Mom and I used to watch 1940s movies on TV in the 50s. She liked this one, starring Bette Davis and Miriam Hopkins as two childhood friends who become competing authors. Hopkins' character is quite plainly crazy, but in reality, she was quite insecure about Davis's fame. They had this big feud, though you sure couldn't tell it from the film. My Mom never dreamed of what was going on in real life with those two. At least, I don't think she did.

Bette Davis is a serious literary writer who's enjoyed mild success. She returns to her hometown to visit her childhood friend, played by Miriam Hopkins, who's married to John Loder. Hopkins's character yearns for a life of her own, outside of the trappings of her husband and daughter, and is inspired by her friend's visit to try and get her trashy romance novel published. Davis helps her out and, of course, Hopkins becomes a big success, much to the chagrin of Davis and her now neglected husband Loder.Years later, Davis is dating Gig Young, whom she thinks is about to propose to her but who has actually now fallen for Hopkins's daughter Dolores Moran. Hopkins's character wants to reconcile with her own estranged husband Loder, who is uninterested but does seem attracted to Davis's worldly sophistication. The career woman Davis gets an opportunity to be a martyr as she allows Young to pursue Moran, and then a savior for Moran, who almost makes a mistake with Philip Reed's character.Anne Revere plays a writer who figures out the relationship between the two women and more. My favorite exchange in this film (filled with great lines) is when Revere's character comments to Davis's that "at least when you (Davis) publish a book, it's a good thing, and not like grinding out some sausage." She then recognizes that Hopkins's character (to whom she was obviously referring) has overheard and (embarrassed) says "maybe I should just slit my throat" to which Hopkins, not missing a beat, replies "well, there's a knife on that table over there".Roscoe Karns also appears as a reporter; Esther Dale plays Davis's longtime maid and confidant.One of the things that makes this film so enjoyable is the on screen loathing between Davis and Hopkins, no real friends off the screen either, though they share a great final, "reconciliation" scene together - the derivation of the film's title.Directed by Vincent Sherman, this John Van Druten play was converted into a screenplay by Van Druten and Lenore Coffee. Later remade as Rich and Famous (1981) with Candice Bergen and Jacqueline Bisset.

Chatty, entertaining and well-acted drama with comedic trimmings has lifelong friends Bette Davis and Miriam Hopkins both becoming writers: Davis, the literary authoress who charms the critics but can't score a bestseller; Hopkins, the fluttery, popular novelist of romantic fiction. Director Vincent Sherman does a good job at bringing this all to a boil, and yet there's too much breathless soap opera packed into the last act (the fault of the screenwriters, working from a play) and it eventually becomes fatiguing. Still, Hopkins does a high-wire act with her performance that is quite nimble (she's pitched very high but is never grating). Davis starts off very fresh and natural, but as her character ages and becomes glamorously middle-aged, Bette's affectations and mannerisms tread a self-parody; she's good throughout the film, yet one longs for more of that earthy quality she displays in the film's first hour. A fine "woman's picture" nevertheless, with some unusually good dialogue and well-paced sequences. *** from ****

Just why this unusually literate, fairly intelligent and very well-acted film isn't yet available on video is a mystery. Bette Davis does a beautiful job playing writer Kit Marlowe and Miriam Hopkins, while a little overripe at times, does a fine job as her best friend and sometime nemesis, Millie Drake. The supporting cast is first-rate: Gig Young is very appealing and handsome in one of his earliest film roles, Dolores Moran is both sensitive and cheeky as Hopkin's confused daughter, and Esther Dale is splendid as Ms Marlowe's maid. The film revolves around Davis and Hopkins, their mutual friendship, jealousies via a love triangle, and their rivalry as authors: Davis is the noble, staid serious writer of quality literature, whereas Hopkins becomes wildly successful as the writer of sensational trashy love stories. The rather bland John Loder plays Millie's husband who takes a shine to Kit.