This film features probably the best makeover "reveal" of all times!

It's one of my favourite Bette Davis movies - only The Little Foxes, The Letter and All About Eve would be ahead of it.

I agree about Cooper, who was simply marvellous in what could have been a one-dimensional vicious mother role. I also agree about the kid!

It's probably my very favorite Bette Davis movie, and one of my favorite movies of all time.

Ditto to praise of Gladys Cooper.

It also has Mary Wickes in it, who was never anything other than a sheer delight every single second she spent in front of a camera.

Right, Gladys Cooper and Mary Wickes are both really great wherever they may appear, and Miss Davis is at her best when she plays nice.

Here, she goes from the nice one in "Three on a Match" to the nice one with one match in Paul's hands.

But still there is no match for Bette vs. Miriam in "Old Acquaintance" because they're both good, and also as somebody says back there, along with everybody in the cast of "The Little Foxes" even though when Bette goes bad there, she really knows how to go all the way.

Sometimes she gets so bad that you never need to hear again about her performance in bad films, like when she fights with Joan or Olivia, but at least Miss Davis knows how to add dimension to her roles even in really bad films like "The Letter," "Dead Ringer" or "The Man Who Came to Dinner," but she makes up for that by "The Whales of August."

"Oh, Jerry, don't let's ask for the moon. We have the stars."

🌙🌙🌙🌙🌙 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I've only recently discovered Davis. I didn't think much of her (or the film) in Dark Victory. But here the leads were great characters and performances. Davis's frailty as someone (mis)shaped by their upbringing and wearing the scars as life continues to not come easy.

I loved the theme of the film (which is very unusual) and the execution was top drawer. Very surprising as the director doesn't seem particularly well acclaimed?

8/10

He directed five of her films. His second film (One Foot in Heaven) was nominated for best picture. He didn't set the world on fire but he made some good films.

As for Davis, she is one of my favs, especially in her early movies (mid-30s to early 50s).

I seem to recall enjoying this one myself, even if I can't distinguish it in my head from other Davis films I've seen.

Bette rules! LOL