That Certain Woman: Bette Davis doing heavy lifting

Is it worth your time?

If you like Bette Davis looking pained and wearing gorgeous hats, sure. If you hate movies where people just stare at each other while dramatic music swells, you might want to skip this one. It is not for everyone, mostly because it takes itself very seriously, even when the plot logic is hanging by a thread.

There is a scene about midway through where Mary is just walking down a hallway, and the camera lingers on her face for way too long. I think the director forgot to yell cut, or maybe he just liked the way the light hit her hair. It creates this weird, static energy that felt totally accidental.

The melodrama dial is turned to eleven

The whole premise is built on a misunderstanding so big you could drive a truck through it. The father-in-law character, played by Donald Crisp, is just mean for the sake of being mean. He has that classic 1930s scowl that says, "I am going to ruin your life because I am bored."

I found myself getting distracted by the wallpaper in the background. Does anyone else notice that? The sets are so polished and clean, it feels like nobody actually lives there. It is like a museum of misery.

• Bette Davis is doing everything in her power to make this script work.
• Henry Fonda is there, looking very confused and handsome.
• The pacing is lumpy, like someone edited it with a dull pair of scissors.

It is funny how these old movies think they are being so subtle about their themes. Subtlety is not really the point here. It is all about the big, crashing waves of emotion that happen every ten minutes.

Sometimes the dialogue feels like it was written by someone who has never heard a real person talk. It is just strings of declarations. "I love you, but you destroyed my future!" Okay, we get it. Move on.

Honestly, it reminds me of the vibe in The Human Side, where the drama is just so thick you could cut it with a knife. Not that this is a bad thing, just very exhausting.

One of the kids in the movie—I don't even remember his name, the acting is that forgettable—has this one line that is clearly dubbed. It sounds like he recorded it in a broom closet three weeks later. It is so distracting. Why do they leave that stuff in?

Anyway, watch it for Bette. Don't watch it for the plot, which is basically a giant mess of coincidences and bad luck. It is a classic example of star power trying to outrun a mediocre story. It barely makes it to the finish line, but it looks good getting there. 👒