Bette Davis: Scene Stealer Extraordinaire. Image: John Grant, Noirish
*Spoiler Alert*
We found a Bette Davis film that made us cry.
Now, as much as we adore Ms Davis, we never cry at her films, not even if she’s dying of cancer or preparing to live in a leper colony. These things make us sad, but not tearful.
However, we just watched the drama Phone Call from a Stranger (1952), and she finally got to us.
Phone Call from a Stranger is about four people who meet while flying across the United States to Los Angeles. The four are:
- A lawyer (Gary Merrill) who has just left his wife and children.
- A showgirl (Shelley Winters) who’s given up on Broadway to return to her husband.
- A doctor (Michael Rennie) who’s decided to make a confession to Los Angeles police.
- A novelty salesman (Keenan Wynn) who’s on a business trip.
While en route to Los Angeles, the plane runs into bad weather and crashes. Of the four, only Merrill’s character survives.
Merrill makes it his mission to contact the families of his deceased friends, to bring closure to the Unfinished Business death leaves behind.
Phone Call from a Stranger is a film about personalities, and the talented cast have created a fascinating group of people. Naturally, this includes Bette Davis’s character, who doesn’t appear until the last 18 minutes of the film.
Courtesy of the Warner Bros. Publicity Dept? Image: John Grant, Noirish
When Phone Call from a Stranger was made, Davis and Merrill were married in real life. Rumour has it when Merrill showed this script to Davis, she jumped at the opportunity to play the small but crucial role at the end of the film.
Davis’ character is married to Keenan Wynn, the novelty salesman. Wynn’s character is a loud, brash fellow who makes corny and inappropriate jokes.
But he speaks lovingly of his wife, and proudly displays her photo (see above). We recognize the woman as Bette Davis and wonder about Wynn’s sanity. What if he’s one of those people who pretend to have a relationship with a celebrity?
But when Merrill visits Wynn’s widow, we discover she really is Bette Davis, albeit a little older than her photo suggests.
She’s also paralyzed.
This visit is different from the others. In the previous two cases, Merrill brought clarity to the families. But with Davis, he can’t tell her anything she doesn’t already know. However, she has a story to tell Merrill – about her marriage to the novelty salesman.
Keenan Wynn visits Davis. Image: John Grant, Noirish
Long before the plane crash [Davis tells Merrill], she was married to the larger-than-life salesman but she was unhappy and unfaithful. She ran away with another man but, during the getaway road trip, she suffered a head injury so severe she was hospitalized indefinitely. Her boyfriend deserted her.
We see Davis while she’s recuperating in the hospital after her accident. Her head is bandaged, post-surgery, and she’s laying helpless in the iron lung, staring at her miserable fate. Suddenly Wynn arrives.
We, like Davis, are nervous. Surely he knows how she’s come to be here, in a hospital in a strange city.
Wynn strolls into the room like a man who knows he holds All The Cards. He leans over Davis, pauses slightly, then says, “Hiya, Beautiful.”
The expression on Davis’ face: That this man, after being recklessly abandoned, would greet her so lovingly is astounding. It makes us a little weepy to think of it.
But Davis is clever. She’s the one doing all the acting in this scene, and she frames it around Wynn. In that moment, she transforms him from buffoon to hero. We sense his forgiveness will affect the outcome of this film.
Yet, she’s more clever than that. Because we are conscious of her handing this scene to Wynn, she grabs the entire film. Bette’s character helps solve only one issue in this movie, but she leaves us feeling she’s fixed everything.
Only a legend can do that.
Well played, Bette. Well played.
Note:
For a more complete overview of Phone Call from a Stranger, see the Noirish review HERE.
Phone Call from a Stranger: starring Bette Davis, Shelley Winters, Gary Merrill. Directed by Jean Negulesco. Written by Nunnally Johnson. Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation, 1952, B&W, 105 mins.
This is part of the The Second Annual Bette Davis Blogathon hosted by In the Good Old Days of Classic Hollywood.
Silver Screenings 
Now I’m wondering whose body that is Photoshopped – I mean airbrushed – onto Bette’s face. Shelley Winters, maybe?
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Maybe! You know, I never thought about it, and now you’ve got me wondering, too.
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My first thought was “Whose body is that?” Lol
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Bette deserves that lovely tribute. Your writing made me a little weepy.
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I second this comment! Well blogged, Ruth! 🙂
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Agreed! Wonderful post.
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Thanks! Have you seen this film? If you’ve reviewed it already, I’d love to know what you thought.
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No I haven’t seen it…I’m a total “newbie” to Bette Davis – the only one I’ve seen is All About Eve for the Blogathon (yes, yes, I know I am terrible – should have seen it long time ago). But, I’m wanting to watch more of her works…so…would this be a good 2nd one to watch?
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I’m looking forward to your review on “All About Eve”. As for Bette Davis movies, I think you’d like this one, although any one of her films would be a good 2nd choice. You have a lot of wonderful viewing ahead. 🙂
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Thanks – I’ll give it a go. Can’t wait!
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Hey! I am excited to read your post on this incredible movie. As Ruth said below, any Bette movie would be a great 2nd film to watch. I have to chime in and say that my favourite is The Little Foxes. She is such a villain in that one!
