I have been a huge Bette Davis fan for as long as I can remember. I had seen almost all of her films, but when this one popped up on a choice of possible rentals, I thought, "Oh, I must add this one to the list."
Wrong.
It is incomprehensible to me why Bette agreed to do this POS. It is beyond awful. Yes, there are funny lines throughout; it's what one might call a "black comedy." But from the beginning to end, the production values are so incredibly cheap that my main thought was "Bette must have been desperate."
From the quality of the film, to the lighting, to the ghastly, hideous "locations," to the "story," everything was wrong. My husband and I decided that a baboon could have shot a better movie than this.
Since this was originally a play, apparently the powers that be felt it should also be a play on screen. People stand in one place for a long time. The "shocking moments" (the older brother playing "dress up" and the young fiancée finding Bette's glass eye in bed) are not seen, only screamed at.
For inexplicable reasons, there is a stuffed cockatoo in the garden... because...?
Then... watch Bette as she sets off firecrackers!
Watch people scream and shout at each other and walk from room to room!
As others have pointed out, this film was surely a must-see for any budding female impersonator who wanted to hone his "Bette" skills. It's all there: the big eyes! (or in this case, "eye"), the grand, sweeping, over-the-top sashaying , the scenery chewing, the hard, staccato delivery, the hideous tight wigs!
There is not one redeemable moment in this whole film. Not a single person is likable nor could you relate to any of them -- unless you are deficient in character.
Watching this was like having an awful meal; you've paid for it, you suffer through it, you ask yourself why you did it, you are haunted by it, and for the rest of your life it will float to the top of your memory banks, jeering at you, reminding you of how stupid you were to participate in it.
I am fairly certain this is the worst "film" I have ever seen.
If you love Bette Davis, like I used to, do yourself a favor and do not ever, ever, ever watch this pathetic, horrible, insulting POS. You are missing nothing , unless you like watching garbage for two hours.
Wrong.
It is incomprehensible to me why Bette agreed to do this POS. It is beyond awful. Yes, there are funny lines throughout; it's what one might call a "black comedy." But from the beginning to end, the production values are so incredibly cheap that my main thought was "Bette must have been desperate."
From the quality of the film, to the lighting, to the ghastly, hideous "locations," to the "story," everything was wrong. My husband and I decided that a baboon could have shot a better movie than this.
Since this was originally a play, apparently the powers that be felt it should also be a play on screen. People stand in one place for a long time. The "shocking moments" (the older brother playing "dress up" and the young fiancée finding Bette's glass eye in bed) are not seen, only screamed at.
For inexplicable reasons, there is a stuffed cockatoo in the garden... because...?
Then... watch Bette as she sets off firecrackers!
Watch people scream and shout at each other and walk from room to room!
As others have pointed out, this film was surely a must-see for any budding female impersonator who wanted to hone his "Bette" skills. It's all there: the big eyes! (or in this case, "eye"), the grand, sweeping, over-the-top sashaying , the scenery chewing, the hard, staccato delivery, the hideous tight wigs!
There is not one redeemable moment in this whole film. Not a single person is likable nor could you relate to any of them -- unless you are deficient in character.
Watching this was like having an awful meal; you've paid for it, you suffer through it, you ask yourself why you did it, you are haunted by it, and for the rest of your life it will float to the top of your memory banks, jeering at you, reminding you of how stupid you were to participate in it.
I am fairly certain this is the worst "film" I have ever seen.
If you love Bette Davis, like I used to, do yourself a favor and do not ever, ever, ever watch this pathetic, horrible, insulting POS. You are missing nothing , unless you like watching garbage for two hours.