Silver Screen Magic with Bette Davis

One of the greatest and most popular actresses of classic Hollywood, Bette Davis, starred in close to 90 feature films.

In 1950 Joseph L. Mankiewicz directed the American drama film “All About Eve." It is based on the 1946 short story “The Wisdom of Eve” by Mary Orr. The film also featured Marilyn Monroe in one of her earliest roles. It won six Academy Awards, among them Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay.

The storyline revolves around Margo Channing (Bette Davis), a highly regarded but aging Broadway star, and Eve Harrington (Anne Baxter), an ambitious young fan who maneuvers herself into Channing’s life, threatening her career and her personal relationships. It includes the popular Davis line, “Fasten your seatbelts; it’s going to be a bumpy night."

In 1945 Irving Rapper directed the American drama film “The Corn Is Green." The film is based on the play of the same name by Emlyn Williams. It starred Bette Davis, Nigel Bruce, and John Dall.

Bette Davis portrays Lily Cristobel Moffatt, an idealistic schoolteacher who seeks to bring education to an impoverished Welsh coal mining town.

In 1939 Edmund Goulding directed the American melodrama “Dark Victory." The film starred Bette Davis, George Brent, Humphrey Bogart, Geraldine Fitzgerald, and Ronald Reagan. It was based on the 1934 play of the same name by George Brewster and Bertram Bloch.

Bette Davis portrays Judith Traherne, a carefree young socialite who must face the fact that she has a terminal brain tumor.

In 1978 John Guillermin directed the film “Death on the Nile," based on the Agatha Christie novel of the same name. The film starred Peter Ustinov, Mia Farrow, Angela Lansbury, and Bette Davis, as well as a talented all-star cast. This film is a standalone sequel to the 1974 film “Murder on the Orient Express."

The storyline takes place in Egypt in 1937, with Peter Ustinov playing the famous detective Hercule Poirot. The travelers are aboard a period paddle steamer on the Nile. Bette Davis portrayed a crotchety, wealthy woman traveling on the pleasure cruise where murders keep happening.

In 1964 Robert Aldrich directed the American psychological horror thriller “Hush...Hush Sweet Charlotte." The film starred Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, Joseph Cotton, Agnes Moorehead, and Mary Astor (in her final film role).

The storyline follows middle-aged Southern woman Charlotte Hollis (Bette Davis), suspected in the unsolved murder of her lover from decades before. She is plagued by bizarre occurrences after summoning her cousin Mirian Deering (Olivia de Havilland) to help challenge the local government’s impending demolition of her home.

In 1938 William Wyler directed the American romantic drama "Jezebel." It starred Bette Davis and Henry Fonda with George Brent, Margaret Lindsay, and Donald Crisp. The film was based on the 1933 play of the same name by Owen Davis Sr.

The storyline is about Julie Marsden (Bette Davis), a headstrong young woman during the Antebellum period whose actions cost her Preston Dillard (Henry Fonda), the man she loves.

In 1941 William Wyler directed the American drama film “The Little Foxes." The film starred Bette Davis, Herbert Marshall, Teresa Wright, and Patricia Collinge. It is based on the 1939 play of the same name by Lillian Hellman. The title of the film comes from Chapter 2, Verse 15 of the Song of Solomon in the King James version of the Bible and reads, "Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes."

The storyline revolves around the Hubbards, a wealthy but corrupt family. They entertain dinner guest William Marshall (Russell Hicks), a prominent Chicago businessman with whom they hope to partner in an enterprise to build a cotton mill in their sleepy Alabama town, called Paltou, taking advantage of low wages paid to workers. Marshall invites Regina Hubbard Giddens (Bette Davis) to show him her Chicago. Regina brings along her 17-year-old daughter, Alexandra "Zannie" Giddens (Teresa Wright), for the visit. She plans to finally live the privileged life she believes she deserves, away from the backward place where they presently live.

In 1944 Vincent Sherman directed the American drama film “Mr. Skeffington," based on the 1940 novel of the same name by Elizabeth von Arnim. It starred Bette Davis, Claude Rains, Walter Abel, and George Coulouris.

The storyline revolves around Frances Beatrice 'Fanny' Trellis Skeffington (Bette Davis), a beautiful but self-centered woman who has many suitors but marries Job Skeffington (Claude Rains) to save her brother from going to prison.

In 1939 Michael Curtiz directed the American historical romantic drama film “The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex." The film starred Bette Davis, Errol Flynn, Olivia de Haviland, and Vincent Price. The film was based on the play “Elizabeth the Queen” by Maxwell Anderson.

The film fictionalizes the historical relationship between Queen Elizabeth I and Robert Devereux, the 2nd Earl of Essex. Bette Davis gave a splendid performance as the reigning Queen Elizabeth I.