123 days until Oscar... we've got Bette Davis eyes
Wednesday, November 1, 2017 at 9:01AM by Nathaniel R
It's time for your morning dose of highly unneccessary Oscar-mad trivia.
Did you know that Bette Davis, Oscar's third favorite actress of all time (after Hepburn & Streep), had exactly 123 screen credits to her name?! Her debut film The Bad Sister (1931) was released a week before her 23rd birthday and her 123rd and final project, Wicked Stepmother (1989), was released eight months before her death of breast cancer at 81. That's 58 years of big-eyed, inimitably voiced, ferocious performances.
Two Bette-inspired questions for the day...
1. Do you have a favorite under-discussed Bette performance? Beyond her two most definitive and altogether genius turns (All About Eve and Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?) I'd list Dark Victory as my personal favorite and even though she was Oscar-nominated for it, I rarely here people talk it up when they talk up Bette.
2. Only thirteen women have won two Best Actress Oscars. They are, in order of it happening: Luise Rainer, Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, Vivien Leigh, Ingrid Bergman, Elizabeth Taylor, Katharine Hepburn (who eventually won 4), Glenda Jackson, Jane Fonda, Sally Field, Jodie Foster, Hilary Swank, and Meryl Streep. Which living actress do you suspect will make this group number 14?
Reader Comments (42)
You forgot Jodie Foster. I think Frances McDormand will do it next.
Don't forget Jane Fonda...Cate Blanchett and JLaw will most likely join the two-timers club.
I suspect Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett, Frances McDormand.
I started my affair with classic cinema with Bette Davis. Love her in Now, voyager. Sublime, her most romantic role I believe. I don't understand the hate for Mr. Skeffington. I think it's a fine movie and her performance is enjoyable.
Under discussed: All This n Heaven Too, a subtle, sublime n full o textures performance that is unfortunately overshadowed by The Letter released the same year.
Nat. Dark Victory is also Bette's personal fav!!
Cate shld've joined the elite group back in 2013! She was robbed in 1998.
Most likely to join the group: Blanchett, Winslet, McDormand, n maybe Kidman, Portman n Emma Stone.
Cate Blanchett.
The actresses mentioned previously by posters are also very likely candidates.
O how cld i forget Julianne Moore, who is beloved in the industry! N metink Queen Meryl will cap ano win to match Hepburn's 4.
Cortillard might join the group is she's given ano juicy french role.
So glad someone mentioned All This and Heaven Too. How about The Catered Affair or Deception?
Foster & Fonda as well.
Indeed, I suspect McDormand will repeat this year.
As for most underappreciated Davis turn, as middling as the production itself is, I'm quite enamored with her in THE STAR.
I think Frances McDormand will do it next.
God forbid.
My money’s on McDormand.
But others that could are Blanchett or Cotillard have the kind of parts that could win another one.
Blanchett and Lawrence are locked for seconds in Best Actress. Hoping a starlet prevails over McDormand this year.
Blanchett and Winslet.... and Meryl a 4th.
But then who knows, I never would have thought Portman would get this close to being a two time Best Actress winner.
/3rtful -- there are no locks for second lead acting Oscars. second ones generally require the person starring in a major oscar favorite in a year where no one else has a strong narrative.
jb -- meryl only has 2 leading acting oscars (one of hers being supporting) so my guess is she never reaches Hepburn's 4... though i do think she'll get a 3rd leading oscar at some point in old age.
everyone -- i could see blanchett or winslet doing it. BUT perhaps my question, a more interesting one shoulda been who that seems unlikely will do it. I mean certainly nobody would have ever predicted Swank would to it back in 2001ish ;) even Sally Field and Glenda Jackson didn't seem likely until it happened.
so on that unlikely but wouldn't it be something tip i'mma say... Reese Witherspoon :)
Frances McDormand will be next if nothing unpredictable happens. I'm a little sad for Sally but life goes on.
I would have named Dark Victory (runner up: The little foxes) as well. Peace out!
@Nathan Darling
You and I both knew Blanchett was a two-timer waiting to happen before it did. The difference was I knew she'd make it in the elusive club of supporting actress winners who got the Oscar upgrade on their second wins. She's young and Streepian in her bottomless technique. She'll get a third just like her sister Oscar B (Bergman).
No one is locked based on anything but the theoretical. But it is definitely plausible for Cate and Jen to get seconds in Best Actress as of right now.
