Arnold Diamond, Bette Davis, Christian Roberts

Three sons who work in the family construction business help their overbearing mother celebrate her anniversary to her late husband.

Flixster Users

72% liked it

683 ratings

Unrated, 95 min.

Directed by: Roy Ward Baker

Release Date: February 7, 1968

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: April 4, 2006

Stats: 46 reviews

Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Your Rating



clear rating
Share on: Facebook Twitter

Flixster Reviews (46)


  • April 11, 2008
    A very good friend is gnashing her teeth over my having reviewed 999 movies and not yet making it to 1000.This is for you Lisa!

    The Anniversary is one of Bette Davis' most campy,viscious roles. The dialogue is razor sharp,clipped and maniacally melodramatic like only Davis cou...( read more)ld have done. As the matriarch of an affluent family,Bette maintains a death like grip over her three highly emasculated sons,controlling and manipulating them through,blackmail,guilt,deception and dialogue that symbolically castrates them over,and over again.

    The occassion is a her yearly mandatory "party" wherein she and her broken children "celebrate" her marriage to her late husband.

    Bette has center stage as she forces her three adult sons and two of their ssignificant others,to go through a highly ritualized series of events,in honor of her late husband. Within tthis "festive" event,her character delights in emotionally torturing all,with tthe coldness and cruelty of a maternal Mengele.

    She allows for occassional momentary relief for her victims and then, like a cobra,lashes out and destroys any sense of peace and security during the "party"-loving every minute, watching them squirm and assume the fetal position. One might say that Norman Bates mother,was probably a kinder gentler version of this character.

    Film noire fans MUST see this film,as well as those who mourn the lost art of dialogue in the movies.
  • May 27, 2009
    Bette's in full on camp bitch mode here and having a hell of a good time, if you're in that mood too you'll have a fine time.
  • December 7, 2008
    The film, The Nanny, might be a better film, but Bette Davis is WAY over the top in this film!
  • August 17, 2008
    Bette as the mother in this movie puts Mommie Dearest to shame! A great movie (set in the early 70s) about a woman who has complete control over her three sons!
  • August 11, 2008
    Bette Davis at her bitchiest best. Absolutely superb... not been available on DVD until recently although apparently it wasn't banned.... APPARENTLY. Don't let your possessive mummy watch this one with you...
  • July 31, 2008
    A tour de force for Bette Davis, you may not notice there are other actors in the cast.
  • April 8, 2008
    It was good but a little creepy at the same time. Typical Bette Davis movie that she made when she was older.
  • November 13, 2007
    This film is amazing! Bette Davis is flawless as the overbearing, bitchy matriarch of a dysfunctional family. The dialogue includes so many classic lines!
  • November 3, 2007
    A camp classic for any gay mans collection...or straight.Blunt,bitchy and brutal.Bette Davis was made for films like this.Her dialogue is acid and she's on top form.Its so hilarious just watching her breeze through this film and rip all the other cast members to shreds.That said,...( read more)the supporting cast have some great dialogue to play with too.A venomous controlling battle that drags everybodys ugly skeletons out of the closet and shames them mercilessly....except Bette's of course.Fun for all the family...not!
  • September 21, 2007
    Bonne fête la grosse

Critic Reviews


No recent reviews.

Comments


This board looks lonely. Be the first to talk about "The Anniversary" !

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Official Trailer

More Like This


This list looks lonely.
Add a suggestion!

Facts


No facts approved yet. Be the first

The Anniversary : Watch Free on TV


The Anniversary Trivia


  • What Disney masterpiece is being re-released for it's 25th Anniversary this year?  Answer »
  • Which of this movies are not a Comedy?  Answer »
  • In the film, The Anniversary Party, Kevin Kline's character has recently won what award?  Answer »
  • How many James Dean films were featured on the AFI's first 100 greatest movie list, and how many were on the ten-year anniversary list?  Answer »

Movie Quizzes


No quizzes for The Anniversary. Want to create one?

Video Clips


No video clips yet. Want to upload one?

Recent News


No recent headlines. Got one?

Most Popular Skin


No skins yet. Interested in creating one?