All About Eve Bette Davis plays Margo Channing, a temperamental Broadway star, who is approached by aspiring actress and fan Eve Harrington (Anne Baxter). At first Eve seems sweet and naive and Margo hires her as a girl Friday. Both are present at a party with the following guest list: Nasty theater critic Addison De Witt (George Sanders) Addison's "protege" Miss Casswell (Marilyn Monroe) a producer, Max Fabian (Gregory Ratoff) a director, Bill Simpson (Gary Merrill) who's also Margo's fiance a playwright, Lloyd Richards (Hugh Marlowe) Lloyd Richard's wife, Karen (Celeste Holm) Eve plays up to Addison, Bill and Lloyd making them believe she's innocent. Margo becomes suspicious of Eve and responds by getting totally plastered. With Karen's help, Eve becomes Margo's understudy for Lloyd's next play. Margo blows up and realizes, as her maid Birdie (Thelma Ritter) knew from the very beginning, that Eve is a vicious conniver. Other cast members, with the exception of Birdie, don't believe Eve is a schemer. They think Margo is just playing "prima donna." Karen arranges for Margo to spend a few days in the country and then doesn't get Margo back in time for her performance in the play. Eve goes on in her place and wins high praise from Lloyd. Soon everyone knows Eve for what she really is. Eve goes on the win the Sarah Siddons Award and is planning to steal Lloyd from Karen so he can write plays exclusively for her. Addison confronts Eve with the truth about herself and blackmails her into becoming his protege. Margo decides to retire and marry Bill. Awards - [AA] Nominated for Best Actress (Bette Davis) Nominated for Best Actress (Anne Baxter) Nominated for Best Supporting Actress (Thelma Ritter) Nominated for Best Supporting Actress (Celeste Holm) Nominated for Best Art Direction/Set Direction B&W (Lyle Wheeler/George W. Davis) Nominated for Best B&W Cinematography (Milton Krasner) Nominated for Best Film Editing (Barbara McLean) Nominated for Best Score (Alfred Newman) Winner Best Picture Winner Best Supporting Actor (George Sanders) Winner Best Director (Joseph L. Mankiewicz) Winner Best Screenplay (Joseph L. Mankiewicz) Winner Best B&W Costume Design (Edith Head & Charles LeMaire) Winner Best Sound Recording (20th Century-Fox Sound Department) Major Production Credits Producer - Darryl F. Zanuck Director - Joseph L. Mankiewicz Dark Victory Bette Davis plays Judith Traherne, a spoiled Long Island heiress, who is dying of a brain tumor. Judith's life revolves around her thoroughbred horses, which are overseen by stableman Michael O'Leary (Humphrey Bogart), and a fast paced lifestyle with excesses of drinking and smoking. She begins to have headaches and episodes of dizziness and double vision. Her friends finally convince her to seek medical help in the person of Dr. Frederick Steele (George Brent), who determines she has a brain tumor that requires immediate surgery. Judith believes the surgery was successful and falls in love with Frederick, but her secretary, Ann King (Geraldine Fitzgerald), finds out Judith really only has about 10 months to live. All Judith's friends keep the grim news a secret, but one day while visiting Frederick's office, she finds her case file stating "prognosis negative". Judith breaks things off with Frederick and resumes her wild lifestyle until Michael tells her to swallow her pride and realize Frederick truly loves her and that he wouldn't be marrying her out of pity. Judith and Frederick get married and move to his farm in Vermont. She finds true happiness by appreciating the simple joys of life. She plants hyacinth bulbs as her vision is fading, but smiles because she knows they will bloom, even though she'll never see them. As her eyesight fails, she realizes she's dying and sends Frederick off to a medical conference and faithful Ann helps her to bed. Judith knows she's had a lifetime of joy in just a few short months. Awards - [AA] Nominated for Best Picture Nominated for Best Actress (Bette Davis) Nominated for Best Score (Max Steiner) Major Production Credits Producer - David Lewis Director - Edmund Goulding Jezebel Bette Davis plays Julie Marsden, a spoiled, impulsive 1852 New Orleans belle, who destroys her chances at happiness by throwing convention to the winds. She's engaged to banker Preston Dillard (Henry Fonda) and they are to attend the Olympus Ball, where unmarried women traditionally where white. Everyone tries to talk her out of it, but Julie is adamant about wearing a