Ironic isn't it, that Bette Davis would get a Best Actress Oscar nomination for a role in which she portrays a washed up actress? There's a great 'Sunset Boulevard' moment in the story when she affirms to her daughter Gretchen (Natalie Wood) , "...if you're a star, you don't stop being a star". One has to wonder how many past and present movie celebrities go through the same run of emotions once their individual star has burned out.
More than anything, the story line deals with someone lying to everyone including themselves about hanging on to past glory. I thought the picture hit the proverbial wall when Margaret Elliot (Davis) really believed she could land a role calling for an eighteen year old. That takes some kind of chutzpa when you're in your mid-Forties and haven't aged particularly well. She finally figured it out when she saw the screen test, at least her eyesight wasn't affected along with her poor judgment.
I don't know if there's a quintessential Bette Davis role; Margo Channing in "All About Eve" might come the closest, but of her lesser known films this one comes close to capturing her essence as an actress. It's a good film with a good story that the tabloids of today would eat up in a heartbeat.
More than anything, the story line deals with someone lying to everyone including themselves about hanging on to past glory. I thought the picture hit the proverbial wall when Margaret Elliot (Davis) really believed she could land a role calling for an eighteen year old. That takes some kind of chutzpa when you're in your mid-Forties and haven't aged particularly well. She finally figured it out when she saw the screen test, at least her eyesight wasn't affected along with her poor judgment.
I don't know if there's a quintessential Bette Davis role; Margo Channing in "All About Eve" might come the closest, but of her lesser known films this one comes close to capturing her essence as an actress. It's a good film with a good story that the tabloids of today would eat up in a heartbeat.