Inclubabu Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.

Skyler Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

Phillipa Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Delight Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

MisterWhiplash She didn't do it for every performance (only most of them, you know), but when she had to Bette Davis could bring a certain high-electrical charge to a character that would make a movie more dramatic. It's there in Dark Victory, and she finds with the character of Judith moments to make that energy go really up, and then other moments to tone it down a little more - in a sense this is a performance that is great because of her fluctuating energy levels, if that makes sense. For example, her character discovers, as does happen sometimes (or only most of the time) in such dramas, about what her condition really is by doing just a little bit of digging - her file is on the desk that Dr. Steele happened to leave behind while things are being packed away - and she sees "Prognosis Negative." Just in case we don't notice that enough, the director helpfully takes those words and blows them up.She has a confrontation with Dr. Steele, who she's growing to like a lot before this and he may be falling in love with her too, but it's not an immediate "How could you!?" type of scene; she's out for a night at the club with Steele (Brent) and her friend Ann (Fitzgerald), and she's being a bit uncharacteristically nasty in front of them. Judith's shown up till now she can be a little fiery and direct when talking to people - it's the Bette Davis way, from a number of her characters, just the way she talks and looks at people - but this emotion is different, how she has sarcastic comments and snide remarks as they're looking at the menu for what to eat. She picks hers up and goes (and I'm paraphrasing here), "Ah, shall we have some 'Prognosis Negative'!) And then the cat's out of the bag and things click for the other characters, but this whole scene is indicative of what Davis could do so strongly - we feel angry for her that she's been lied to (though one might understand on the other hand trying to hide the 'There's nothing we can do' sort of melodramatic news involving a medical condition, as Judith has). It's everything behind Davis's FORCE as an actress that does it in that and other scenes here.What's also good about Dark Victory is that Davis gets to show vulnerabilities as well, mostly in the last section as her condition starts to worsen (come on, I don't think I'm giving anything away as far as the plot goes, what's to discover here is the emotional range of things), and her strange going-blind-in-one/both-eyes-brain-falling-apart disease makes her rely on others, but she's not doing it so much that it becomes maudlin. We also come to believe the romance between the two and not simply in that 'you're dying, I'll care for you, etc' sort of way from the doctor, though that's there; I can sense the connection between the actors (Brent I think was a typical contract player for the time, and really this is Davis's show so everyone else are just that, including Bogart and Reagan), and they have good chemistry.Does it get melodramatic? Oh, you bet your life it does. This is meant to draw the tears out, whether you're a woman who's seen it many, many times, or the man who got dragged along (though maybe he wants to see it too) to see the high dramatics unfold. But the writing of it is clever to dole out the details gradually, that the inciting incident, of Judith having the "WTF" moment as she's riding her horse, is startling and harsh, but how characters discover things and then find them out (again, that folder-file scene, and the confrontation after) is told like... well, one of these kinds of stories should be. It's before this sort of tale got over-used and over-wrought (Love Story, I'm sure, is a relative of this even distantly). It's all about Davis though, at least for the most part.And yet, I don't know if it's entirely a *great* movie unto itself, even as Davis surely is; Bogart plays the "Irish Brogue" and his accent goes in and out, so while he tries he's kind of a weak spot in the story for me, as the stable hand who may have feelings for Judith as well; Regan may actually be okay here since he's just playing a drunk playboy, but even at that he's not terribly convincing; there are some scenes here and there in the first half where it could use a little tightening, and it's really halfway through where the writing gets tighter still. But there's a lot to like about Dark Victory, as it understands what movie it's got to be and manages to get a lot out of the audience.At the heart of it is Davis and Judith, that woman who will look on at this as a 'victory against the dark.' It's almost inspirational, if one can see something like that out of a situation as grim as a dying with dignity, or if that's what it even is. 8.5/10

