Mr. Skeffington
by Vincent Sherman
List Price:
Our Price: $11.59
You Save: $8.38 (42%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $6.19 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD details
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD details
Actor: Bette Davis, Claude Rains, George Coulouris, Walter AbelDirector: Vincent Sherman
Brand: Warner Brothers
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: Academy Ratio, 1.33:1
Running Time: 146 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2005-06-14
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Model: 67305
Studio: Warner Home Video
DVD Reviews of Mr. Skeffington
DVD Review: Great performances
Summary: 3 Stars
"Mr. Skeffington" is another one of those 40s films that is absorbed with the life and times of the wealthy - e.g., "The Philadelphia Story" (1940), "Citizen Kane" (1941), "King's Row" (1942), "The Magnificent Ambersons" (1943), etc. Skeffington is a 1944 film concerned with life among the wealthy from 1914 to 1940. It's a tour d'force for Bette Davis and Claude Rains, and includes excellent supporting performances from Walter Abel, Richard Waring, John Alexander, Jerome Cowan, Peter Whitney, and Bill Kennedy.
Bette Davis is a film icon. She appeared in nearly 100 films, was nominated for an Oscar 11 times and won twice ("Dangerous" in 1935 and "Jezebel" in 1939), nominated for an Emmy 4 times and won once ("Strangers" in 1979), 3 Golden Globe Nominations, and for "All About Eve" (1950) she won awards at Cannes, in Italy, and the New York Film Critics. According to AFI she is the #2 female screen legend . Some reviewers have commented on Davis' "beauty" in relation to the story, but IMHO I think she pulls it off. Being an eligible young woman has more to do than the simple physical appearance of her face, and Davis' face is attractive enough to make the film believable.
Claude Rains was one of the greatest actors of the 20th century and a personal favorite of his co-star, Bette Davis. He appeared in only a few dozen films, but was nominated 4 times for an Oscar ("Notorious" in 1946, "Mr. Skeffington" in 1944, "Casablanca" in 1942, and "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" in 1939) although many people remember him best for "The Invisible Man" (1933) or "The Adventures of Robin Hood" (1938). Rains plays Mr. Skeffington. His performance is a true example of less is more.
Walter Abel (1898-1987) appeared in more than 50 films, and is best known for his work on "The Three Musketeers" (1935) as D'Artagnan. He does an excellent job playing Davis' down to earth cousin.
Davis' persistent suitors form a sort of chorus. They are John Alexander, Jerome Cowan, Peter Whitney, and Bill Kennedy.
- Jerome Cowan (1897-1972) appeared in more than 100 films, remembered best for his roles as the DA in "Miracle on 34th Street", Dagwood's boss Mr. Radcliffe in the "Blondie" series (1938-43), and Bogart's partner Miles Archer from "The Maltese Falcon" (1941).
- Peter Whitney (1916-72) appears much younger, smaller, and far tamer in this film than he did in the 100+ films in which he was a huge, strong, and generally dull presence with bushy eyebrows. We know him best from his omnipresence on TV in the 60s when he appeared in just about every Western on TV with names like "Moose", "Big Bill", "Fat Augie", and "The Giant".
- John Alexander (1897-1982) is best known for playing Teddy Roosevelt in "Arsenic and Old Lace" (1944), one of 30 films in which he appeared.
- Bill Kennedy (1908-97) appeared in more than 50 films, but it's his distinctive voice that you'll recall. Among other roles, he was the announcer for the TV series "Superman" (1952-8)
Vincent Sherman (1906-2006) directs. He began a love affair with Bette Davis in 1943 ("Old Acquaintance") and it continued through the filming of Mr. Skeffington. Sherman followed Davis with Joan Crawford, making "Baby Jane" a little more understandable. Though he made films with Bogart ("Return of Dr. X", "All Through the Night", "Across the Pacific"), his good friend Errol Flynn ("Adventures of Don Juan"), Clark Gable ("Lone Star"), etc., he is generally known as a "woman's director."Sherman was investigated by HUAC in the 50s, which ended his film career and he made the transition to TV where he worked on series such as "The Waltons", "Baretta" and "77 Sunset Strip".
Julius and twin brother Philip Epstein co-wrote and co-produced. They're best known for "Casablanca" (1942) for which they won the Academy Award and also were nominated 3 more times - in 1938 ("Four Daughters"), 1973 ("Pete n'Tillie"), and 1984 ("Reuben, Reuben"). My favorite Epstein film is "The Man Who Came to Dinner" (1942), in which Davis also appeared.
