The Sisters

source: The Sisters

Trailer—The Sisters

The Sisters

This movie is pretty darn good! Of course you feel like slapping Louise around a little and saying "Frank isn't worth it, honey!", but of course she thinks he's the greatest thing around. Oh well, I guess it would be hard to kick Errol Flynn out!~ Bette is great in the martyr act...really saintly. There is also a fine if small performance by one of my favorite actors, Henry Travers. Although some parts can be kind of long and boring, this is a good movie, and worth seeing. And it's not just for Flynn's handsome face!!! Rating: 9/10

Three sisters (Bette Davis, Anita Louise, Jane Bryan) marry three winners in early 20th century Montana. Bryan marries meathead Dick Foran. Louise marries sugar daddy Alan Hale. Davis marries handsome but undependable Errol Flynn and moves to San Francisco. They all have troubles but Bette has her hands full. OK "women's picture" that understandably focuses more on the Davis/Flynn coupling than the others. Davis and Flynn are good, as is most of the cast, but no one is that exceptional. The film's message is the expected "marry the stable and dependable guy not the exciting but irresponsible one." Amusingly, the film's ending contradicts this because test audiences didn't like Bette winding up with a more responsible man (Ian Hunter). They preferred Errol, warts and all. Can't say that I blame them.

This is a most excellent drama, set in San Francisco from 1904 to 1908, with the great earthquake of 1906 at its center. While the business failure of Flynn's character is a little unrealistic, both he and Bette Davis play sympathetic characters; they made me feel the disappointment of people who expect a lot out of Life and then suffer through its hardships. The scenes of the earthquake are terrific - don't miss the seemingly ENDLESS shaking and destruction of Bette's rented room, as her neighbor comes screaming into the room looking for comfort, and the indoors gives way to the OUTDOORS! Very nice effects for 1938, 60+ years before computer imaging! That part of the story seems all the more poignant to me, now that we know the death figures were faked - at least 10 times as many died as the officials admitted. I won't give away the ending, but it was satisfying and made me glad to have seen the film. Do catch it on Turner, which runs it a couple times per year.

This is a charming movie featuring an nonmustached, gorgeous Errol Flynn and a young, lovely Bette Davis. Davis gives a wonderful ingénue performance as the less fortunate of three pharmacist's daughters who live and love at the turn of the century (with the action beginning with the election of Roosevelt and ending with the election of Taft). The Davis character marries Errol Flynn, who runs into trouble with employment and alcohol. The other two daughters stay closer to home and do better. Davis, however, is determined to stand by her man and make her marriage work. It's delightful to see these stars in somewhat different roles than they would play later in their careers. They are ably supported by Anita Louise, Jane Bryan, Ian Hunter, Beulah Bondi, Lee Patrick, Dick Foran, Alan Hale, and Laura Hope Crewes. The Warners film intended to be true to the book - however, the preview cards demanded another ending. I have to say, I like the changed ending as well.