Dark Victory better than Now Voyager?

[mrsl]

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I sat and happily watched many of the George Brent movies, yet still have two to go, but while watching, I realized that I prefer the movie Dark Victory over Now Voyager. Many of you know I consider Paul Henried to be a toad in this film, taking advantage of a truly innocent woman, and stringing her along for years. But today something else hit me as I re-visited my copy of Voyager. Bette really did not cure her insecurity, she simply moved from that problem to another one - dependence on another person. Sure she had another male friend, but she only considered him a friend and not as a possible lover. It's too bad the doctor was so ethical - Claude could have given her something else to think about. That is what troubles me. When her problem was supposedly solved, she should have become carefree and started to enjoy life more, instead she was tied to feelings for this married roue'. Now what attracted me was how Bette played it when she falsely learned she was going to live in Victory. Suddenly the world was wide open for her. She laughed, she partied, she enjoyed her friends male and female. She just all around became a happy person. Sometime during her trip in Now Voyager, she should have become the same way, and would have if that slug had not come and distracted her, especially after he learned what had gone on in her life. If he had been decent, he would have left her to find happiness. Even when she got home, she almost let her mother engulf her again, but at least she had the strength to hold out.

Even knowing Bette died in Dark Victory, I found it a more charming movie because of her attitude. Only at the very end did she allow herself to feel any self pity. She made the most of whatever time she had. In Voyager, she never had that 'happy me' attitude, and her problems were hardly any comparison to those in Victory. More simply put, she grew up in Victory, but never did in Now Voyager. I never got the feeling George was marrying her out of pity, yet we are supposed to believe Paul keeps her hanging out of pity for his 'poor abused' little girl. Yet with his traveling job, he wasn't doing her much good anyway. Having the same actress for both parts makes for a much easier comparison. You felt Bette's highs and lows in Victory, but all I ever felt for her in Voyager was pity and eventually disgust at her stupidity by being taken in by Paul. I smoked for 48 years but I would have said "Thanks, I'll light my own cigarettes". The more I watch Voyager, the more faults I find with Paul.

[silentscreen]

Well maybe Bette agreed with you Anne. Dark Victory was her personal favorite.