A Grande Mentira

Though some may say the plot's too far-fetched, I say what Hollywood story isn't, to some extend or another? Even so-called bio pics stretch and bend the truth. Anyway, when you have actors that give great performances, and keep the drama from becoming melodrama, and make the implausible seem plausible, and keep your attention to the end, well, what the heck?

Mary Astor gets to show off her musical talent, as concert pianist Sandra Kovak, who married Peter Van Allen (George Brent) after a drunken whirlwind fling (and while he was rebounding from his breakup with Maggie Petersen, played by Bette Davis), only to discover her divorce from her previous husband wasn't final yet. When Peter's offer to marry her for real (and sober) this time is rejected in favor of her planned concert tour, they break up, and he realizes his heart still belongs to Maggie. Soon, they're back together and married, but they haven't heard the last of Sandra.

There's a lot of soap opera elements here: a baby, a presumed death, a bargain, a lie, a threat, a confession, and a lot of entertainment.

And as a bonus, there's Hattie McDaniel as Violet.

This is also the movie that gave rise to the idea that Bette spoke a ridiculous line, where she repeated the name "Peter, Peter, Peter!" Actually, she said the name "Pete" twice, while thinking wistfully of her husband. And it was spoken with melancholy, not in rapid-fire succession, like a stuck record needle.

For that alone, the film's worth watching, though the story will keep you entertained.

THE GREAT LIE (Warner Brothers, 1941) directed by Edmund Goulding, teams Bette Davis and George Brent for the tenth time. Though DARK VICTORY (1939) is often hailed as their finest achievement on film, THE GREAT LIE is most memorable not so much for their fine chemistry, but for Mary Astor, whose performance not only steals it from her leading performers but won the Academy Award as Best Supporting Actress for her fine achievement playing the other woman to her husband.

The story opens with Peter Van Allen (George Brent), an aviator and wealthy playboy, married to Sandra Kovak (Mary Astor), a famous concert pianist. Called by his attorney, Jeffrey H. Thompson (Jerome Cowan), Peter is given the news he's not legally married to Sandra. Her divorce from her previous husband has not been finalized at the time of their wedding. Though Peter is willing to wed her all over again, Sandra refuses to marry the day of her upcoming concert in Philadelphia and insists their wedding will have to be postponed to another date. Finding her career more important than their lives together, Peter, who earlier had taken his plane to Maryland to visit with his former fiancée, Maggie Patterson (Bette Davis), her outbursts prevent him from giving her the news of his freedom. Eventually Maggie learns of the matter and becomes his wife after all. Later Peter is called away on an assignment to Brazil. During his absence, Maggie meets with Sandra in New York with startling news she's pregnant with Pete's child and intends on getting him back. Receiving news of Peter being killed in an airplane crash in the jungle, Maggie comes to Sandra with a cash settlement allowing her to have her baby in a secluded Arizona ranch on the condition she can return to Maryland and raise the child as her own. Time passes. Maggie is now the "mother" of little Pete while Sandra is free to go on her world concert tours. With the surprise news of Pete having survived the crash and returning home to her, their lives together are happy until Sandra returns. Also in the supporting cast are Lucile Watson (Aunt Ada); Hattie McDaniel (Violet); Grant Mitchell (Joshua Mason); J. Farrell MacDonald (Doctor Ferguson) and Sam McDaniel (Jefferson).

Though an interesting concept, THE GREAT LIE might have failed had it not been for its three veteran performers making the story better for what it is. George Brent plays his usual caught between two women husband while Bette Davis and Mary Astor are equally matched as "friendly" rivals out for the affection of the man they both love. The year 1941 proved to be a turning point for Mary Astor's career with this and her outstanding role opposite Humphrey Bogart in THE MALTESE FALCON being the two movies she is best remembered. As much as I always felt Astor should have at least been nominated as Best Supporting Actress for her wonderful performance in DODSWORTH (United Artists, 1936), at least the award she won for THE GREAT LIE makes up for that oversight. The truth about THE GREAT LIE is how Mary Astor makes her self-centered role so likable. Along with her shorter hair-cut to appear older yet appealing to her character without losing her attractiveness, her high point is not so much her piano playing to Tchaikowski's Piano Concerto # 1 in B Flat Minor, but how her tense and slightly amusing confrontation with her rival and former husband, good enough for that well-deserved Academy Award win.

Available on both video cassette and DVD format, THE GREAT LIE can be seen occasionally on Turner Classic Movies cable channel. (***)

Bette Davis and Mary Astor take place in one of filmdoms greatest bitch-fests, The sappy sweet Davis and obnoxious concert pianist Astor both love the same man(George Brent). He goes back and forth between them. Slick and soapy, the performances are great and Astor walked away with an Oscar. Great classical score, too.

"The Great Lie" provides an example of what the Warner

Bros. stock company could produce during the early 40s.

Bette Davis is her usual strong character, George Brent

his standard wooden but creditable personality, and Mary

Astor in a surprisingly fiery turn, is a performance which

contributes a winning balance.

The best scenes are confrontations and interactions between Davis and Astor, and they play the dramatics for

all they're worth.

It's an entertaining film, with an array of fine character

actors (including scene-stealing Hattie McDaniel) to bolster the proceedings. Max Steiner's score is on hand to

add atmosphere to the action.

To my mind this film is perfect - a classic example of what the studio system of the golden years of Hollywood could achieve. Strong direction, witty dialogue, beautiful music, sublime cinematography, crisp editing, gorgeous production design and costuming, brilliant performances - every element of this film is perfect.

Add to all that the daring (for its day) story-line, Bette Davis at the height of her dramatic powers and at her most beautiful, and Mary Astor delivering what I think is one of the great screen performances of all time, and you have a very special film indeed.

Although the film may seem to have dated elements, especially in the depiction of the African-American characters, if you let yourself watch the film with 1941 eyes you will be richly rewarded. Besides which the wonderful Hattie McDaniel brings so much depth to what could have been a simple stereotype.

As you can tell, I love this film. I understand Bette Davis and Mary Astor loved working together - and you can see that on the screen. The scenes between the two of them are electric, with so much being said beyond the words. Thank God Astor won an Oscar for her work here. She truly deserved it.