Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Short Review: In This Our Life (1942)

Feb. 9, 2011<br />34. In this Our Life (1942)<br />Starring Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, George Brent, Dennis Morgan, Charles Coburn, Frank Craven, Billie Burke, Hattie McDaniel, Lee Patrick<br />Directed by John Huston<br />Plot: &#8220;A neurotic southerner steals her sister&#8217;s husband then vies with her for another man. &#8221; (from TCMDb)<br />I thought this was an engaging and well-made drama. Bette Davis gives an over-the-top performance as the sister from hell, yet her scenery-chewing doesn&#8217;t succeed in overpowering memorable performances from other cast members&#8212;including Olivia de Havilland, Charles Coburn, and newcomer Ernest Anderson. One standout element of the movie is the way that it addressed racial discrimination, which was rare for Hollywood of that time.  Based on a Pulitzer-prize winning book, the script does apparently take liberties with the original material. Yet whatever its flaws may be, I enjoyed the film and I think it is definitely worth watching. I&#8217;m just surprised it is not better known. 

Feb. 9, 2011

34. In this Our Life (1942)

Starring Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, George Brent, Dennis Morgan, Charles Coburn, Frank Craven, Billie Burke, Hattie McDaniel, Lee Patrick

Directed by John Huston

Plot: A neurotic southerner steals her sister’s husband then vies with her for another man.(from TCMDb)

I thought this was an engaging and well-made drama. Bette Davis gives an over-the-top performance as the sister from hell, yet her scenery-chewing doesn’t succeed in overpowering memorable performances from other cast members—including Olivia de Havilland, Charles Coburn, and newcomer Ernest Anderson. One standout element of the movie is the way that it acknowledges racial discrimination, a rare subject for Hollywood of that time to address. Based on a Pulitzer-prize winning book, the script does apparently take liberties with the original material. Yet whatever its flaws may be, I enjoyed the film and I think it is definitely worth watching.

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