Ironic isn't it, that Bette Davis would get a Best Actress Oscar nomination for a role in which she portrays a washed up actress? There's a great 'Sunset Boulevard' moment in the story when she affirms to her daughter Gretchen (Natalie Wood) , "...if you're a star, you don't stop being a star". One has to wonder how many past and present movie celebrities go through the same run of emotions once their individual star has burned out.More than anything, the story line deals with someone lying to everyone including themselves about hanging on to past glory. I thought the picture hit the proverbial wall when Margaret Elliot (Davis) really believed she could land a role calling for an eighteen year old. That takes some kind of chutzpa when you're in your mid-Forties and haven't aged particularly well. She finally figured it out when she saw the screen test, at least her eyesight wasn't affected along with her poor judgment.I don't know if there's a quintessential Bette Davis role; Margo Channing in "All About Eve" might come the closest, but of her lesser known films this one comes close to capturing her essence as an actress. It's a good film with a good story that the tabloids of today would eat up in a heartbeat.

Mind you this was no semblance of a PSA. However, one might tone down the impunity of various devious deeds. To wit, the carefree attitude of a drunken whirlwind tour of the rich and famous, the stealing of perfume, the abduction of a child, the insult of being asked to hand over a wrench. Dealing with aging for a once beautiful, talented woman is no small feat and demands a modicum of sympathy. I felt none.Once you see "All About Eve" just 2 years prior, all bets are off for the aging star desperate for a revival. The script was banal and mostly painful. I certainly saw a pointed hint of the "Baby Jane" character during the screen test scene, creepy.I always thought Sterling Hayden a fine actor but phoning in a performance was never more personified in this effort. At least Davis delivered a zany, wild eyed yearning and cunning nature that showed no signs of aging.Perhaps the redeeming feature of this film is the many references to Joan Crawford's life story and that in itself is curious entertainment. However, I cannot recommend this film save for completing the entire Davis works and a young Natalie Wood.

Watching The Star I wondered how close to him it all was for Davis. There's a scene in the end where it gets meta and you can almost see Davis as Margaret hearing the script storyline that she is offered. Regardless, this is a fine film and it has Davis working with her usual spark and unlikeable presence. But like always, she knows how to make you root for her. I also think the running time, while seems short, is pretty much the perfect length for the story the film is trying to tell. This is a problem I thought Mr. Skeffington had, way too long for its own good. So yeah, if you want to seek out all of Davis this is still a fine entry and a required one really.

Bette Davis had a triumphant comeback in 1950 with "All About Eve" just a year after leaving Warner Brothers. That great role, however, did not result in an avalanche of great scripts to come her way. After all, she was well past the age of 40, and considered difficult to work with by many Hollywood moguls. "The Star" released in 1952, is respectable, although not quite of the caliber of Margo Channing. Davis plays Margaret Elliot, a big Hollywood star on the way down. Not only does she find herself replaced by younger actresses on the screen, she's also out of money. Yes, this could have been Davis' life story at the time. To deal with her problems, Margaret finds herself turning to drink -- she is picked up for drunk driving while touring the Hollywood celebrities homes (with her Oscar propped up on the dashboard!). Enter Jim, played by Sterling Hayden, who bails her out of jail and begins a relationship with this difficult and temperamental actress. Just why he seems to take to her strains credibility a bit -- apparently Margaret gave him a part in a movie, but barely remembers him. After all, Jim is a handsome, rugged boat-builder; and she is a spoiled actress. The differences between them escalate, and Margaret sinks all her hope in a movie role given her. In typical vain Hollywood fashion, she fails to listen to the director, and tries to turn a middle-aged frump role into a ridiculous sexy one. This, of course, results in disaster for Margaret. This is not a perfect film, and there are holes n the script, and the ending feels tacked on. But what set Bette apart from other actresses of her genre was her ability to take a mundane script and run with it -- she runs the gamut of emotions in this part, and has at least several breakdowns and tantrums that are always a joy to watch her perform. I don't feel Bette and Sterling Hayden had much chemistry on screen, although Hayden does a respectable job with his role. A young Natalie Wood is also on hand as Davis' daughter; she has little to do here except look cute, but the future would tell a different tale.