Unfolding over 20 years at breakneck speed through multiple histrionic episodes, old acquaintance lends new meaning to the phrase highmaintenance friend. Millie is a silly and unappealing character and she doesnt seem worthy of a character in a move, but as the story progresses and we see how millie and kits lives are so tangled, we have an interesting story develop. Bette had been having an affair with miriams husband, film director anatole litvak. The film s leading ladies, bette davis and miriam hopkins, both take center stage chewing up the scenery and their costars.
Old acquaintance 1943 stream and watch online moviefone. Directed by vincent sherman, this romantic melodrama stars the two feuding actresses as lifelong. Warner as executive producer from a screenplay by john van druten, lenore coffee and edmund goulding. Howard fritzsons rating of the film old acquaintance. Old acquaintance 1943 bette davis is a serious literary writer whos enjoyed mild success. Old acquaintance 1943 is the story of two childhood friends who both grow up to be writers and fall in love with the same man, yet somehow. Old acquaintance 1943 letterboxd your life in film. Old acquaintance was remade in 1981 as rich and famous.
Old acquaintance 1943, directed by vincent sherman film. February 20 american film studio executives agree to allow the office of war information to censor films. Kit marlowe bette davis shakes millie drake miriam hopkins category. Warner as executive producer from a screenplay by john van druten, lenore coffee and edmund goulding based on van drutens 1941 play of the same title the film starred bette davis and miriam hopkins with gig young, john loder, dolores moran, roscoe. Druten also wrote bell, book and candle play 1950, movie 1958 and i r emember mama 1948. Old acquaintance is a film directed by vincent sherman with bette davis, miriam hopkins, gig young, john loder, year. Despite the friction between the two women, they got. The first one, the old maid, had been such a huge hit 4 years earlier that it was only a matter of time before another vehicle for the two scenery chewing actresses would be found. Kit is a single, critically acclaimed author while married millie writes popular pulp novels. The 1943 edition old acquaintance is surprisingly modern in its themes of personal life vs divorce and female friendships vs romance. The commentary is by director vincent sherman, who turns 100 this year but easily sound 25 years younger.
Bette davis and miriam hopkinsa pair of actresses who hated each otherremix their chemistry from the old maid in old acquaintance, an entertaining adaptation of john van drutens play. Old acquaintance 1943 is the story of two childhood friends who both grow up to be writers and fall in love with the same man, yet somehow remain buddies all the while this film is an adaptation of john van drutens 1940 play. Old acquaintance the 1943 movie, trailers, videos and more at yidio. In 1924, prizewinning novelist kit marlowe returns to her home town to give a lecture and is greeted by her old friend, millie drake. A classic womans picture that is as generic as its title and on the shapeless side, although i have to say that doing a better job on such an old film wouldnt be easy. Winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. Read the full synopsis of old acquaintance, 1943, directed by vincent sherman, with bette davis, miriam hopkins, gig young, at turner classic movies. There is a time in every womans life when the only thing that helps is a glass of champagne. Although it is a shock, kit pretends to be delighted and rushes off to make sure that a disillusioned deirdre does not miss her chance for a happy marriage. Based on a play by john van druten, its a story of a lifelong friendship, both writers. The longstanding feud in reallife between davis and hopkins makes this scene an alltime classic.
Old acquaintance 1943 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Howard fritzson definitely of its time, but enjoyable nonetheless. Old acquaintance is a 1943 film made by warner brosthe film stars bette davis and miriam hopkins, with gig young and john loder in supporting roles old friends kit marlowe davis and millie drake hopkins adopt contrasting lifestyles. Hopkins has the flashy role, a silly ninny who seemingly never stops screeching, and davis takes the more. Bette davis and miriam hopkins star as two jealous lady novelists who interfere in each others love lives. The soap opera featured davis in an academy awardnominated performance as a narcissistic. Old friends kit marlowe and millie drake adopt contrasting lifestyles. Warners package starts with another new featurette old acquaintance. Old acquaintance 1943 is a potboiler on simmer, slowly bubbling with melodrama concerning friendships, secrets, and lies. It was directed by vincent sherman and produced by henry blanke with jack l. The films leading ladies, bette davis and miriam hopkins, both take center stage chewing up the scenery and their costars.
