Mr. Skeffington

Bette Davis, Claude Rains, George Coulouris

Fanny Skeffington, an incorrigible society flirt of the WWI era, was one of the meatiest roles and most exasperating women Bette Davis ever played. Flighty Fanny loves the attention of her male suitor...( read more )

Mr. Skeffington is a vintage Warner Bros. workout for Davis, who never shied away from playing unsympathetic or physically unappealing roles. (Her main worry here was looking pretty enough in the early reels to justify Fanny's reputation.) Her theatrical performance and Rains's impeccable work carry the handsomely dressed story through its many melodramatic shifts. The dialogue by Julius and Philip Epstein (who were doing Casablanca around this time) has the sprung rhythm of screwball comedy, although director Vincent Sherman and the cast don't always seem to have noticed this. There's also the growing issue of anti-Semitism--a subject rare in Hollywood prior to this--especially as it concerns Fanny and Job's daughter. But mostly the film has Bette Davis, who strides headfirst into the gray areas (her indifferent treatment of her daughter is especially unappetizing), a fearless attitude that looks like the polar opposite of Fanny Skeffington's vanity. --Robert Horton

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85% liked it

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67% liked it

Unrated

Directed by: Vincent Sherman

Released: May 25, 1944

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DVD Released: June 14, 2005

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Top Flixster Reviews

May 9, 2009

flixsterman's review

A wonderful showcase for the talents of Bette Davis and yet another opportunity for her to play a most distasteful character.
August 5, 2008

rubystevens's review

bette davis is a wide eyed, breathy caricature of herself but claude rains is outstanding as the husband she doesn't love
April 23, 2008

moonrivers's review

i didn't even know this one was out there, but absolutely loved it when i first saw it. one of the great "undiscovered" films with one of the most underappreciated actors in film history, senor mister rains.
December 2, 2008

codyfranklin2's review

Great film about a beautiful women who marries for security and 25 years later when her looks fade she begins to see what a vain shallow person she really is. Bette Davis and Claude Rains are fantastic in this and the supporting cast is at times dramatic and funny.Great direction... ...( read more )
August 6, 2008

svmainus's review

Lovely old classic with Bette Davis playing a vain socialite who married for security and can display nothing but indifference toward her husband (memorably played by Claude Rains) and their daughter but continues to keep men around her simply for the attention. There are enough... ...( read more )