Cate B. seems the likeliest to be the next person to do it. Although it wouldn't surprise me if at some point Emma Stone wins another. And I'm inclined to think Emma Thompson could still do it at some point.
As far as Bette Davis - I usually think of her in The Little Foxes, in addition to the two iconic roles you mention.
With the exception of Vivien Leigh, Ingrid Bergman, Kate Hepburn, and Meryl Streep, it looks like they all won their 2nd soon after their 1st. So unless you are an ALL TIME GREAT, you most likely only have a 7-year window.
Given the options, I'd go with J-Law (it's not hard to see her get an Oscar role within the next 3 years) or Cate (qualifies as all time great, so no timetable; Julianne and Kate are other options, but Cate seems more likely). If I really wanted to go wild, I'd say that Viola Davis (who should've won Best Actress twice by now) will find two legitimately Oscar-worthy leading roles.
1- All this and Heaven too. That movie in fact introduce me to Bette Davis on a rainy sunday afternoon.
2- Nicole Kidman might be next taking if the media continues to support her great work ( which has always been great) and she gets the right leading vehicle...if not, she'll get a supporting one ( as one the mom roles she's been acing recently). Then, I would go for Kate Winslet. Both Kate, Cate and Nicole and to a certain extend Julianne Moore deserve 2 Oscars under their names.
Cosign on All This and Heaven Too, an Oscar nominee for Best Picture and a lavish film. Bette is also quite underrated in A Stolen Life, It's Love I'm After, and The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex.
I do have a feeling that Frances will repeat this year.
Oh, and... nothing will top "All About Eve", but since you asked for under-discussed... I really dig "The Letter" aside from the overly ridiculous ending (darn production code), and Bette is a large part of that.
Less likely but might surprisely join the elite group someday: Larson, Bullock, Theron n Julia Roberts (althot Julia might have a better chance as she well liked in the industry n Theron can be quite an acting powerhouse). O.. Not forgetting Dame Mirren who is still v active, and if she lands ano acclaimed role.. It might b possible.
Yes, even if Meryl won her 3rd best actress, she will still be behind Hepburn, but at least she will leap up to a new milestone, from the super elite group o Bergman, Nicholson n DDL who all had 3 Oscars, to a league o her own!
Julia Roberts when everything alines for her a la 2000.
For underdiscussed Bette I always find her extremely brave and touching in the 87 vehicle The Whales of August,2 strokes and cancer later and there she was at 79 bringing such delicacy to a scene of her touching her face with some of her dead husbands hair,Fabulous!
Yes I would have inc her in that 87 BA line up and can never understand why no critics or GG's went for her here.
Nathaniel - yes sorry I meant 3rd.
Someone more unexpected, it's not unfeasible for Emma Thompson to pull out a late-in-her-career-can't-be-ignored performance a few years from now?
Alternative - Julia Roberts.
1. Now Voyager is my favorite Davis performance outside of Margo Channing, and one of the few movies that genuinely makes me swoon.
2. Going with the idea that you pick someone who isn't obvious, but is theoretically possible (as otherwise I'd echo the Winslet, Blanchett, & McDormand choices), I'll go with Natalie Portman. I think Black Swan, while good, is arguably the least of her three performances, and I think she'll eventually land a Virginia Woolf style performance as she has the gift for that. She would have been a serious threat to win last year if it weren't for Stone.
Now, Voyage and The Little Foxes are two glorious Davis performances. Along with the underrated Dark Victory that Nathaniel mentioned. I'd say the former is the best Davis ever was, even over Margo Channing.
Clearly it's a matter of things lining up rather than actresses we love and respect. McDormand would have been at the bottom of the "last 20 winners who we think can repeat" and yet she's eerily close to doing it this year. That said, given the ease with which things worked out for Winslet with Steve Jobs, I think she's the one most poised and likely to find that project and timing for it. She's also recent enough that she's still in the vicinity of when people usually get their seconds, but long ago enough that it doesn't feel like overkill.
My other guess is Lawrence, but things have reaaaaaaaally cooled down from when she almost pulled back to back wins. Blanchett has the chops and respect to win, I just don't think she will. Not anytime soon.
I think Portman (who has been in a way or another a strong contender every single time she's been nominated, and elicits a lot of passion) and Stone (young winner, just getting started) the two most most likely to repeat.
