Old Acquaintance
|
List Price: Our Price: $4.50 You Save: $15.48 (77%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $3.95 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Movie Reviews of Old Acquaintance
Movie Review: "Old Acquaintance" Should Be Forgot ...
Summary: 3 Stars
Film: **1/2 _____ DVD Transfer: ****1/2 _____ DVD Extras: ****
Through no fault of her own, "Old Acquaintance" is definitely one of Bette Davis's lesser vehicles from the late 30's through the early 1940's, certainly not up to the standards set by "Jezebel", "Dark Victory", "The Letter", "The Little Foxes", "The Man Who Came to Dinner", "Now, Voyager", "The Watch on the Rhine", and "Mr. Skeffington". In those superior films, Davis had the advantage of top flight scripts, formidable supporting casts, and superb production values in terms of directors, cinematographers, costume designers, and composers. In "Old Acquaintance", she is saddled with a sappy screenplay, a lackluster leading man (the bland John Loder), an unmanageable co-star (Miriam Hopkins who overplays her every scene to the point of embarrassment), an anachronistic wardrobe and hairstyles (in the 1924 and 1932 sequences), and unflattering camerawork by Sol Polito. Although Miss Davis tries hard, the resulting film is a tepid soap opera that drags on for what seems longer than its running time of 110 minutes.
The dreary plot follows two women (Davis and Hopkins) through 20 years of a friendship that began years earlier, in their school days. Davis has chosen a career and become a critically successful author, while Hopkins has elected to focus on her family. Naturally, both are at least a little jealous of the other, and years later, Hopkins has become a financially successful (if critically drubbed) novelist, while Davis has captured the love of Hopkins' husband and child. The two women fuss and feud, but at the end the film have predictably discovered that their friendship has triumphed over all obstacles. Pity Davis' character, winding up with an obnoxious (w)itch like Hopkins as the screen fades to black!
The DVD transfer of this minor melodrama is pretty good, with a generally sharp picture and a crisp soundtrack. The original theatrical trailer is included and looks great. There's also a featurette on the film in which a number of fine film historians try (unconvincingly) to lend the film an importance which it simply doesn't deserve. The 1943 short film, "Stars on Horseback" is pretty awful, implying that old feature film footage of Davis jumping hurdles in 1939's "Dark Victory" was just shot recently at the actress's home, but the vintage cartoon on the disc, "Fin 'n Catty", is a whimsical treat.
"Old Acquaintance" is the weakest entry in Warner Brothers' "Bette Davis Collection, Volume 2" ... acceptable as part of the set, but hardly worth purchasing separately.
Movie Review: Not spectacular, but worth getting acquainted with
Summary: 3 Stars
Not a bad little movie, though it sometimes moves uneasily between drama and comedy. For example, there's one scene where Bette Davis is vigorously shaking Miriam Hopkins in frustration, and though what we're seeing is undeniably shocking and violent, the cutesy music on the soundtrack is trying to tell us it's supposed to be funny. But, all in all, "Old Acquaintance" is a watchable, mostly polished affair, though it's certainly not up there with "Dark Victory", "Now, Voyager" and other Bette Davis classics. The DVD features a sharp, clean print, good sound, and the usual entertaining array of short subjects (including a cartoon) that might have been shown with the film back during its original release.Movie Review: Miriam Over the Top
Summary: 3 Stars
Interesting film, but not one of Bette's best. Miriam Hopkins (much better acting in "These Three" and "The Heiress") eats the scenery every time. Miriam is poorly cast as 20 something, but looks about 50 years old at the beginning of film. Outstanding is Vincent Sherman, the director's interview on the DVD--great insight into the making of the film and personalities of Mim and Bette.