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The Great Lie

Play trailer Poster for The Great Lie Released Apr 12, 1941 1h 47m Romance Play Trailer Watchlist
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60% Tomatometer 5 Reviews 71% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
After her long-time boyfriend, pilot Pete Van Allen (George Brent), marries fiery concert pianist Sandra Kovak (Mary Astor) while drunk, Maggie Patterson (Bette Davis) is heartbroken. Pete learns the marriage is illegal, yet dutifully offers to remarry Sandra. But when she refuses to alter a performance date to do so, Pete returns to Maggie and marries her. Soon after, Pete goes missing on a flight -- and when Maggie learns Sandra is carrying Pete's baby, she makes the pianist a shocking offer.
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The Great Lie

Critics Reviews

View All (5) Critics Reviews
John Kinloch California Eagle This is another in the series of intelligent, talkative pictures of which La Davis has become the patron saint. Oct 31, 2019 Full Review Elena de la Torre Cine-Mundial For Mary Astor this movie has been a real resurrection, as an artist, an elegant woman, as well as a notable pianist. [Full review in Spanish] Sep 17, 2019 Full Review Wesley Lovell Cinema Sight Predictable to a fault, even Bette Davis can't save this film. Rated: 2.5/4 Aug 16, 2011 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com This Edmund Goulding-Bette Davis soap opera has achieved notoriety for several reasons, a presposterous plot, Mary Astor's one and only Oscar, and catfights on the set between the two ladies! Rated: B- Dec 17, 2009 Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews I'd be lying if I said I enjoyed this absurd sudser. Rated: C+ Feb 15, 2008 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (47) audience reviews
Mark A Superior soap opera starring Bette Davis. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 12/20/22 Full Review Audience Member Great fun! A campy melodrama with Bette Davis and Mary Astor have a field day. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 04/08/21 Full Review steve d Mary Astor makes this a must see with her best proformance (in a long line of great performances) Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review jona i Not as dangerous as the title suggests, but it holds some dramatic intrigue Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Script and acting not able to allow you to set aside your unbelief. Seems like a story of rich people who can't face reality, and not very well, by todays standards Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/17/23 Full Review ashley h The Great Lie is an excellent film. It is about a socialite who is madly in love with playboy aviator. Bette Davis and George Brent give fantastic performances. The screenplay is good but a little slow in places. Edmund Goulding did a great job directing this movie. I enjoyed watching this motion picture because of the drama. The Great Lie is a must see. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Great Lie

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis After her long-time boyfriend, pilot Pete Van Allen (George Brent), marries fiery concert pianist Sandra Kovak (Mary Astor) while drunk, Maggie Patterson (Bette Davis) is heartbroken. Pete learns the marriage is illegal, yet dutifully offers to remarry Sandra. But when she refuses to alter a performance date to do so, Pete returns to Maggie and marries her. Soon after, Pete goes missing on a flight -- and when Maggie learns Sandra is carrying Pete's baby, she makes the pianist a shocking offer.
Director
Edmund Goulding
Producer
Hal B. Wallis
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co
Warner Brothers/Seven Arts
Genre
Romance
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 12, 1941, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 21, 2016
Runtime
1h 47m
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