vincentlynch-moonoi In terms of best male actor of all time, for me it's a tie between Spencer Tracy and Cary Grant. For best female actor, no question in my mind -- Bette Davis. And her talents are well displayed in this, which was said to be her favorite film.I want to start out by saying that if you already have the DVD, I don't recommend updating to the Blu Ray version. I'm not sure there's significant improvement.This film is another of the famous pairings of Bette Davis and George Brent. I actually think this is one of the better ones because there's more of a story to Brent's character here than sometimes occurred. He's a doctor with some expertise in brain problems, who is about to go off on medical research. He is persuaded to postpone his trip to look after Bette Davis' spoiled rich girl character, who is having symptoms of dizziness, headaches, and double vision. Early in the film it's almost impossible to have much sympathy for her character. But, we also know that some of her impertinent behavior is a result of her fear. My sympathy for the character began when she received the diagnosis -- I've been there, done that, although in my case both times it was good news...which was not expected. But the fear was immense while waiting for the prognosis.There are several supporting actors worth mentioning. Geraldine Fitzgerald is very good as the best friend. Humphrey Bogart has an odd role as a stable man with an Irish accent. The role is often criticized, but this was back when he was still a supporting actor; he was paying his dues to the studio here. Ronald Reagan has a nothing role as a slightly tipsy friend; I can't believe it helped his career. Henry Travers is good (as always) as the country doctor who persuades George Brent to take Davis' case.A major portion of the film is the love conquers all stuff...although, of course, in this case it doesn't. But it is a good example of how people can sometimes fool themselves about the future.The death scene in remarkably well done from an emotional standpoint. In my view, one of the great moments in film.The one part of the film that just doesn't work for me is Humphrey Bogart's main scene. To me it just doesn't work. Not because of the character's Irish accent, but just because it seems inane. I think the problem with the scene is that the groundwork of it is not laid, and then Bogart tries to seduce Davis, not knowing that she is dying. I think it's the one significant flaw in the film. Well, other than Ronald Reagan's empty performance.One of the bonuses on the Blu Ray edition is a short documentary sort of lamenting that this film, or Bette's performance did not win the Academy Award. However, the year was 1939, the year often considered the year that the finest films in Hollywood's history were made, including "Gone With The Wind". "Dark Victory" is a wonderful film and Bette Davis' performance is memorable. But neither the film nor the performance could complete with "GWTW" or "The Wizard Of Oz", or several others.Even despite the fact that Davis is my favorite actress, this film was very memorable to me. When I decided to upgrade to Blu Ray (a waste), I delayed ordering this film because I was expecting a bad diagnosis, It was only after the green light that I had the nerve to order the film. The death scene is that memorable.

JPfanatic93 Typical but classic 'weepie' (or 'women's film') from the late Thirties, a star vehicle for Bette Davis who was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance but didn't win (no matter, since she was Oscar-nominated a whopping eleven times in total and took home two such trophies during her career). Davis portrays a young wealthy woman who enjoys life in a frivolous manner, drinking, smoking and sporting too much, until she is diagnosed with a terminal illness that will kill her within a year. Instead of crying over it (which is left to the audience), she chooses to concentrate on the important things in life, finds love with the doctor examining her and keeps her dignity until the very (bitter) end, thus going out in a 'dark victory' in her acceptance of the inevitable as she embraces her death instead of needlessly living in fear for the unavoidable for the remainder of her days. The final scenes in which she says goodbye to her new husband as he leaves for a business trip while she, unknown to him, is in the final stages of her physical collapse – in order for him to remember her as she wants him to – is a serious tearjerking moment like only the Thirties could provide; hence the genre nickname 'weepies'. Despite the emphatically tragic occurrences and strong performances making it feel compelling, the general level of melodrama is overly high for many (male) audience members, which is a reason films like these were mainly marketed to the female spectators. Co-starring Humprey Bogart in a pre-Casablanca role, not as a bad guy in this case.

mark.waltz This box-office bonanza confirmed Bette Davis's status as the most critically and financially successful star of her day, who like her slight look-alike Meryl Streep, could do no wrong with two Oscars under her purse. Davis was almost assured a third Oscar for this (until a little film called "Gone With the Wind" came along late in the year with a ravishing British woman named Vivien Leigh swiping it away) but entered film immortality that year anyway with an additional three classics to her credit.As the lively socialite Judith Traherne, Davis is the most popular member of her social circle, alternately loved, loathed and lusted after for her striking independence. But fate has a tricky way of stepping in, and before she knows it, a visit to the doctor's after a fall from a horse leads to the revelation of her own immortality being threatened, something a spitfire like her is in fury of having to face with the deck of cards stacked against her.She is supported by the loyal George Brent as the brutally honest doctor who treats her and two uniquely different men-Humphrey Bogart as the lusty stableman secretly in love with her, and "Little Ronnie Reagan" (as Davis herself would call him when he entered a certain sector called politics) is her socially alike boyfriend but totally different in spirit. He gives a performance so sexless that you can't believe for a minute that she'd have an eye on him. It is the Heathcliff like Bogart who is much more her match, filled with fire to match her own sexuality, if not equal to her socially. Their scene when he reveals his feelings to her is an attempted seduction that under different circumstances would rock the stables he works in. More intuned to her both romantically and socially is Brent, giving one of his best performances. Also noteworthy is Geraldine Fitzgerald as Davis's loyal secretary and confidante who stands by her through thick and thin.The real treat is seeing Davis grow from devil may care socialite to a lovely but ultimately doomed young lady. Yes, there are tons of clichés, but Davis helps the film rise above each and every one of them. In the end, what this film is about is rising above one's own mortality and facing death with dignity, which she does beautifully.