Bette Davis: The Unyielding Star
An academic exploration into the life, career, and enduring legacy of Hollywood's formidable cinematic icon.
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Overview
A Luminary of the Silver Screen
Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (1908–1989) stands as one of the most revered actresses in Hollywood's illustrious history. Her career spanned film, television, and theater, marked by a distinctive willingness to embody unsympathetic, sardonic, and often complex characters. Davis's versatility allowed her to excel across diverse genres, from contemporary crime melodramas to historical epics and occasional comedies, though her most profound successes were often found in romantic dramas.
Unprecedented Accolades
Davis's impact on cinema is underscored by her numerous accolades. She was a two-time recipient of the Academy Award for Best Actress and holds the distinction of being the first individual to accumulate ten Academy Award nominations for acting, including one notable write-in. Furthermore, she was the first woman to be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Film Institute. In 1999, the American Film Institute recognized her enduring stature by placing her second on their list of the greatest female stars of classic Hollywood cinema, a testament to her unparalleled talent and influence.
A Forceful and Combative Persona
Known for her forceful and intense acting style, Davis cultivated a reputation as a perfectionist who could be highly combative. Her confrontations with studio executives, film directors, and co-stars were frequently documented, contributing to her legendary status. Her forthright manner, distinctive clipped vocal style, and ubiquitous cigarette became integral to a public persona that has been widely imitated and celebrated. Beyond her acting, Davis was a co-founder of the Hollywood Canteen and the first female president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, demonstrating her leadership both on and off screen.
Early
Childhood and Theatrical Beginnings
Born Ruth Elizabeth Davis in Lowell, Massachusetts, on April 5, 1908, she was known as "Betty" from an early age. Her father, Harlow Morrell Davis, was a law student and later a patent attorney, and her mother was Ruth Augusta Favór. After her parents separated in 1915, Bette and her younger sister, Barbara Harriet, attended Crestalban, a boarding school in Lanesborough, Massachusetts, for three years. It was during this period that her mother moved to New York City, pursuing photography, and the young Betty changed the spelling of her first name to "Bette," inspired by a character in Honoré de Balzac's novel, La Cousine Bette.
Aspiring Actress in New York
Bette Davis's passion for acting ignited after seeing a production of Henrik Ibsen's The Wild Duck. Despite being initially dismissed by Eva Le Gallienne for an "insincere" and "frivolous" attitude, Davis persevered. George Cukor provided her first paid acting role as a chorus girl in the play Broadway. Her professional stage debut is often cited as a 1929 production by the Provincetown Players. Later that year, she made her Broadway debut in Broken Dishes, followed by Solid South, establishing her presence in the New York theater scene.
Hollywood's Initial Rejection
In 1930, at 22, Davis ventured to Hollywood for a screen test with Universal Studios, inspired by Mary Pickford. Her arrival was notably unheralded, with a studio employee failing to recognize her as an actress. Her initial screen tests were unsuccessful, with director William Wyler famously commenting on her appearance. Despite cinematographer Karl Freund's observation of her "lovely eyes," leading to her film debut in Bad Sister (1931), her early films at Universal were largely unsuccessful. After a year and six films, Universal opted not to renew her contract, leaving Davis on the brink of returning to New York.
Warner
Breakthrough and Early Recognition
Davis's fortunes changed when actor George Arliss selected her for the lead female role in Warner Bros.' The Man Who Played God (1932), a role she credited with her Hollywood "break." This led to a five-year contract with Warner Bros., where she would remain for 18 years. Her critical breakthrough came with the role of Mildred Rogers in RKO Radio's Of Human Bondage (1934). Despite widespread critical acclaim, she was controversially omitted from the Academy Award nominations that year, sparking an industry-wide outcry that ultimately led to changes in the Academy's voting procedures.
Oscar Wins and Rivalries
The following year, Davis won her first Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Dangerous (1935), a role she famously deemed a "consolation prize" for her work in Of Human Bondage. She claimed to have named the Oscar statue after her husband, Harmon Oscar Nelson. This period also intensified her lifelong rivalry with Joan Crawford, fueled by professional competition and personal slights, including Crawford's marriage to Franchot Tone, whom Davis had admired. Their contentious relationship would become a legendary aspect of Hollywood lore.
