Dangerous
Directed by Alfred E. Green
Written by Laird Doyle
1935/US
Warner Bros.
IMDb page
First viewing/Amazon Prime rental
Joyce Heath: You with your fat little soul and your smug face – picking your way so cautiously through a pastel existence.
Don Bellows (Franchot Tone) is a successful young architect and engaged to marry Gail Armitage (Margaret Lindsay). One day, his crowd spots a derelict-looking woman walking through a hotel lobby. She will not admit she is the formerly famous Broadway actress Joyce Heath (Bette Davis). Don and his friends discuss how wonderful she used to be. Franchot says one performance of hers so moved him that he decided to go into the creative arts.
Shortly thereafter, Dond spots Bette getting blotto in a dive. He buys her several drinks and after she passes out he takes her home with him. Bette is far from easy to get along with but eventually Franchot dumps Margaret and he and Bette become lovers. With A Don’s help she is given a second chance at Broadway stardom but secret from Bette’s past stands throws a spanner in the works.
Davis won her first Oscar for her performance here. Bette did not think she deserved the award which she believed was payback for not even being nominated for her star-making turn in Of Human Bondage (1934). Personally, I can’t see any other reason for the win. The script didn’t help her any.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGKEyUBLrpk;
