Dark Victory

While this is not a great TV movie it is a good re-working of the 1939 Bette Davis classic. The always beautiful and talented Liz Montgomery gives it her all playing a TV Producer stricken with a brain tumor. Liz plays a woman so consumed by her job that she ignores her personal life as well as her health. She ignores all the symptoms of her impending illness until she finally collapses at a cocktail party and falls down a few stairs. Once in the hospital she meets a doctor (Anthony Hopkins in an early role) who diagnoses her condition and eventually falls in love with her. What follows is kind of depressing as we all know where this is going to lead. Liz goes through all the emotions of dealing with her illness, surpise, frustration, anger, and also trying to deal with her love for a man who knows their time together is limited. Sad movie but if you are a diehard fan of Liz Montgomery like I am then you will enjoy it. Liz is quite sexy in the beginning but once she starts wearing an ugly short wig in the second part the reality of cancer really hits the viewer. All in all not a bad movie, just not on a par with Liz's "Lizzie Borden" or "Case of Rape".

I have seen BOTH Dark Victory versions..1939/1976..While Bette Davis undeniably gives the vibrancy and subtlety in 1939,one needs to view the 1976 version INTACT/UNEDITED over many years..as I have seen Elizabeth Montgomery's version over the last 30+ years,I have found that a "very good" movie is a subtle masterpiece with more realistic truth paced out quite beautifully throughout the film...the music,dialogue and overall non-dated performances of Ms. Montgomery and Anthony Hopkins has a far more natural rhythm that hold up much better than the 1939 version.. Time reveals all..for me,who much prefers the OLD classics,this 1976 Dark Victory is the best!

Elizabeth Montgomery was a very talented and engaging actress, as demonstrated by her long run on "Bewitched," and several TV movies, for which she was nominated many times for Emmy awards but, remarkably, failed to win. "Black Widow Murders," "A Case of Rape," and "Lizzie Borden," were among the best. But here, TV decided to remake Bette Davis' "Dark Victory," and Susan Hayward's "Stolen Hours," with a script and direction that was strangely devoid of any emotional impact. Plus, Anthony Hopkins is very miscast here - there is very little chemistry between him and Montgomery, who struggles mightily with the weak material but, ultimately, can't save this from being a disappointing bore. It's a great story and superbly filmed by Davis in the 1930's and Hayward in the 1960's, where the scripts allowed those two great actresses to just shine in virtuoso performances, particularly Hayward in "Stolen Hours." A beautiful and memorable performance that leaves you emotionally fulfilled without being maudlin. Watch that one instead.

If you haven't seen the 1939 original with Bette Davis, this updated version of "Dark Victory" is a pretty good made-for-TV movie (I haven't seen it since the original TV showing in 1976, so I'm relying on my memory). Elizabeth Montgomery is always good, Anthony Hopkins did well in an early role, and the story will hold your interest.

However, if you have seen the original - forget this version (the same comment applies to the other remake of "Dark Victory" - the 1963 film "Stolen Hours" with Susan Hayward). Like most remakes, it doesn't compare to the "real thing". You can't improve upon a movie that was already perfect of its kind, and is an acknowledged classic of the cinema.