TV and Movies

[Oznell]

11:00 a.m. Eastern--  "The Little Foxes"  Bette Davis, Herbert Marshall, Teresa Wright, Dan Duryea, Patricia Collinge

Masterful, William Wyler-directed production of Lillian Hellmann's play.  Bette is 'Regina", the matriarch of a prosperous turn-of-the-century southern family, and is married to a sweet-natured man (the sublime Herbert Marshall) whom she appears to hold in contempt.  He and their spunky daughter (Teresa Wright) are arrayed against the viperous family of Bette and her two equally unscrupulous brothers and nephew.  Personalities seethe, and schemes are hatched.

Bette is compelling as a woman who is not merely cold;  she is evil, as events prove out.  Critics have given the edge to Tallulah Bankhead who played Regina on Broadway, but Bette gives it her all.  She is playing "older" than her years, but achieves the necessary authority through sheer force of personality.  She even insisted on wearing a dead white, Kabuki-esque make up for the part to enhance the illusion of greater age.  (That's so 'Bette', ha.)

Multiple Oscar nominations, of course, with this fabulous cast.  Patricia Collinge shines also as the tremulous "Birdie".

Fun fact:  Patricia Collinge and Teresa Wright would later so effectively star as mother and daughter for Alfred Hitchcock's "Shadow of a Doubt".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_Lfa4jyTCI

[Mz iMac]

I ❤️❤️❤️ this BD movie.  It's the only movie I've ever felt sorry for BD "hubby."  The look on BD's face when....

Spoiler

hubby asks her for his medicine while having a fatal heart attack crawling up the stairs is CLASSIC!

I hope you die

[spiderw]

I love all Bette Davis movies and this one is an excellent one.  While I enjoy her in the love stories, Now Voyager, Dark Passage to name two, I always admire the arrogant nasty roles, Bette does both wonderfully! I haven't seen The Little Foxes in awhile so I will DVR it and watch it on a quiet day with nothing to do but focus on a worthwhile movie.  Yes, I do have some of those days thankfully!!!!!!!

[Coquille]

@Oznell  Thanks as always. BD is one of my all time favorite actresses but this movie, I didnt really like. I love all of her performances but this movie again, not so much. I don't know why!

Always said and always meant, you are a Gem! Your input and description of all the movies, is always appreciated and respected!

[Oznell]

@Coquille, thanks!  I well understand your feeling about this film.  It is so well done, yet it is depicting the most base and vile of human motives and actions-- that can be hard to take.  I have to be in the right mood to watch, myself.