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Ooh…also sounds good. Now I have all these decisions to make 😉
Thanks for your wonderful feedback!
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Thanks! I’d been meaning to see this film for a long time, and was glad for the chance to finally see it.
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Thanks! Bette really makes an impact in this film, doesn’t she?
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Love it! I have not yet seen Phone Call for a Stranger, but it is definitely on my list. So much great Bette to discover!! I am writing about The Whales of August for the blogathon and will post that entry later on today 🙂
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The Whales of August is one I’m really keen to see. I’ll look for your post later today.
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It is so beautiful with some megastars in their elderly years. Bette Davis and Lillian Gish are two of my favourite actresses ever, and it is such a thrill to see them portray sisters in their elderly years. Vincent Price and Ann Sothern are also in it 🙂
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Sounds like a sad tale handled with excellence!! Your ‘Spoiler Alert’ didn’t stop me from reading on!! I really want to see this movie. THNX for the recommendation!! 🙂
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I hope you get the chance to see it. It’s an unusual drama + character study. I think you’d like this one.
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Great post. I saw this for the first time recently. I really enjoyed it. Bette is great in her brief scenes. This is a film that is very character focused, and it makes you feel as though you know all these people you’re watching.
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That’s an excellent point. You really do feel like you know all these people.
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Excellent review! I’ll have to look for this one.
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Oh yes, I hope you get the chance to see it! It’s not your run-of-the-mill drama.
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My grandmother was telling me about this (and Bette Davis was the actor who stood out the most to her, too) and after reading your post, too, I think I really ought to see this. It sounds unusual, but very interesting!
I know what you mean about Bette Davis films – I don’t usually cry during them (not even in Dark Victory). Perhaps because I often have a sense that she is enjoying her sad scenes…like a professional triumph despite the sad story. But this sounds very moving!.
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Great point! Yes, a person gets the sense Bette relishes those sad scenes. Sometimes it seems she’s winking at the audience as if to say, “Look how much I’m acting here.”
“Phone Call from a Stranger” is an unusual movie in the way the story is told. I think you’d like it.
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Thought I had seen this one but I haven’t (can never keep the title straight with the other one she did with Merril right before this one). It sounds interesting!! I’ve seen a lot of Davis movies but there’s still some crucial performances I have yet to see.
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I hope you get the chance to see this one. It’s an unusual film, with so many characters being killed off halfway through. The performances are really good!
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It’s an intriguing film and I agree that Bette gives a fabulous performance in her scene. She was such a big star at the time that she’s featured prominently in the movie’s poster, despite her limited screen time.
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Yes, Bette Davis certainly gets a lot of real estate on the movie poster. I wonder how the film might have done if they hadn’t promoted her so much?
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This sounds really fascinating! I’m kind of surprised I haven’t seen it yet. It sounds like it gave the underappreciated Keenan Wynn a great role, too. Much thanks for the recommendation, Ruth!
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This is fascinating, and I think you need to see it, Michaela. As for Keenan Wynn – who is fab in nearly everything – it’s amazing how our perception of him changes from the start to the end of the film.
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Sound like an amazing scene. And I’m sure Bette Davis is as amazing as you say. For that, alone, I’m loving this but the premise is intriguing. So on my TBW list it goes.
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“Sounds like…” Gah!
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I think Bette Davis knew EXACTLY what she was doing in taking that role. Of course, I love Bette in everything, so I may not be the most objective source…
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Great post! I have never seen this movie. Will have to watch when I need a good cry. I would love for you to add it to the Classic Movie Marathon link party that launched last night. http://classicmovietreasures.com/classic-movie-marathon-link-party-premiere/
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Thanks! I’ll be by to check out the Classic Movie Marathon link party. Sounds like a great idea. 🙂
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A splendid writeup, Ruth — and many thanks for the mention!
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Thanks again for the use of your photos. 🙂 They were exactly the ones I wanted to use.
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Thanks so much for joining in on the blogathon with such a great post. I must admit that this is among the few Bette movies that I have yet to see, but now I’m definitely adding it to my must watch list. I loved your post on it. I’m really sorry for the late reply.
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I hope you get the chance to see this. I think you might really like it. Very interesting characters and some food for thought.
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Such a lovely review of this oft-forgotten film.
Eighteen minutes of Bette Davis is worth two hours of any current cinema diva hogging the camera. Plus, you get Shelley Winters! Love your posts!
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Thanks! You make a good point about the fab Shelley Winters: She deserves more fan love these days. I’m always excited to see her name in the credits because you know you’re in for a treat.
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Indeed–Shelley was quite the fab actress (‘A Patch of Blue’ and ‘Night of the Hunter’ et al.) but sadly most folk remember her as a brash, overweight character actress. She once roomed with Marilyn Monroe so I bet that was a hoot!
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No way! She and Marilyn M. were roommates? Now THAT would be an interesting book/film.
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I challenge you to write the screenplay. Sort of like The Apartment…only with Shelley as Shirley MacLaine and Marilyn as, well, Jack Lemmon. Or not!
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Bahaha! Brilliant idea.
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Reblogged this on WILDsound Writing and Film Festival Review.
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