The Old Maid

After she gives up her girl, the film turns in my view, but The Old Maid has a strong start.

The TCM intro discussed how the stars didn't like each other, in part because Miriam thought Bette had an affair with her husband (looks like they were on the road to divorce). One thing that stands out for me is neither is really what I would say is traditionally beautiful, known particularly for their force of will. Bette Davis also has those large eyes. What big eyes you have, Bette.

Bette Davis (this seems to be the case in the other movie the two were in together, also on TCM, but didn't watch) plays the more attractive character (personality-wise) though once she has to give up her daughter, she becomes an "Old Maid" and one who has lost her vitality. This helps make the later part of the film unpleasant, since the two evenly matched characters clashing makes things more interesting. The cousin finally reveals Bette is the girl's mother near the end and she doesn't really seem to react that much. Over twenty years and the grumpy one is my mom? Okay.

One charming bit is the flags-- one would be pretty clueless to miss it -- that Bette has had an illegitimate child. First, we have her coming back late alone with the guy (who conveniently later dies in the war). [Note: did her daughter also have premarital sex? After all, it was the 1880s, a freer time by then! ha ha] Then, there is a conveniently aged girl she is particularly close to, and she went West "for her health." Her doctor (who unlike other characters curiously doesn't age) turns out knows the real reason, but the family conveniently has health issues too so it was not too suspicious.

Anyway, Bette before her own wedding tells her cousin about the daughter, and the cousin bitch-like insists the husband-to-be needs to know when she finds out the father is her true love. But, the cousin decides just to say Bette is not healthy enough to marry, though Bette thinks she told all (the guy vaguely "letting her free"). She later finds out when going to see the cousin, when the cousin's own husband has a deadly fall. For some reason, maybe it is more clear in the book, though pissed at the whole thing, she consents to live with the cousin who is raising the daughter as her own. Melodrama!

Again, Bette Davis' character being old and bitter (if age-wise, in her 40s, one guesses) is not really great film in my view. Of course, she is all saintly and on the daughter's wedding eve (where the mother is to tell her the facts of life), she doesn't tell her the truth. But, we have a sort of happy ending. 

Anyway, so many films out there to see, including classic films on more than one channel.  Like, there were multiple Thin Man films -- which back in the day I saw via videotapes from a specific library  -- but now are more easily seen along with a bunch of others.  A bit overwhelming on some level.