I'm a big fan of Claude Rains and Mr. Skeffington is one of his best performances. Every time he is on screen he steals the movie. The same cannot be said for the miscast Bette Davis. I'm not just talking about the obvious: that her character is supposed to be a great beauty and Bette, attractive in her own way, is no great beauty. She attempts to portray an unsympathetic character sympathetically but I'm not convinced she makes it work. Fanny is a vain unlikeable woman and the ending to this film...well let's just say I was left wanting for something more. I enjoyed the movie but not as much as I expected to. Claude Rains makes anything better so check it out for him. Bette Davis does her best but this is not one of my favorite roles of hers. However, hardcore Bette fans will probably enjoy this one far more than the average viewer.
Review of Mr. Skeffington
