Bette Davis earned an Oscar nomination for her role in this classic four-hanky tearjerker. Judith Traherne (
Bette Davis) is a very wealthy Long Island heiress whose life is a constant whirl of cocktails, parties, and wild living. Despite her hedonistic lifestyle, Judith derives little pleasure from life except for her horses, cared for by stable master Michael O'Leary (
Humphrey Bogart). When Judith begins suffering from headaches and dizzy spells, Dr. Frederick Steele (
George Brent) gives her the bad news: she has a brain tumor that could threaten her life if not treated immediately. Judith consents to surgery, and Frederick informs her that the operation was a success. A grateful Judith quickly falls in love with Frederick, and they plan to marry. However, the tumor returns, and when Judith discovers that she has only a few months to live, she calls off the wedding, convinced that Frederick is marrying her only as an act of pity for a dying woman. A major success and perennial favorite, Dark Victory was later remade as
Stolen Hours with
Susan Hayward and as a TV movie starring
Elizabeth Montgomery. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide