Ex-Lady: Bette Davis is way ahead of her time

Is it worth your time?

If you have any interest in seeing a pre-Code Bette Davis just absolutely owning the screen, then yes, watch this immediately. It’s for anyone who likes their romance with a side of jagged edges and zero patience for societal expectations. If you need your movies to have a neat, moralizing ending where everyone learns their lesson and settles down happily, you’ll probably be annoyed by how messy these people are.

Helen Bauer is the kind of character who makes you wonder how she survived the 1930s without getting run out of town. She’s a graphic designer, she’s independent, and she treats marriage like a trap that ruins everything good about a relationship. Bette Davis brings this weird, frantic energy to the role that feels less like a polished star performance and more like someone actually trying to keep their head above water.

The whole premise hinges on her eventually caving to marry Don, played by Gene Raymond. Watching them try to make a traditional marriage work is like watching two people try to fit a square peg into a round hole using a sledgehammer. It’s loud, it’s frantic, and it’s genuinely uncomfortable to watch.

Odd little details

• There is a scene where the dialogue moves so fast you’d think the actors were afraid of losing their paychecks if they took a breath.
• The way people in this movie hold their cigarettes looks like it could be a competitive sport.
• I’m still not sure if the apartment set is meant to look chic or if it’s just a collection of random art deco furniture thrown into a box.

The infidelity plot kicks in and suddenly the movie stops being a light comedy and turns into this weird, bitter standoff. It’s not elegant. It’s not smooth. But it feels strangely honest about how much people can hurt each other when they’re both too proud to apologize.

It’s not as polished as something like The Age for Love, but that’s exactly why I liked it. It’s got these weird, jagged shifts in tone. One minute they are having a sophisticated cocktail chat, and the next, Bette Davis is giving this look that could wither a cactus.

The film ends in a way that feels totally unresolved. It just sort of stops, which is probably the most realistic thing about the whole production. Sometimes you just have to walk away, right?

Honestly, the pacing is all over the place. Some scenes drag on while others feel like they were cut off mid-sentence. It’s imperfect, but it’s got a pulse. 🍸