The Little Foxes
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Movie Reviews of The Little Foxes
Movie Review: Bette, Bette, Bette
Summary: 5 Stars
Bette, Bette, Bette, cold as ice and hard as nails in this Lillian Hellman story of the despicable Regina, grand matriarch of the oily Giddens clan. Set at the turn of the last century in the Old South of happy darkies and their benevolent white masters, an image redolent with the putrid smell of decaying fiction, Regina and her white trash relatives try to lure an investor into building a cotton mill near their land. With the Giddens family able to reap enormous rewards from such an arrangement, the greed becomes rampant as Regina and her two brothers scramble to try and raise their portion of the money. Hellman's story, with additional dialogue from Dorothy Parker and Alan Campbell, becomes incendiary. Regina is one of the most manipulative and domineering characters ever written. Through her Machiavellian machinations and twisting words and deeds, She is eventually victorious, of course -- ideally, this will bring solace to her, as she loses everything else - her family is gone, and she is, figuratively speaking, left being the biggest shark in a pool infested with them. Dazzling and chilling, and a monument of storytelling, filmmaking and acting. Movie Review: Decadent Tale Of Southern Greed With A Wonderfully Manipulative Bette Davis In Control
Summary: 5 Stars
The role of scheming and manipulative Southern Matriarch Regina Gibbens in Lillian Hellman's acclaimed play "The Little Foxes", has over time provided an acting tour de force to such diverse actresses as Tallulah Bankhead and Elizabeth Taylor on Broadway and Hollywood legend Bette Davis in the lavish 1941 film version of the play. Made during the period when Davis was at the height of her "reign", as the undisputed Queen of Warner Bros. Studios, this talented actress gave one of her best and most well modulated performances in Lillian Hellman's seering depiction of human greed and family corruption in the Deep South. Borrowed by Samuel Goldwyn expressly for "The Little Foxes", Davis had another great success playing Regina which added yet another classic dramatic performance to her already large gallery of strong and determined women. Under the direction of the legendary William Wyler Davis gives one of her most interesting performances here of a woman who is definately a schemer but who has a strong native intelligence about what she wants from life and how best to get it by manipulating those around her.
Set in the Deep South in 1900 "The Little Foxes", revolves around the schemes and machinations of the steely Regina Giddens(Davis), who in cohorts with her two unscrupulous brothers Ben and Oscar (Charles Dingle and Carl Benton Reid), hatches a plan to set up a sweat shop labour driven Cotton Mill in the area which they need Regina's honest and wary husband Horace (Herbert Marshall), to invest one third in for it to be a going concern. Horace is absolutely opposed to the venture and unwilling to become further involved with a wife he knows only married him for money and two brothers in law who he doesn't trust. Determined to get out of her ordinary existence Regina after seeing that Horace wont budge on giving her the money decides to get it by any means if necessary. As Horace is very ill from heart disease Regina deliberately withholds his medicine knowing that when he dies she will inherit his money anyway. Horace does die and Regina now plays her trump card to position her crafty but not so bright brothers just where she needs them when she reveals that she is aware of who was responsible for "removing", some of Horace's bonds that had mysteriously disappeared from his strong box just when the deal was set up and that if she went public with the information the brothers would be jailed. Defeating her brothers and taking more than her share of the Cotton Mill Regina however is left with little else when Daughter Alexandra walks out of her life disgusted with the way her mother has cold heartedly removed her beloved father for the sake of money.
The stage play as performed by Tallulah Bankhead was transferred beautifully to the screen here where all the essential dramatic elements have been kept intact but with the story at times opened out for film. This never detracts for one moment from what is a series of very powerful character studies performed by a superb ensemble cast headed by the perfectly cast Miss. Davis. Like in her two previous collaborations with William Wyler Davis fought long and hard to see realised her interpretation of the character of Regina, and with the elaborate hairstyles and powdery white makeup she fleshes out Regina as a woman to be reckoned with. Wyler however was also able to tone down many of the famous Davis mannerisms which makes make this performance of hers such a pleasing one. The famous scene where Regina withholds Horace's medication is played just at the right level and credit must go to Wyler for never once allowing it to dissolve into falseness or fake dramatics. It is without a doubt one of Bette Davis' finest moments in the film and everywhere she is assisted by actors delivering some first class work. Herbert Marshall has rarely been in finer form than as Horace, the sick and disillusioned husband of Regina. He is the island of calm and common sense in a sea of corrupt and decaying family members. The Broadway cast of Patricia Collinge, (especially brilliant as the tragic Birdie Hubbard), Charles Dingle, Carl Benton Reid, Dan Duryea and John Marriott are all equally vivid repeating their stage roles and Teresa Wright in her film debut as Regina's innocent daughter Alexandra shows that wonderful natural talent that would serve her so well in coming years in unforgettable classics like 'Mrs. Miniver", and "The Best Years of Our Lives". Samuel Goldwyn spent a small fortune to produce this motion picture and the recreation of the Southern Town and the Giddens mansion has a no expense spared "MGM", feel and look to it with the gaudy and overstuffed furnishings providing a suitably suffocating backdrop to the relentlessly decadent characters that inhabit the story. As befitting such a fine collective effort by actors, director and technical crew "The Little Foxes", rightly collected an amazing 9 Academy Award Nominations including Best Picture for 1941.
If anyone wants to see just what made up the legend of Bette Davis they only have to view "The Little Foxes", to see an actress at the peak of her craft and sheer star power. This is classic Hollywood at its very best and is one of the great roles during the 1940's that Bette Davis is deservedly remembered for. Such a tale of greed, corruption and selfish characters could be made at any time and still be relevant but what we have here is the story in its raw original form blessed with a legendary actress who knew how to paint the character with just the right elements of femininity and deception. Treat yourself to a viewing of Lillian Hellman's classic "The Little Foxes", soon, it is a true cinema treasure.
Movie Review: "Cynicism's an unpleasant way of telling the truth."
Summary: 4 Stars
The main reason I watch and love classic films such as "The Little Foxes" is that they are primarily concerned with sharp script-writing and solid character acting. Modern films are more concerned with the latest CGI visual effects or "new" ways of blowing things up. So when I found out that this film was also directed by the legendary William Wyler ("Ben-Hur," "Mrs. Miniver," "The Best Years of Our Lives," "The Big Country," and the list goes on and on) I simply had to watch it. At the time I have to admit that I wasn't a big fan of Bette Davis, but this film coupled with her turn in "All About Eve" changed my opinion forever. Some roles just seem tailor-made for her now infamous persona. Her performance in "The Little Foxes" is fantastic and extremely memorable, with significant depth that appears only in her character's more vulnerable moments. The rest of the time she is cast in iron yet deceptively manipulative. Remarkable. The rest of the cast is superb, each turning in exceptional moments when required. There are a couple negatives with the film. This story occurs in the "Deep South" in the year 1900 and contains some stero-typical racial tendencies, mostly in lieu of having all the black men and women employed and/or bossed around by rich white folk. However, to William Wyler's credit these roles are all fleshed out and oftentimes they seem more caring than the central characters who are asked to carry the film. The other negative has to do with the type-casting of Teresa Wright, who it just so happens plays similar characters in two other William Wyler films. She also plays the same young, frail, sweetly naive daughter in the Alfred Hitchcock film "Shadow of a Doubt." Most of the time in this film, however, it becomes nearly unbelievable that a character like Bette Davis portrays (Teresa Wright's mother in the film), who has such high aspirations for the future of her daughter, would allow her daughter to remain fragile and nearly altogether ignorant of the world and all its trappings. Bette Davis' character is far too controlling to let her daughter roam the countryside gathering flowers (in a manner of speaking). The photography is superb, with Gregg Toland ("Citizen Kane") behind the camera; and the adapted screenplay, for all its dated aspects, still remains "classic" in every positive sense of the word. Just check out the quote I used for the title of my review for a sample of the writing. I will watch this film again. Why? It has great writing and excellent acting. Two fine reasons to watch any film. Movie Review: "Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines."
Summary: 5 Stars
A biblical passage about greed tells of hungry foxes prowling vineyards to eat grapes, while the little foxes, too small to reach the grapes, chew on the bases of the vines and destroy them. Greed is the main theme of this magnificent 1941 adaptation of Lillian Hellman's stage play of the same name, the little foxes being the grasping Regina Hubbard Giddons (Bette Davis), who married upright Horace Giddons (Herbert Marshall) for his money, and her equally grasping Hubbard brothers (Carl Benton Reid and Charles Dingle) and nephew (Dan Duryea).
While Horace, the president of Planters Trust, a bank in the deep South, has been recuperating from a serious illness, away from home, his Hubbard brothers-in-law and nephew have been running the bank--and fleecing the poor and the black. Eventually, the Hubbards steal money from the absent Horace in order to become partners in a new cotton mill, but the sickly Horace returns home and discovers the theft, along with the treachery of his wife (Davis). Only his nubile daughter Alexandra (Theresa Wright) is true to his heritage of honesty and generosity of spirit.
As Regina, Davis is a cold-hearted villainess, imperious and demanding, without an ounce of generosity. The very young Teresa Wright, as daughter Alexandra, is her na?ve antithesis. Author Hellman, who wrote the screenplay for the film, apparently recognized the need to offer some hope for the younger generation and an upbeat note, creating a new character for the film, David Hewitt (Richard Carlson), a journalist, who is in love with Alexandra. In new scenes in which the two converse, and in scenes at the bank, a rounder picture of human values evolves.
Set around the turn of the century, this powerful set piece, directed by William Wyler, depicts the change from a traditional landed aristocracy to newly rich entrepreneurs, like Regina's brothers, who lack positive values. The cast, many of whom created their roles in the stage play, is letter perfect in conveying attitudes through gestures and expressions. Many of the scenes, beautifully filmed interiors, with the staircase and its balcony playing a key role, allow Davis to look down on those below her. The exterior shots give a wider view of the society and provide some relief from the dark intensity of the drama surrounding the ill Horace. Nominated for nine Academy Awards, including acting, directing, supporting actor, score, and interior decoration, the film seamlessly integrates its many facets in a directorial triumph for Wyler. Mary Whipple
Movie Review: Power Hungry Southern Family
Summary: 4 Stars
This is in the deep south, right after the turn of the century. There are a brother and sister Hubbard, who want money and lots of it. They don't care about their wives,husbands or children, all they want is money and power. Regina is the most calculating, this is Bette Davis's character. They want to get a cotton mill and Regina will sacrafice her husbands health and her daughter's happiness to get her hands on money so she can gain control of the main share of the mill. Blood is not thicker than greed. This film is chilling in that it shows how corruption and greed survived then as it survives now. Lisa Nary