"Mr. Skeffington" Great movie all around

[Daisy Buchanan]

I just watched for the first time "Mr. Skeffington" starring Bette Davis and Claude Raines. I really enjoyed this film. It was well directed and well played out. It is obvious why Bette Davis was nominated for Best Actress and Claude Raines for Best Supporting Actor.

In the film, Bette plays the beautiful Fanny Trellis, whose brother Trippy's need for thievery gets him into hot water. Fanny and Trippy live a life in which they portray themselves as having incredible wealth, when in fact they are in the poor house. When Trippy is caught stealing, Fanny is left to pay off the debt. She marries the man Trippy embezzled from, an older man, Job Skeffington. It is obvious from the start that this is a marriage of convenience. Fanny even goes so far as to respond to Job's question of why she married him by saying "you have a lot of money" (this isn't a direct quote, just the idea of what she stated). They have a daughter. There is a scene where Bette Davis is laying in her bedroom and Claude Raines comes in to see her. She has just learned that she is pregnant and instead of being overjoyed about the coming birth of a child she is incredibly worried about her looks. This scene really reminded me of "Gone With The Wind". Skeffington, like Butler is terribly excited about becoming a father. While Fanny, much like Scarlett, is only worried about herself and her looks. Their relationship is very similar to that of Butler's and O'hara's. They have a daughter, the marriage doesn't last and Fanny abandon's her own daughter so she can live a life in which she uses a line of men. We see that Fanny is a terrible person, who only when the hardest of times hits her she finally realizes the life she has led was wrong and that she is nothing without true love.

The role of Fanny is played almost flawlessly. She is crass, stuck up. She is using Job for his money. She doesn't know what real love is about until it hit's her in the head. This is a woman used to getting everything that she wants and will do just about anything to get it. Davis and Raines work so well together. Both are beautiful, great actors. The film is well directed and the clothes, oh the clothes are to die for. I did a search to see if I could find some pictures of the suits worn by Raines and the dresses and hats worn by Davis but came up with nothing. I must buy this film on dvd, not only because it is an enjoyable film, but it will be a great reference for ideas for hair, make-up and clothes. When the dvd arrives I will put up some screen grabs so you can see what I'm talking about.
Everyone was dressed flawlessly. The hairstyles were magnificent. I must admit that I haven't seen all that many Bette Davis movies. Seeing this film makes me want to go to Netflix and rent a bunch of them. I've always liked Claude Raines, so when I saw that there was a movie coming up on TCM with him in it, I decided to watch it. I'm glad I did. I know, every girl into vintage should know about Bette Davis' films. I've got some catching up to do.

Well, for those of you who haven't seen this movie, I give it a good recommendation. For those of you who do know this film, what did you think?

 

[K.D. Lightner]

I loved many of those old Bette Davis films and Mr. Skeffington was one of the best. First of all, I love watching Claude Raines and, of course, Bette Davis. Great story.

Here is my favorite BD film; The Little Foxes, which was based on a play by Lillian Hellman. She plays another ambitious, wicked woman. There is also All About Eve, which is fun to watch, bitchy, witty and funny. George Sanders is in that one, another great character actor.

Now Voyager is another that many people like -- I have not seen it all the way through, looks like a romantic tear jerker, has Davis and Paul Heindred in it (he was Ingrid's underground husband in Casablanca). There is a scene in it where he lights a cigarette and then lights hers -- they just look at each other with their eyes, and it is one of the sexiest scenes off all time, just done with looks and ciggies.

Pocketful of Miracles is a later film (early 60's) in which Davis plays a dowdy, down-and-out street person. Good cast, fun story.

In most of her films, Davis has a "look" she gives (she of the "Bette Davis Eyes"), that is most revealing of her character undergoing a change. You saw it at the very end of Mr. Skeffington, when she realizes ... well, we won't ruin the movie for others. There is also one in Little Foxes, where she does not say a word, but her eyes say it all, and one in Pocketful of Miracles when she undergoes a transformation, oh, I will keep quiet on that one, too. One early on in All About Eve, where she gives a drop dead look to Ann Baxter, who, if looks could kill, would have turned into a corn flake.

Will be interested in seeing how you like those films, too.

karol

 

[imoldfashioned]

Its been a long while since I've seen Skeffington but I vividly remember a scene where Claude Rains' character is talking to his daughter about having to leave (I'll not reveal too much for those who haven't seen the film) and being blown away at how well done the scene was.

I love love love Claude Rains. I don't know why he isn't better known. I always imagine he and Bette Davis' character in Now Voyager end up together. Didn't Bette say she thought that was what would happen too, or am I making that up?

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

Thanks for the list of movies, I'm going to definitely check them out.

I haven't seen "Now, Voyager", but it is on my list of must sees.
I have seen "All About Eve" and also thought it was a great film. After seeing "Mr. Skeffington" I am learning that Davis really did know how to play that certain type of woman, for lack of a more polite word, she was good at playing bitchy.
Yes, now I know why the phrase "Betty Davis Eyes" was coined. She certainly did have that look down. She was quite the expressive actress, she's a lot of fun to watch. Thank you so much for the recommendations.

 

[Barbigirl]

I just watched for the first time "Mr. Skeffington" starring Bette Davis and
Well, for those of you who haven't seen this movie, I give it a good recommendation. For those of you who do know this film, what did you think?

I enjoyed this movie immensley, and it is where my signature line comes from. You did a great job summarizing Daisy! Thanks for calling out the GWTW parallels, I feel dumb I didn't connect on those.