Customer Reviews
Absolutely Wonderful - By: Ms. Sophie V. Gorton, 23 Apr 2008 
Recently I have become a little obsessed with Ms Davis - & rightly so! In these movies she shines - & Now Voyager is just FANTASTIC!
I feel a litle cheated that I missed out on her films during her lifetime (I'm 19), but the movies stand out as beautifully as I can imagine they did on their original release.
You won't be able to take your eyes out of her - By: Miguel M. Santos, 27 Jun 2006 Bette Davis is one of my favourite screen actresses. She has a presence that very few actresses before or after had. Once she's on screen you can't take her eyes out of her. Whether she's being subtle or overtly camp (even if she doesn't know) she's pretty amazing. She's still very popular, & it's strange how an actress with such a following & so many great films can be so under represented on DVD in Region 2 (Region 1 has finallly addressing that). This UK release includes four of her Oscar-nominated performances: THE LETTER, NOW, VOYAGER, DARK VICTORY & MR SKEFFINGTON. (It was originallly released as an exlusive to another retailer about a year ago.)
THE LETTER (1940) is my favourite of the four & it tells the story of a woman who murders a man who she claims tried to rape her. However, a letter surfaces claiming something else. The extras are the trailer & an alternative ending, but as my personal favourite I wish that there were far more (a commentary & a featurette would be so nice).
NOW, VOYAGER (1942) is one of the great melodramas of the 1940s, about a woman who learns how to face her mother & the world with the help of psychiatrist (Claude Rains) & a platonic love affair with a married man (Paul Henreid).Among other things is now famous for the cigarette trick that Henreid performs & the film last line. Sadly, the only extra is the trailer. Again, they could have put something else here. This is one of her best-loved films & won't disappoint.
DARK VOYAGER (1939) is one of her most famous & well-liked of her films. It's my least favourite of the five. It's the story of an heiress with the terminal disease - & death never looked this good. But it's implausible & the symptoms were created to give Bette Davis a wonderful acting opportunity. Extras include a commentary & a featurette. Not reallly a favourite, although it has good moments.
MR SKEFFINGTON (1944) pairs her again with Claude Rains. I had never seen this one before & I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. It's a very good film, full of wonderful one-liners, telling the story of Fanny Skeffington the most beautiful woman in New York. The DVD includes an audio commentary by the director (who recently passed away) & a nice featurette.
It's just a pity that one of the films is lost from the Region 1 release...