RED dress to the ball. As Julie and Preston dance to a beautiful Max Steiner waltz, she feels all the people at the ball staring at her and wishes to leave, but Preston continues to whirl her around the floor. When he finally escorts her home she furiously slaps him and he leaves New Orleans to work in Philadelphia. Julie waits three years for Preston to return, becoming a virtual recluse during that time. When she hears he is coming home to help at the bank in New Orleans because an outbreak of yellow fever, "Yellow Jack", has stricken the staff, Julie is back to her old self, planning a party at her family's plantation, Halcyon, to welcome Preston home. Julie, waiting for Preston in the white dress she should have worn to the ball, ready to beg his forgiveness, is shocked and angered when Preston arrives with his Yankee bride, Amy (Margaret Lindsay). Julie tells Buck Cantrell (George Brent) that her honor has been besmirched and Buck challenges Preston to a duel, but Pres must get back to New Orleans where a "Yellow Jack" epidemic is raging. Preston's brother, Ted (Richard Cromwell), takes his place and kills Buck in the duel. Julie's aunt, Belle Massey, (Supporting Actress Oscar winner Fay Bainter), declares Julie is a "Jezebel"! In New Orleans martial law has been declared because of the epidemic and no one is permitted in or out of the city. Preston is stricken with the disease and all people with "Yellow Jack" are being quarantined on a nearby island. Julie convinces Amy that she should be the one to accompany Preston to the island as his nurse and that when he recovers she will send him back to Amy. Julie rents a boat and goes through the swamp to New Orleans and in the final scene she's seen riding with the gravely ill Preston to the island. Awards - [AA] Nominated for Best Picture (Henry Blanke) Nominated for Best Cinematography (Ernest Haller) Nominated for Best Score (Max Steiner) Bette Davis won as Best Actress Fay Bainter won as Best Supporting Actress Major Production Credits Producer - Henry Blanke Director - William Wyler The Little Foxes Bette Davis portrays ruthless Regina Hubbard Giddens in this film adaptation of Lillian Hellman's play about a predatory Southern family at the turn-of-the-century. Regina is asked for a $75,000 loan to a build a cotton gin by her brothers Ben (Charles Dingle) and Oscar (Carl Benton Reid). Regina invites the Yankee financier William Marshall (Russell Hicks), who suggested the cotton gin enterprise, to dinner so she can inspect him and orders her daughter Alexandra (Teresa Wright) to go get her father Horace (Herbert Marshall) who's been staying at a sanitarium in Baltimore recovering from a heart attack. Alexandra brings Horace home and Regina immediately begins to nag him about financing the cotton gin. Horace is totally opposed to the idea. Oscar and Ben realize Horace is never going to give Regina the money, so they get Oscar's cowardly son Leo (Dan Duryea) to steal negotiable bonds from Horace's private vault. Regina suspects them of the crime and tries to blackmail them into giving her a percentage of the business in exchange for her keeping quiet about the stolen bonds. Horace ruins Regina's plan when he says the bonds weren't stolen. He gave Leo the money as an interest-free loan. Regina begins badgering Horace about the money and he suffers another heart attack. Regina stands by as Horace pleads with her to give him his heart medication, but she does nothing. Regina watches as Horace attempts to drag himself up the stairs to his room where his other bottle of medicine is kept. Regina finally calls for help when Horace collapses. Regina tries to get Horace to tell the truth about the bonds on his deathbed, but instead he tells Alexandra NOT to marry Leo and to marry her true love, David Hewitt (Richard Carlson). After Horace's death, Regina blackmails her brothers asking for 2/3 of the business to keep quiet about Leo's crime. Alexandra overhears her mother's demands and tells her she can't stand living with a woman who killed her father for another moment. Alexandra goes away with David and leaves Regina all alone. Awards - [AA] Nominated for Best Picture Nominated for Best Actress (Bette Davis) Nominated for Best Supporting Actress (Teresa Wright) Nominated for Best Supporting Actress (Patricia Collinge) Nominated for Best Director (William Wyler) Nominated for Best Screenplay (Lillian Hellman) Nominated for Best B&W Art Direction/Set Direction (Stephen Goosson/Howard Bristol) Nominated for Best Film Editing (Daniel Mandell) Nominated for Best Score (Meredith Willson) Major Production Credits Producer - Samuel Goldwyn Director - William Wyler Now, Voyager Bette Davis plays Charlotte Vale, a dowdy, sheltered Bostonian spinster on the verge of a nervous breakdown due to her overbearing mother, Mrs. Henry Windle Vale (Gladys Cooper), who insists she wears "sensible" clothes and "sensible" shoes and eyeglasses that make her look like an owl. Charlotte's sister-in-law Lisa (Ilka Chase) is very concerned about her and seeks the help of noted psychiatrist Dr. Jacquith (Claude Rains), who immediately recommends Charlotte come to his sanitarium, Cascade, for treatment. Charlotte is transformed from an ugly duckling to a self-assured swan in 3 short months with Dr. Jacquith. Lisa suggests to Dr. Jacquith and arranges a South American cruise for Charlotte so she can become stronger before having to contend with her mother. On the cruise Charlotte meets Jeremiah (Jerry) D. Durrance, (Paul Henreid), an unhappily married man with 2 daughters, the younger one Tina (Janis Wilson), emotionally disturbed. Charlotte falls in love with Jerry during the cruise, even though she's aware he can't leave his wife. When the cruise is over she breaks things off with him and returns to Boston and her mother, who's still as overbearing as ever. Lisa introduces Charlotte to a widower with 2 small sons, Elliott Livingston (John Loder), who asks Charlotte to marry him. Charlotte accidentally meets Jerry at a party, realizes she still loves him and turns down Elliott's proposal, which prompts an argument with her mother that leads to the elder woman's fatal heart attack. Guilt-ridden, Charlotte seeks help at Cascade where she becomes involved with another patient, Jerry's daughter, Tina. As Charlotte and Tina spend time together, they become like mother and daughter and both blossom. When Charlotte takes Tina to her home, Jerry visits them there, sees Tina transformed and gratefully permits Charlotte and Tina to stay together, even though he can never join them to complete the family. Charlotte is happy to raise "their" child and tells Jerry in the film's last line, "Don't ask for the moon when we have the stars." Awards - [AA] Nominated for Best Actress (Bette Davis) Nominated for Best Supporting Actress (Gladys Cooper) Winner for Best Score (Max Steiner) Major Production Credits Producer - Hal B. Wallis Director - Irving Rapper The Old Maid Bette Davis portrays Charlotte Lovell, a self-sacrificing unwed mother in this Civil War era soaper. In the opening Charlotte's cousin Delia (Miriam Hopkins) is set to marry Jim Ralston (James Stephenson), then her old suitor Clem Spender (George Brent) reappears. Clem is furious that Delia didn't wait for him and confronts her. He then enlists and goes off to fight in the Civil War, but not before he gets a willing Charlotte pregnant. Clem is killed in action and Charlotte goes West for treatment of a "lung condition", of course she's really having Clem's baby, Clementina "Tina" (Jane Bryan). Charlotte returns after the war is over and sets up a home for orphans where she hides her illegitimate child. Delia, meanwhile, has married Jim Ralston and had a son and daughter. Charlotte soon becomes involved with Jim's brother, Joe (Jerome Cowan) and he asks her to marry him on the condition she gives up the orphan's home which would mean giving up her child. In a moment of desperation, Charlotte tells Delia that Tina is her daughter and she can't possibly give her up. When Delia discovers Clem is Tina's father, she becomes enraged and tells Joe that Charlotte can't marry him because she has a "lung condition", ruining whatever chance Charlotte might have had for happiness. Delia's husband passes away and Charlotte and Tina come to live with Delia, but Delia acts as the child's mother and Charlotte as a spinster aunt. When Tina is grown, she falls in love with Lanning Halsey (William Lundigan), but his family won't consider marriage because Tina was a foundling. Delia solves this situation by officially adopting Tina. On the eve of Tina's wedding, Charlotte is going to tell her the truth, but can't bring herself to do it. Delia asks Tina to give her last kiss before she goes away on her honeymoon to Charlotte. Major Production Credits Producer - Henry Blanke Director - Edmund Goulding Mr. Skeffington Bette Davis plays Frances "Fanny" Beatrice Trellis Skeffington, a