This 1968 black comedy was the last film in which Davis dominated with her legendary persona. In a sense it is the last "Bette Davis" film. Whales of August, Burnt Offerings, and Death on the Nile followed, but the part of Mrs Taggart, a domineering widow complete with eye-patch, is pure Davis and she has a field day, making this film an absolute must for her fans. Though it's stage origins show, and the film doesn't really begin until Davis makes her entrance, it is an entertaining comedy with an excellent supporting cast, funny, bitchy, dialog, absurdest humor and a tone similar to Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf? and The Lion in Winter both of which began as plays. The prolific Roy Ward Baker who directed everything from a Night to Remember(1958) to The Vampire Lovers (1970) is not a visionary; the direction, editing, camera placement and set design are all adequate, but just imagine what Almodovar would do with this material!
Review of The Anniversary
