The Old Maid "La solterona" (1939)

Director: Edmund Goulding

Bette Davis, Miriam Hopkins, George Brent, Donald Crisp, Jane Bryan.

Exceptional version of the Pultzer Prize winning play has Bette Davis and Miriam Hopkins making for more high-class Warner drama. In the film, Davis gets pregnant by her cousin's (Hopkins) old flame (George Brent) so instead of facing public scorn, she opens a home for children where she raises the daughter as a stranger. A few years later after the death of Hopkins' husband, she tells the girl that she's her mother while her real mother takes a place in the background and grows to be an old maid while watching her child grow up not knowing who she is. I really wasn't sure what to expect out of this film, which seems to have been partially forgotten but perhaps this is due to it being released in 1939, a year with countless great films and not to mention Davis being in three other highly popular films in DARK VICTORY, JUAREZ and THE PRIVATE LIVES OF ELIZABETH AND ESSEX. This film perfectly blends the drama and makes for a very entertaining film even though some of the subject matter might hit new viewers as being old-fashioned but one much remember when this film takes place. What I enjoyed most about the movie is that many scripts would have fallen into a good guy/bad guy range. It would have been very easy to make Davis the sad, good girl while painting the Hopkins character as evil but the film isn't that easy. While you can't help but feel sorry for Davis you also can understand why Hopkins wants to protect the kid in her own way. The level of dirtiness that Hopkins sinks to will certainly make people hate her but you can also put some of that to the side when you really think about what's best for the kid. Both Davis and Hopkins turn in excellent performances as both really sink their teeth into the roles. The aging make up effects really don't work but I'm curious if this was because neither actress wanted to be buried under all the make up. George Brent is impressive in his small role as is Donald Crisp as the caring doctor. Considering what all 1939 had going for it, it's easy to see why this film has been overlooked but it's certainly worth checking out and deserve a new group of fans.