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Rating: - There's Only One Kind Of Beauty
Normally I don't review a lot of movies but this one I couldn't resist. Mr. Skeffington stars none other then the great Bette Davis in one her finest performances (she had many many more). The subject matter is also important because of it's important message,which still holds up strong in todays world where looks and youth often seem to matter more then even morality. Davis is Fanny Trellis,a tragic character if I ever saw one. This epic drama begins in 1914 just before the start of WW1 as Fanny,a New York social climber seeks the romantic attention of her swindling brother's boss Job Skeffington (Clause Rains),a wealthy banker who happens to be Jewish in order to get her brothers name cleared. Through the war the couple have a child and,while Skeffington himself is always aware she's not truely in love with him she dismisses it as him "laughing at her" on the inside. Skeffington is a likeable and a very sympathetic man who goes all out to show Fanny and their daughter,also named Fanny all the love and kindness he can. When Fanny's brother dies in the war,having gone because of her selfish ways,she blames-resulting in bitterness and6 infidenlity on both sides.In the end the couple seek divorce. As with most cases like this,the daughter is torn but ends up traveling overseas to Europe with her father following the war. Of course once she is gone the elder Fanny is back to to her selfish,and frankly rather disrepretable ways.She only views her looks as a significant asset. When one such date results in diptheria Fanny's years catches up with her and she is left with an aged face. By this time it is during the second world war and Fanny is left to contend not only with her haunted memories of Job Skeffington but finaly by the man himself,blinded and in financial ruin after time in a Nazi concentration camp. The only thing is,while he still loves Fanny,the next part is where the movie gets reallllly interesting:Fanny's faded looks have deflated her ego and she finds she too really does love Mr.Skeffington and decides to be there for him. Yes,small justice for her ammoral behavior over the years but a fitting conclusion. This is a great story with tremendous acting on the part of everyone participating. In the end Claude Rains brilliant performance,reserved yet very warm makes you really like Job Skeffington.Even when,after Fanny's betrayal of his effections he resorts to extra marital affairs-it's only only time I ever sympathized with a movie character who did that.After all Fanny had been having "suiters" all through her marriage:men literally lined up to share her affections. At first one doesn't emphathize with Bette Davis's Fanny until the end,when you realize your dealing with a character who has become so consumed with her appearance that she forgot how to really love. At any rate this is a wonderful black & white Bette Davis classic that everyone interested in classic cinema should see.

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