "Michael" character is played well too. Max Steiner is at his most dramatic with the score and all-in-all this is a compellingly put together story well worth a watch.
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