Old acquaintance 1943 is primarily famous today for a scene in which bette davis violently shakes her off screen nemesis miriam hopkins and then offers a very insincere sorry to her victim, but if you watch the entire film youll be completely on bettes side about miriam needing to be shaken. Old acquaintance is a 1943 comedydrama film made by warner bros. The year 1943 in film featured various significant events for the film industry. Bette davis and miriam hopkins sorry from old acquaintance. That was presumably going on in 1939 when they made the old maid together, a film which called for their characters to hate each other even though they were sisters. Old acquaintance 1943 was a popular drama starring bette davis and miriam hopkins as feuding writers. A serious writer refuses to marry the husband of a potboiler novelist through loyalty, but when years later she loves a young man, he rejects her for the others daughter. Warner as executive producer from a screenplay by john van druten, lenore coffee and edmund goulding based on van drutens play. Old acquaintance stars bette davis, who scored a big hit with the old. Druten also wrote bell, book and candle play 1950, movie 1958 and i remember mama 1948. Warner as executive producer from a screenplay by john van druten, lenore coffee and edmund goulding based on van drutens 1941 play of the same title. Old acquaintance is a very decent adaptation of the. Released 1943, old acquaintance stars bette davis, miriam hopkins, gig young, john loder the movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 50 min, and received a score of out of 100 on metacritic, which.
Nov 21, 2019 old acquaintance 1943 is a potboiler on simmer, slowly bubbling with melodrama concerning friendships, secrets, and lies. Bette davis in old acquaintance 1943 bette davis and miriam hopkins in old. At first millie is upset that kit does not seem eager to see her, but later, after kit apologizes. A serious writer refuses to marry the husband of a potboiler novelist through loyalty, but when years later she loves a young man, he rejects her for the others. Warner as executive producer from a screenplay by john van druten, lenore coffee and edmund goulding based. Just watched this old bette davis and miriam hopkins film from 1943, and what a gem it is. Bette davis and miriam hopkins sorry from old acquaintance 1943. As written, old acquaintance, which is best known for the 1943 film version starring bette davis and miriam hopkins, has the surprising charm of a decadesold best seller.
The movie keeps checking up on these two as the years pass, each wanting what the other has. Old acquaintance, dvd, manufactured on demand, mono sound, dramaclassics, 888574106515. Millie then describes her new book, old acquaintance, about two longtime women friends, and the two women drink to it. Old acquaintance 1943 is the story of two childhood friends who both grow up to be writers and fall in love with the same man, yet somehow remain buddies all the while. Such is the enduring appeal of this tale of a friendship between two women that continues throughout their lives despite rivalries, temperament, and. With bette davis, miriam hopkins, gig young, john loder. Old acquaintance 1943 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. She returns to her hometown to visit her childhood friend played by miriam hopkins whos married to john loder. One of the most gossiped about films of its time, old acquaintance opened to high expectations for onscreen cattiness that it more than satisfied. Later, millie stops by kits apartment to apologize and kit forgives her. Bette davis and gig young in old acquaintance, 1943.
Vincent shermans romantic drama about two previous pals who, both writers, assume opposing lifestyles. Aside from bettes outstanding role performance in the film the old maid, old. Media in category old acquaintance this category contains only the following file. This film has been under common ownership with its 1981 remake ever since the remake was released.
After the box office success of the old maid, bette davis and miriam hopkins were reunited for this catty drama. Old acquaintance manufactured on demand, mono sound on. This film is an adaptation of john van drutens 1940 play. Davis and hopkins had been teamed by producer blanke in another old picture when they did the old maid in 1939. Based on a play by john van druten, remade by cukor in 1981 as rich and famous, this has davis sweet and hopkins sour as. From the breathtaking, black and white imagery to stars oldfashioned, transatlantic accents even just use of the word pictures instead of films. Dec 12, 20 old acquaintance 1943 is the story of two childhood friends who both grow up to be writers and fall in love with the same man, yet somehow remain buddies all the while. Old acquaintance was the second movie to pair bette davis with real life rival miriam hopkins. Tired old queen at the movies old acquaintance duration. Kit and millies worlds collide and relationships are formed and destroyed. Old aquaintance is een film uit 1943 onder regie van vincent sherman. Box office numbers were reported at the time as a percentage compared to normal business at each theater. Old acquaintance is a 1943 american drama film made by warner bros. Old acquaintance 1943 there comes a time in every womans life when the only thing that helps is a glass of champagne.
That was presumably going on in 1939 when they made the old maid together, a film which called for their characters to hate each other. The year the remake was released, its distributor, metrogoldwynmayer, acquired united artists, which had owned the rights to the 1943 version since its 1958 purchase of associated artists productions which had owned the pre1950 warner bros. Old acquaintance, with bette davis and miriam hopkins, a drama of two women, opens at hollywood theatre here. In the years since they last saw each other, millie has married and is now pregnant with her first child, news that kit learns first from millies husband preston. And even when its final third leans into a series of rapid melodramas and quasitwists, bette daviss masterful, controlled performance keeps the proceedings afloat. Davis and hopkins play lifelong friends, both are successful career women.