Mr. Skeffington

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The lust after youth and the perks that follow is probably one of the most common yet powerful villains in film and literature. Vanity claimed the life of Dorian Gray, drove a queen to murder her daughter, and turned life into a tragically hollow and meaningless show in the latest film that I have watched: Mr. Skeffington.

The film begins telling the sad story of Fanny and Trippy Trellis who find themselves at the mercy of one Job Skeffington (Claude Rains), the man whom Trippy has embezzled thousands of dollars. Practically penniless, the beautiful and vain Fanny (Bette Davis) employs her looks to hook Mr. Skeffington whom she then marries. But the marriage is cordial and loveless with Fanny pouring all her affection into her looks and capturing multiple admirers. But while she is transfixed by the beauty in the mirror the world around her disintegrates with war, disease, and the ravaging effects of time, rapidly leaving her with no time to appreciate everything else she once had.

While the film begins as a charming and almost comedic film about two siblings trying to get out of trouble, it quickly morphs into something else entirely as more dramatic and tragic events unfold. Despite the fact that the central characters are not very agreeable people, one definitely feels remorse and overwhelming sympathy for them by the end. It seems that everyone gets put through the ringer, making this drama not one that should be entered into too lightly.

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No doubt the emotions stirred up by this film must be credited to the glorious performances of Bette Davis and Claude Rains who are no Tracey and Hepburn, but somehow end up having one of the most tragic love stories. Despite all the unpleasantness that happens throughout the film, the two radiate back towards each other and there is a most heartbreaking reconciliation scene at the end. 

Bette Davis is beautiful, charming, and cordial with this very slight conniving edge that keeps you captivated because you’re dying to find out if she’s really a cold user of men or if there’s a deeper level to her vanity. 

Claude Rains is a wonderfully stoic puppy dog that you can’t help but be intrigued by. As one personality is charming and exuberant, the other is stoic and reserved and the two play off each other rather wonderfully, despite the lack of any conventional romance.

Like many higher budget films of the 1940s, Mr Skeffington is also a feast for the eyes. It could be because all these movies were done in black and white that the sets, costume, and makeup design had to be extravagant to compensate. Regardless, like the gothic charm of Sunset Boulevard or the eternal good taste of Laura, this film takes place in a world of lavishness, great size, and glamour. The costumes are remarkable and the house where the central drama takes place is simply beautiful -though foreboding and frightening towards the end-  giving audiences other things to appreciate if the story is not entirely their thing.

Mr. Skeffington is a film reminiscent of so many others: there are certain things about it that puts us in mind of Jezebel, Snow White, Dorian Gray and so on, but what’s particularly lovely about it is its tragic and original tale of true love, which is definitely one for the ages.

Starring: Bette Davis, Claude Rains, Walter Abel, George Coulouris, Richard Waring, Marjorie Riordan, Robert Shayne, John Alexander, Jerome Cowan, Dorothy Peterson, Peter Whitney, and Bill Kennedy 

Year: 1944 

Rating: PG