Sadly Over-hyped

A Disappointing Continuation

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

It isn't all that great, actually. Really cheesy and very predicable of how certain scenes are gonna turn play out. However, I guess that's the charm of it all, because I would consider this one of my guilty pleasures.

Bette Davis and Miriam Hopkins shine in this Warner Bros. melodrama, "The Old Maid" released in 1939, a banner year for Davis at the studio. This was one of four very fine films she did that year, making her the reigning queen of the studio. In this one, Davis and Hopkins are cousins in the 1800's. Hopkins rejects her beau (George Brent) to marry into a wealthy family, the Ralstons. Davis has the hots for Brent (one of her frequent co-stars during this period) and gets pregnant with his baby. However, he goes off to fight the Civil War and is killed. At a time when being an unwed mother was not an option, Davis agrees to move in with Hopkins, now a widow with two children of her own. The child, Tina (Jane Bryan) grows up knowing she is a foundling, but always calls Hopkins "mummy." Davis does not let on she is Tina's mother, but rather an aunt; this fills her with resentment, and into a bitter old maid, hence the title of the picture.The movie is pure soap opera, for sure, but the interplay between Davis and Hopkins is fascinating to watch. Davis has the showier part, but Hopkins more than holds her own. Off screen, Davis had an affair with Hopkin's husband, director Anatole Litvak, and now the two had to star together in a film! One can only imagine what went on between them on the set of this, but both give fine performances. Even Davis herself, much later in life, stated Hopkins was a superb actress and she always had to be on her toes as her co-star. There are some fine supporting performances, notably from Jane Bryan as Tina and the always under-rated Donald Crisp as a friend of the family and doctor. But this is Hopkins and Davis' show, and they do not disappoint.

You'll notice right off towards the last part of this film the resemblance Bette Davis has to her Now Voyager character. Along with the similar storyline.Now this one isn't the same as Voyager but it has very similar themes. The character who doesn't get married for various reasons. The "Old Maid" quality in the main character. This doesn't get the praise Voyager does but it stands on its own quite easily.I have quite a few little complaints but they're minor ones. I think first and foremost...How does any mother continually let her sister take all the credit for her being her child's real mother? I think most might say well...it was the times. I don't buy that. I think for this film they amp up the melodrama to the point where it's like...gimme a break. Another thing I don't get is how the doctor in this. He's the only one who knows whose the baby's really mother is and in the time span this film is suppose to cover...he doesn't age a cent. LOL he looks the same 20 years before. Lastly, what really irks me is how, close to end, they blame Charlotte for being a crone all these years and how difficult she's been to live with. I mean the sister badgers her endlessly into making sure no-one knows who the real mother is. How would any girl feel if someone took over her child's life? For me, with the minor quibbles, this was a good film. Another Bette Davis winner fer sure. Other than, IMO, the weak ending it succeeded in it's job. To entertain me for an hour and a half.

George Brent is in and out of this picture pretty quickly - and in and out is an apt description. It is set during the Civil War and opens with Miriam Hopkins'marriage, made awkward by the untimely return of her old flame (Brent). Bette volunteers to smooth things over, and does yeoman work, giving Brent a memorable send-off back to the front... 9 months later the send-off becomes reality, and thereby hangs a tale, as they say.This is vintage Davis, better here than in Dark Victory. She is petulant and pouting and takes over the picture as the aunt/ mother to her own child, deferring to Hopkins as the mother/ aunt. She is backed up by some of Warners best supporting actors, among them Donald Crisp, Jerome Cowan and Louise Fazenda.It is very entertaining and well worth your time. It is a straight drama, with no action sequences - a soaper, if you will. But even so, it is extremely well done and holds your interest from beginning to end. In retrospect, it all sounds very hokey but the story holds up and is a must-see for BD fans.

Interesting movie with great acting. Delia is a very selfish and mean person (the actress did a great job at portraying the character). She is spiteful and manipulative. She ruins charlot's life and almost ruins her daughters just because her cousin had a baby with the man she broke up with. She married, but unfortunately her husband died. Instead of moving on, she ruins Charlot's chance of marrying a nice wealthy man by making up a lye, even though Charlot was going to tell the truth about her daughter, which he probably would have accepted. She lets Charlot and her daughter move in, but never discourages her to tell her she is her mother (she was only like two then) and makes her believe she is an orphan who came to live with them. Later, when they find out that her being an orphan would prevent her daughter from marrying, her Delia convinces Charlet to allow her to adopt her. On her wedding day she was going to tell her the truth, but never does.