Ernest Haller (1896-1970) provides beautiful black and white photography. He filmed more than 100 movies and was nominated for an Oscar 7 times, three times for films with Bette Davis ("Jezebel" in 1938, "All This and Heaven Too" in 1940, and "Whatever Happened to baby Jane?" in 1962), and won once for "GWTW" (1939).
Franz Waxman provides the score. Waxman was nominated for an Oscar 10 times and won twice ("A Place in the Sun" and "Sunset Blvd"). He was a favorite of Hitchcock who used him in 4 films and earned 2 of his Oscar nominations ("Rebecca" and "Suspicion"). Waxman is generally not known for his comedies, having to his credit films like "Bride of Frankenstein" (1935), "Fury" (1936), Captains Courageous" (1937) etc. Nonetheless, I think the music adds to the film, which is perhaps not unlike his work on "The Philadelphia Story" (1940).
The film is a strange blend of romance, comedy, and drama, not necessarily successfully mixed. This may be Sherman's fault, as we can see this same problem in his work on "All Through the Night" which begins as a fast paced comedy and transitions awkwardly into a spy flick. Skeffington, for the first 40 minutes or so, is a mildly amusing look at the social elite, but with the death of one of the central characters the film takes a dark turn from which it never emerges. There is a scene with a so-called Psychoanalyst that is very funny, by itself, but it comes bracketed by Davis' concern with her failing looks and as such seems out of place in what has otherwise turned into a drama.
The film is definitely worth a look for the performances of Davis and Rains, but there are better romances, better comedies, and better period pieces if that's what you're looking for.
Description of Mr. Skeffington
MR SKEFFINGTON - DVD MovieBestsellers in DVD
![The Story of Jeremiah [VHS] Image](/images/noimg.gif)
The Story of Jeremiah [VHS]Vision Video; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Wresting With God [VHS]by Vision Video
Vision Video; Published: 1990-10-01; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops:
Study Bible Video with Workbook [VHS]Spring Arbor Distributors; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $7.95
Price in other shops:
Tempo:Childrens TV Favourites Video [VHS]HarperCollins Audio; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $9.17
Price in other shops:
Tempo.Herbs:Parseley'Sb/ Party Video [VHS]HarperCollins Audio; VHS Tape; VHS Video
![Strike the Original Match [VHS] Image](/images/Strike-the-Original-Match-VHS-0001374079-X.jpg)
Strike the Original Match [VHS]New Liberty Films; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops:
![Medjugorje The Miracles and the Message [VHS] Image](/images/Medjugorje-The-Miracles-and-the-Message-VHS-0001373293-X.jpg)
Medjugorje The Miracles and the Message [VHS]JPN Film Production; Release date: 1995-12-15; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $29.99
Mayo Clinic Echocardiography Review Course for Boards and Recertification DVD 2008by Mayo
DVD
Price in other shops:
Pediatric Diagnostic Imaging DVD: Single Userby Oakstone
DVD
Price in other shops:
Cost Accounting [VHS]by Charles T. Horngren, George Foster, Srikant M. Datar, Howard Teall
Pearson Canada, Toronto; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Similar DVDs, VHS Video, Audio CDs
Dead RingerWarner Brothers; Release date: 2004-08-10; DVD
Best price: $10.24
Price in other shops:
The Heiress (Universal Cinema Classics)NBC Universal; Release date: 2007-02-06; DVD
Best price: $7.86
Price in other shops:
A Stolen LifeRelease date: 2010-12-22; Published: 2010; DVD
Best price: $15.70
Price in other shops:
All This, and Heaven TooDVD
Best price: $15.38
Dark Victory (Restored and Remastered Edition)Warner Brothers; Release date: 2005-06-14; DVD
Best price: $8.99
Price in other shops:
Now, Voyager (Keepcase)Warner Brothers; Release date: 2005-06-14; DVD
Best price: $10.65
Price in other shops:
The LetterWarner Brothers; Release date: 2005-01-11; DVD
Best price: $6.88
Price in other shops:
Jezebel (Restored and Remastered Edition)Warner Brothers; Release date: 2006-05-30; DVD
Best price: $8.22
Price in other shops:
Mildred Pierce (Keepcase)Warner Brothers; Release date: 2005-06-14; DVD
Best price: $5.99
Price in other shops:
The Bette Davis Collection, Vol. 3 (The Old Maid / All This, And Heaven Too / The Great Lie / In This Our Life / Watch on the Rhine / Deception)Warner Brothers; Release date: 2008-04-01; DVD
Best price: $24.00
Price in other shops: