Old Acquaintance (1943)
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
Jealous of best friend Kit (Bette Davis), a critically acclaimed but financially unsuccessful author and playwright, Millie (Miriam Hopkins) writes a novel, the first in a string of bestselling trashy novels. After eight years of neglect and taking a backseat to Millie's fame, her husband Preston (John Loder) leaves her. Another decade passes and Kit announces her intention of marrying the decade-younger Rudd (Gig Young). Millie thinks Preston wishes to reconcile, only to discover he is engaged. He also admits that he was in love with Kit, who had turned down his many advances. Feeling Kit to blame for the failure of her marriage, Millie flies into a rage and confronts Kit. Later, learning of Rudd's affection for Millie's daughter Diedre (Dolores Moran), Kit graciously steps aside to bless their union. In the end, Millie and Kit make up, sharing a champagne toast for each one's old acquaintance. - Actors:
- Bette Davis, Miriam Hopkins, Gig Young, John Loder, Dolores Moran, Phillip Reed, Roscoe Karns, Anne Revere, Esther Dale, Frances Louise Ward, Abigail Adams, Brandon Beach, Edward Biby, Gordon B. Clarke, Jimmy Conlin, Oliver Cross, Ann Doran, Bess Flowers, Phyllis Forbes, Raoul Freeman
- Directors:
- Vincent Sherman
- Producers:
- Henry Blanke
- Writers:
- John Van Druten, Lenore J. Coffee, Edmund Goulding
- Aka:
- Vieja amistad
- Genres:
- Classics, Drama, Romance
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Reviews (1) of Old Acquaintance
Funny Melodrama - Old Acquaintance review by Steve
Popular Warner Brothers comedy-soap which differs from many peak period Bette Davis vehicles, and in interesting ways. While romance is a theme, this isn't really a love story. It's about the on-off friendship between two women. And Bette's character is the strong-minded protagonist. The men are satellites of her authority and are uncertain and dependent.
It all takes place over 20 years of constant feuding between a couple of childhood pals. Bette is an author of critically respected but poorly selling literary works. Miriam Hopkins writes popular romantic trash. The battle between the stars is legendary; the scene when Davis violently shakes Hopkins by the shoulders is one of the great moments in ’40s melodrama.
Miriam plays a diva who pulls everyone into the vortex of her egotism. Davis is a plateau of calm who attracts her frenemy's husband and daughter with her wise pragmatism, which provokes further conflict. The performances are exaggerated, but enjoyable. Gig Young is surprisingly charming as Bette's much younger trophy-boyfriend.
This is the best of the multitude of 'women's pictures' Vincent Sherman made at Warner Brothers. There are many genuinely funny moments, but also some heartbreak.... Bette is obviously the star, but the screen only really catches fire when Miriam is on too.