The Battle for Artistic Freedom
In 1936, frustrated by what she perceived as poor film offers, Davis sought to break free from her contract with Warner Bros. She traveled to England to make a film with another company, leading to a highly publicized legal battle. Despite her claims of being an "underpaid slave," the British court ruled in favor of Warner Bros., ordering Davis to pay restitution and legal fees. Although she lost the case, this bold move marked a pivotal moment, signaling her fierce independence and setting the stage for the most successful period of her career, where she would gain more control over her roles.
Reigning Queen of Warner Bros.
Following her contract dispute, Davis entered a golden era at Warner Bros. Her portrayal of a strong-willed Southern belle in Jezebel (1938) earned her a second Academy Award. This marked the beginning of five consecutive Best Actress nominations, a record she would hold. Films like Dark Victory (1939), The Letter (1940), The Little Foxes (1941), and Now, Voyager (1942) solidified her status as a top box-office draw and critical darling. She also became the first female president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1941, though her tenure was brief due to her radical proposals and clashes with committee members.
Wartime Contributions and Personal Loss
During World War II, Davis channeled her energy into patriotic efforts, co-founding the Hollywood Canteen with John Garfield. This establishment provided food, dancing, and entertainment for servicemen, staffed by entertainment industry volunteers. Davis served as its president throughout the war, earning the Distinguished Civilian Service Medal in 1983. Personally, this period was marked by tragedy; her second husband, Arthur Farnsworth, died in 1943 from a skull fracture sustained in an accidental fall. Despite her grief, she continued to work, demonstrating her resilience amidst personal sorrow and professional demands.
Freelance
Post-War Career Challenges
The late 1940s brought a period of career setbacks for Davis. Films like The Corn Is Green (1945) and A Stolen Life (1946), though some were commercially successful, received mixed critical reviews. Her relationship with her third husband, William Grant Sherry, and the birth of their daughter, Barbara Davis Sherry (B.D.), saw her briefly consider ending her career. However, her popularity with audiences began to wane, and films like Deception (1946) and Winter Meeting (1948) struggled at the box office, leading to a decline in her standing as a top star.
The Triumphant Comeback: All About Eve
Davis's career experienced a spectacular resurgence with her iconic role as Margo Channing, a fading Broadway star, in All About Eve (1950). She described the script as the best she had ever read, and her performance earned her another Academy Award nomination, a Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress, and the New York Film Critics Circle Award. Her portrayal was lauded by critics, with lines like "Fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy night" becoming instantly famous. This film is frequently cited as her finest performance and cemented her legacy as a dramatic actress of unparalleled caliber.
Personal Life and Family Dynamics
Following her divorce from William Sherry, Davis married Gary Merrill, her fourth and final husband, in 1950. Merrill adopted B.D., and together they adopted two more children, Margot Mosher Merrill and Michael. The family resided on an estate in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. However, their marriage was fraught with frequent arguments, alcohol abuse, and domestic violence, as later recounted by B.D. Merrill. The family also faced challenges with Margot's diagnosis of severe brain damage, leading to her placement in an institution.
The Fifties Slump
Despite the success of All About Eve, the 1950s proved to be a challenging decade for Davis's career. Few of her subsequent films, such as Another Man's Poison (1951) and The Star (1952) (for which she received another Oscar nomination), achieved significant success. Critics often noted a decline in the quality of her performances, with some describing her mannerisms as caricatures. Her stage appearance in the Broadway revue Two's Company was also met with lukewarm reception, and her health issues, including osteomyelitis of the jaw, further complicated her professional life.
Later
The Horror Revival: Baby Jane
In 1962, Bette Davis experienced another significant career resurgence with the psychological horror film What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, co-starring her long-time rival, Joan Crawford. Davis's portrayal of the demented former child star Baby Jane Hudson earned her a final Academy Award nomination for Best Actress and a BAFTA nomination. The film was a major box-office success, appealing to a new generation of audiences. The intense on-set rivalry between Davis and Crawford became legendary, further fueling public fascination with both actresses.
Television and Pop Culture Resonance
In her later career, Davis increasingly turned to television, appearing in popular series like Wagon Train and Perry Mason. She starred in several acclaimed television films, winning an Emmy Award for Strangers: The Story of a Mother and Daughter (1979) and receiving nominations for White Mama (1980) and Little Gloria... Happy at Last (1982). Her cultural impact was further amplified in 1981 when Kim Carnes's song "Bette Davis Eyes" became a global hit, introducing her iconic persona to a younger audience. Davis embraced this, sending roses to Carnes and the songwriters.