@3rtful Though the trailer for I, Tonya just came out. Margot Robbie has instantly clicked as the starlet winner. She'll campaign too and McDormand won, I'm putting my chips on Robbie joining Janney and going all the way to the podium.
The Letter and Now, Voyager are probably my two favorite Bette performances, but they're not exactly under-appreciated.
As for winning a surprise second best actress Oscar, I'm going with either Diane Keaton or Sissy Spacek.
"Which living actress do you suspect will make this group number 14?"
Sadly, I think Jennifer Lawrence is poised to join this group. She's not a great actress, has an insufferable persona, and her vocabulary seems to consist primarily of four-letter words, but people like that these days.
I really was quite impressed about how wild Davis is in 'In This Our Life.' The story line is so crazy and fits her hyperactive mannerisms. (Think she was nominated for Now, Voyager that year.)
As for the #14 name - I'd root for Charlize Theron to stun us with another role, but I suspect Cate Blanchett.
" a more interesting one shoulda been who that seems unlikely will do it"
GLENN CLOSE. For 'The Wife' and 'Sunset Blvd'.
MICHELLE PFEIFFER. Pictures not determinated yet.
Other one?
Susan Sarandon.
Helen Mirren.
Maggie Smith.
Julie Andrews (God, help in this one!).
Really dark horses:
Holly Hunter.
Helen Hunt.
Jon -- i love the Pfeiffer note. haha. if only she could have just one! I mean, she's already deserved three but i'd settle for 1.
@ NATHANIEL R
I think the same!
Julie Andrews, yes!
2 unmentioned long shots are Ellen Burstyn & Shirley Maclaine - they both work constantly - all they need is one beloved performance. I'd bet on Emma Thompson though.
As for Bette - a very under-discussed (that was the question right?) performance is a stage performance with Bert Lahr - it's on youtube and is hilarious - find it! Only 10 minutes long
I also like the TV film called "Strangers" with Bette & Gena Rowlands (again, pretty obscure & on youtube)
I agree with all of you guys about Bette's underdiscussed films. But I will add The Old Maid to the mix. And maybe Old Acquaintance, both with her (yet another) archrival Miriam Hopkins. It seems Miriam took out the best in Bette.
And Bette herself (and her directors) obviously took out the best in her supporting casts. The fact she was a major commodity to WB is proved by the incredible talent she was surrounded by thanks to the studio system. Between 1938 and 1945 -Bette's glory studio days- these flawless supporting players got 13 Oscar nominations (with 3 wins). Bette allowed them to shine.
1938: Fay Bainter (Jezebel,) * Winner
1939. Brian Aherne (Juarez)
1940. James Stephenson (The Letter)
1940. Barbara O'Neil (All This and Heaven Too)
1941. Mary Astor (The Great Lie) * Winner
1941. Patricia Coolinge (The Little Foxes)
1941. Teresa Wright (The Little Foxes)
1942. Gladys Cooper (Now, Voyager)
1943. Paul Lukas (Watch on the Rhine) * Winner Best Actor
1943. Lucille Watson (Watch on the Rhine)
1944. Claude Rains (Mr. Skeffington)
1945. John Dall (The Corn Is Green)
1945. Joan Lorring (The Corn is Green)
Excellent research.
I wonder if any other actor or actress has as many performers from their films nominated for Oscars.
I wouldn't have said McDormand until Three Billboards--- haven't seen it yet, but the love is strong. If she doesn't win, I think it'll get her a narrative for a second win.
Cate & Kate seem likely for a second and I agree with Streep winning a third at some point. Wouldn't be surprised if Thompson won another, but I'd bet on supporting.
@Nathaniel a Witherspoon swerve to a 2nd win would be cool. I kinda wonder if Diane Keaton gets another great role if she'll pull off #2. I think she's still got it in her.
@Marcos: I would add Geraldine Fitzgerald in Dark Victory and Herbert Marshall in The Little Foxes.
@Cash: I agree with your picks of Now, Voyager and The Letter, and certainly would add All About Eve. I consider Davis's performance in Now, Voyager the standard by which actresses should be critiqued in romantic dramas -- few, if any, actresses have matched her range and depth of emotion in that film genre.
Nathaniel, I just rewatched the final episode of Big Little Lies and am somewhat saddened I probably won't see something so beautiful in the cinema this year. I do have high hopes for Three Billboards, Ladybird, and Call Me By Your Name however...
Craig, Marcos was listing only Oscar-nominated performances.