beautiful, but terribly selfish and vain NYC society woman with a ne'er-do-well brother, Trippy Trellis (Richard Waring). While in the employ of Job Skeffington (Claude Rains), Trippy embezzles a sizeable amount of money. To repay the debt, Fanny marries Job, who truly loves her. When Trippy finds out of Fanny's marriage to Job, he enlists in the French army and is killed in action. Fanny blames Job for Trippy's death and says she'll never forgive him. Job tolerates Fanny's endless parade of suitors and is most happy when Fanny bears him a daughter, young Fanny (Marjorie Riordan). Fanny pays virtually no attention to the child, grants Job custody of young Fanny when they divorce and Job takes young Fanny to Europe. Fanny lives a whirlwind lifestyle of parties and men for many years. Young Fanny, now grown, appears at her mother's doorstep. Job sent her to America for her safety as World War II is raging in Europe. Fanny doesn't want her grown daughter around because her latest suitor, Johnny Mitchell (Charles Drake) will realize her actual age. Johnny takes Fanny sailing, Fanny becomes chilled, contracts diphtheria and almost dies. The diphtheria ravages Fanny and she now looks her age and many years more. She has a party for all her old suitors, who are aghast at her appearance, and realizes her days as a famous beauty are over. Fanny's cousin, George Trellis (Walter Abel), comes to her with the news he's seen a penniless Job in the park and wants her to come downstairs and see him. Fanny refuses to see Job at first, but finally relents and goes downstairs. She waits for Job to react to her appearance, then realizes he's blind from treatment he received at the hands of the Nazis. Fanny finally comes to know the meaning of what Job said to her long ago, "A woman is beautiful only when she's loved." Job and she are reunited. Awards - [AA] Nominated for Best Actress (Bette Davis) Nominated for Best Supporting Actor (Claude Rains) Major Production Credits Producers - Philip G. & Julius J. Epstein Director - Vincent Sherman What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? A cult horror favorite, 1962's What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? will make you think twice before unveiling a covered plate of food. Bette Davis stars as Jane Hudson, a onetime child actress and singer. As an aging woman, she wishes to revive her vaudevillian career, but she has become a grotesque caricature of her former self. Over the years as her star faded, the star of her older sister Blanche (Joan Crawford) rose, outshining the career of the has-been Baby Jane. Jane was relegated to minor roles, which she only won when Blanche demanded that she be awarded them. The film opens years after a calamitous car accident leaves Blanche in a wheelchair, with no one to care for her except the increasingly insane and sadistic Jane and their servant, Elvira. Trying to punish Blanche for her years of success, Jane tortures the invalid and homebound woman, slowly trying to starve her to death, all the while attempting to recapture the fame of her youth. Victor Buono also stars as the hefty pianist who answers Jane's ad for an accompanist, hoping to squeeze some money out of the demented old woman. Both Buono and Davis were nominated for Oscars for their roles in this suspenseful thriller that exploited the real-life antagonism between Davis and Crawford, while at the same time rejuvenated both their careers. Awards - [AA] Winner for Best Black and White Costume Design (Norma Koch) Nominated for Best Actress (Bette Davis) Nominated for Best Supporting Actor (Victor Buono) Nominated for Best Black and White Cinematography (Ernest Haller) Nominated for Best Sound (Joseph Kelly [Seven Arts-Warner Bros. Glen Glenn Sound Department]) Major Production Credits Producers - Robert Aldrich & Kenneth Hyman Director - Robert Aldrich Support freedom Help support Meredy's Place by shopping here. CLICK HERE to search for Bette Davis merchandise Bette Davis Poster and Print Store from Meredy's Place and AllPosters.com Webmasters Make $$$ NurseTips Free health tips from a registered nurse 24/7/365. Web www.meredy.com This site is purely a fan tribute to Bette Davis and is not endorsed by her estate. © Meredy - all rights reserved. Many thanks to Neil for the numerous BD images and collages :-) DISCLAIMER: The information presented here was collected from publicly aired and published sources. 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