Illness and Familial Strife
In 1983, Davis faced significant health challenges, including a breast cancer diagnosis requiring a mastectomy, followed by four strokes that caused partial paralysis and slurred speech. Despite these adversities, she underwent extensive physical therapy and continued acting. However, her later years were also marred by familial discord. Her daughter, B.D. Hyman, published the controversial memoir My Mother's Keeper (1985), which depicted Davis in a negative light. Davis vehemently denied the book's accuracy, leading to a permanent estrangement and Hyman's disinheritance, a deeply painful experience for the veteran actress.
Legacy
Enduring Critical Acclaim
Bette Davis's legacy is defined by her unwavering commitment to authenticity and her groundbreaking portrayals of complex female characters. As early as 1936, Graham Greene praised her "precise, nervy voice, the pale ash-blond hair, the popping, neurotic eyes, a kind of corrupt and phosphorescent prettiness." She was celebrated for forging a career without relying solely on conventional beauty, instead prioritizing the integrity of her performances. Her willingness to play "unlikable" characters, often manipulators and killers, was unconventional for actresses of her era, setting a new standard for dramatic depth.
Honors and Memorials
Davis received numerous honors throughout her life and posthumously. In 1977, she became the first woman to receive the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award, a testament to her profound influence. Her death in 1989 was widely mourned, marking "the close of yet another chapter of the Golden Age of Hollywood." In 2008, the United States Postal Service issued a commemorative postage stamp featuring her image from All About Eve, celebrating the 100th anniversary of her birth. The Bette Davis Foundation, established by her estate, continues her legacy by awarding college scholarships to aspiring actors.
Cultural Iconography
Beyond her filmography, Bette Davis remains a significant figure in popular culture. Her distinctive mannerisms and memorable lines, such as "What a dump!" from Beyond the Forest, have been widely imitated and referenced. The global success of Kim Carnes's "Bette Davis Eyes" in 1981 introduced her to new generations. She also garnered a substantial following within the gay subculture, with female impersonators frequently mimicking her style. Her legendary rivalry with Joan Crawford was dramatized in the 2017 television series Feud: Bette and Joan, further cementing her status as an indelible cultural icon.
Awards
Oscar Milestones
Bette Davis holds several significant records in the history of the Academy Awards. She was the first person to earn five consecutive Academy Award nominations for acting, all in the Best Actress category, from 1938 to 1942. This record was later matched only by Greer Garson. In 1962, Davis became the first individual to secure ten Academy Award nominations for acting, a feat surpassed by only Meryl Streep, Katharine Hepburn, and Jack Nicholson, and matched by Laurence Olivier.
Academy Award Wins and Nominations
Davis's two Academy Awards for Best Actress were for her roles in Dangerous (1935) and Jezebel (1938). Her controversial write-in nomination for Of Human Bondage (1934) remains a point of historical discussion, as it led to significant changes in the Academy's voting procedures. Notably, director Steven Spielberg later purchased both of Davis's Oscar statues at auction and returned them to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, ensuring their preservation within the institution's collection.
A Table of Recognition
The following table details Bette Davis's Academy Award nominations and wins, showcasing her remarkable consistency and impact during Hollywood's Golden Age:
| Year | Category | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1934 | Best Actress | Of Human Bondage | Nominated (Write-in) |
| 1935 | Best Actress | Dangerous | Won |
| 1938 | Best Actress | Jezebel | Won |
| 1939 | Best Actress | Dark Victory | Nominated |
| 1940 | Best Actress | The Letter | Nominated |
| 1941 | Best Actress | The Little Foxes | Nominated |
| 1942 | Best Actress | Now, Voyager | Nominated |
| 1944 | Best Actress | Mr. Skeffington | Nominated |
| 1950 | Best Actress | All About Eve | Nominated |
| 1952 | Best Actress | The Star | Nominated |
| 1962 | Best Actress | What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? | Nominated |
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References
References
- Twitter.com Bette Davis Estate on Twitter
- "Classic Movie Scrapbook: Dangerous." Reel Classics.com. Accessed May 24, 2008.
- "Spielberg buys Bette Davis' Oscar." BBC.co.uk. July 20, 2001. Accessed May 24, 2008.
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