Uma Vida Roubada

Wealthy New England artist Bette Davis (as Kate Bosworth) emerges late from her star vehicle, and misses the boat taking her to visit her cousin, the distinguished Charlie Ruggles (as Freddie Linley). Handsome young Glenn Ford (as Bill Emerson) happens by, and Ms. Davis bums a ride in his dinghy. The two pick up Mr. Ford's crusty lighthouse keeper, Walter Brennan (as Eben Folger). On the verge of spinsterhood, Davis is clearly attracted to Ford, and arranges to paint Mr. Brennan's portrait - but, she really wants to show Ford her etchings. Later, cocky Dane Clark (as Karnock) intrudes.

You can definitely sense some subtext and symbolism in this picture…

And, you can't go wrong with Bette Davis melodramatically falling in love amidst crisp direction by Curtis Bernhardt, beautiful black-and-white photography by Ernest Haller and Sol Polito, a sweet soundtrack by Max Steiner, and the crew at Warner Bros. Throw in the fact that Bette Davis (also as Patricia "Pat" Bosworth) plays her own slutty sister, and you've struck movie gold. Expect, of course, the titular "A Stolen Life" as the evil Davis moves to steals her sister's man. Assisted by special effects wizardry from Willard Van Enger and Russell Collings, both Davis and Davis are terrific in their roles.

******** A Stolen Life (7/6/46) Curtis Bernhardt ~ Bette Davis, Glenn Ford, Dane Clark, Walter Brennan

Bette Davis is Kate and her twin Pat in "A Stolen Life," a 1946 film which also stars Glenn Ford, Walter Brennan, Charles Ruggles, and Dane Clark. We first see Davis as the artist Kate visiting the family's New England cottage (these people have homes everywhere). There she meets the drop-dead gorgeous lighthouse man Bill (Ford, in his first role after the war). She falls hard. Then we find out she has a twin sister who is much less reserved, sexier, and who goes after what she wants. On her way to a lunch date, Pat sees Bill, who mistakes her for Kate. One look at him, and she's ready to play along. But really, who could blame her? That day, Bill finds out that Kate is a twin, and that Pat turns him on - while he's only fond of Kate. Nature takes its course, and guess which Bette gets left out.

This is a very entertaining movie with Davis creating two different characters. In the very beginning, you don't know Davis has a twin. She returns home and enters her room with the light off, and her sister starts talking to her from the other side of the room - with a perkier voice, so not even that gives it away. Slowly, we realize they're identical twins, and that she hasn't let Bill into the house because her sister is a man magnet.

Glenn Ford is one film away from big stardom in "A Stolen Life" --next, he would romance Rita Hayworth in "Gilda." At 30, he was stunningly handsome with the easygoing, gentle, and sweet manner that would hold him in good stead for the next 45 years. Truly an ideal leading man. He and Davis get excellent support from Charles Ruggles, in a nice performance as the girls' cousin, and Walter Brennan, Ford's irascible lighthouse boss. Dane Clark's role is somewhat troublesome. In the John Garfield vein, he plays a rough, temperamental artist who teaches Kate to paint better and becomes interested in her, but his role drops off. The entire role could have been cut.

Davis was 37 when she made this film, which she produced herself. With three years left on her contract, it was sadly her last hit at Warners. Deservedly so, because she is terrific in the dual roles. She would repeat this device later on in her career with "Dead Ringer," and some of the plot points are reminiscent of that film.

Wonderfully entertaining and a must for Davis and Ford fans.

I found the first half of the picture dragged for me, with a lot of dark shadows, and meandering scenes at the light house. Once the story picked up, and the "evil" twins goes over the side of the boat, then I knew I was in for some good old fashioned Bette Davis fun. I was very impressed with the creation of the "twins." For 1946, I found the scenes quite convincing, and wondered how they did that. The sets were fabulous, I'd take any of those houses, but thought the costumes were somewhat lacking. No, "Now, Voyager" stunning outfits for sure. Glenn Ford was fine, and very young, however I didn't care for the struggling artist side story. I would like to have seen much more of Kate trying to pass herself off as Pat, for that was the fun part of the film for me.

Davis fans get to double their fun in this well-crafted soaper. At the same time, the plot remains something of a stretch. Can twin Katie finally find happiness impersonating identical twin Pat. As herself, poor Katie is lonely, timid, and searching for an identity. Most of the time she spends folding her need into art painting. At the same time, twin Pat is outgoing, self-assured and bold; in short, Pat's everything Katie isn't. Nonetheless, Katie's future brightens when she meets what appears her soul-mate, Bill (Ford), on a lighthouse island. But then Bill meets seductive Pat, and they marry leaving poor Katie alone again. Now Katie faces a bleak future until fate intervenes and she must suddenly impersonate her twin. As Pat, however, the timid Katie discovers abilities she didn't know she had. But will these come at the cost of losing the subtle appeal that first charmed Bill. In effect Katie now lives a life stolen from Pat, but at what cost.

What impresses me most is WB's craftsmanship- the howling seas, the ace photography, and especially the undetectable doubling of Davis in the same shot. In those technologically lesser days (1946), I thought doubling in the same shot could only be done by splitting the film so that some distance on screen had to remain between the doubles. Here, however, that distance is often erased. I wish IMDB had some info on how they did it.

Acting-wise it's a Davis showcase, but the studio backs up its star in fine fashion. Speaking of Davis, she's mostly without her sometime theatrics, conveying the twins' personality differences in fairly subtle fashion. Ford too is well cast as an apparently sensitive working man, who nevertheless jilts sensitive Katie for philandering Pat. But I have to wonder about Dane Clark's arrogant role that appears peripheral to the main plot. Perhaps it's the studio's effort at promoting a promising actor before the public.

All in all, the soaper remains a polished production from Hollywood's golden period, even if the story requires quite a swallow. Meanwhile, Davis fans get to double their fun.

I was surprised that I liked this movie as much as I did. As an artist and someone who has worked with machinery, I found the budding relationship between artist Kate and lighthouse engineer Bill easy-going and authentic, plus I loved the scenes of sailing, boating, and the lighthouse in fog on a rocky island. I'm glad I stumbled upon it on broadcast TV one late night. The message that we should be true to ourselves was very hopeful. No movie plot with one actress playing identical twins will ever be plausible, but it makes for good fiction and is an interesting illustration of the actors' ability to stretch into unusual roles.