whats the best movie to start with the actress known as bette davis. I heard lots of great things from her. Also can anyone recommend good campy films from like 50-70. or in general any thing campy...i wanna check out this campy scene.
[Edited 5/20/10 19:17pm]

baroque said:

start with "all about eve" it's a instant classic

I'm not sure I'd describe anything by her as campy but "What Ever Happened To Baby Jane?" is a must see for anyone with Bette Davis eyes.

edit
[Edited 5/20/10 19:30pm]

So many! But in addition to All About Eve and What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, I would recommend Now, Voyager; Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte; Dark Victory; and Of Human Bondage. Oh, and All This and Heaven Too. And The Corn Is Green when you get time. That's probably not essential, but I've always liked it.

yay i knew would great answers here.
i am like so fascinated by like gay culture that is pre stonewall era. in general anything dealing with gay history and or stonewall era is so fascinating to me. im not sure why.

Start with All About Eve first. You'll totally fall in love with her.

thank you efan and thank you all those and contributed. i'll keep you guys posted on how i felt about these films

Checkout some of Ms. Davis's films at the height of her career in the 30's and 40's.


Jezebel
Deception
In This Our Life
A Stolen Life
The Letter (a must)
The Old Maid
The Sisters
All This, and Heaven Too
Old Acquaintance
In This Our Life
The Little Foxes (a must)
The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex

TD3 said:

I need to check these out myself.

2cherylcxko313 said:

These 3 box sets are essential once you're done with Eve...




They include these films:

Now, Voyager
Dark Victory
The Letter
Mr. Skeffington
The Star
Jezebel
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
The Man Who Came to Dinner
Old Acquaintance
Marked Woman
Stardust: The Bette Davis Story
The Old Maid
All This, And Heaven Too
The Great Lie
In This Our Life
Watch on the Rhine
Deception

Also, I'd strongly advice you to track down Of Human Bondage with Leslie Howard if you happen to find a REMASTERED version.

I am a huge Bette Davis fan. I love how she wasn't afraid to do whatever a role called for - even if it meant she wasn't going to look beautiful or be glamorously dressed. Mr. Skeffington and Now, Voyager are two that stand out in that regard.

Now, Voyager is my favorite Bette Davis movie - and one of my favorite movies of all time. The transformation she makes as Charlotte - both physically and emotionally - is amazing. And she's backed up by Paul Henreid, Claude Rains and Gladys Cooper - three amazing actors in their own right.

A really great early Bette Davis film that hardly anyone sees or mentions is The Petrified Forest. Leslie Howard is in that - along with Humphrey Bogart as Duke Mantee - in one of his first Hollywood films. (Howard and Davis were both magnificent in Of Human Bondage two years earlier. Bogart and Davis worked together again in 1939's Dark Victory.)

Another lesser known Davis film (mentioned by TD3) is A Stolen Life. She plays twins in that one - and does it wonderfully.

Unlike others, I don't recommend starting with All About Eve - I think you have to work up to that one. She does some great work, but I think it's a film that's better seen once you know a little more about her. Just my personal opinion.

"All About Eve" is her best movie, Margot Channing (her character's name in "All About Eve") is her best role.

"Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte" is another favorite of mine.
[Edited 5/21/10 9:44am]

I like all of her movies.