Dark Victory - Edmund Goulding
A headstrong lady is cured of a brain tumor but during the treatment, her doctor learns that she only has months to live.
The doctor and her best friend decide to keep the secret to themselves hoping to give her a happy last few months.
This backfires and almost costs them all their relationships.
This is an interesting concept for a film but many of the steps along the way have left it very dated.
The biggest problem is taking away the agency from the great character that Davis plays. She is not just a two-dimensional wealthy lady used to getting her way – though she is also all of this.
The is a complex character – clearly used to making her own decissions. This is proved true as soon as she finds out about her diagnosis and lets the doctor and her friend have it.
She comes around to their view shortly and decides to live out the rest of her time in happiness.
The real issue for her here is that while she has been duped by them she has married the doctor and it is only by mistake that she finds out.
Story this means that she isn’t the driving force for the catalyst – the decision to hide the true outcome of the operation from her.
Through the film from this point up until she finds out the truth about the crisis she is a passenger in her own story.
Apart from this section the rest of the plot is well constructed and has reasonable points. None of it is exciting and is all just fine.
All of the intros to the characters are succinct and well handled. I found it disconcerting that before the opperation the doctor wouldn’t tell her anything about what was going to happen.
It’s just so out of place for today. It is also very odd to see Bogart in such a tiny support role. The lead – Brent – is completely forgettable even with all the time on the screen. Bograt has two maybe three scenes but is so great in all.
Watch Bogart in almost anything else – Maltese Falcon would be my suggestion. Even though Davis won the Oscar here for her performance she was just as good in All About Eve – and the film is better.
The pacing is good throughout – a big problem with other films of the time – apart from the end. Judith’s death seems to take FOREVER.
