Mr. Skeffington

Released May 25, 1944

2h 25m

Drama

List

57%

Tomatometer

7 Reviews

80%

Audience Score

2,500+ Ratings

A woman dreams of a picture-perfect life but finds she's close to losing everything. Gorgeous Fanny Trellis (Bette Davis) appears to have her choice of men, and wealthy Job Skeffington (Claude Rains) is her pick. Fanny's marriage plans are to preserve her family's reputation, but her machinations are rendered meaningless when her brother Trippy (Richard Waring) is killed in World War I. For Fanny and Job, the following years will be colored by loss, longing and self-discovery.

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Dan Callahan

Slant Magazine

This is a star vehicle in extremis.

Rated: 2/4

Jun 7, 2005

Full Review

Elena de la Torre

Cine-Mundial

Bette Davis does an admirable job, as does Claude Rains. [Full review in Spanish]

Sep 18, 2019

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

A squishy tearjerker melodrama that questions how to handle life when beauty fades, for someone who vainly lived for her beauty.

Rated: C+

Oct 15, 2010

Full Review

Steve Crum

Video-Reviewmaster.com

On target Warner super soaper features standouts Bette Davis and Claude Rains.

Rated: 5/5

Mar 16, 2009

Full Review

Walter Chaw

Film Freak Central

Largely forgotten and for good reason, interesting now as a mile-marker on Davis' lonesome road to irrelevance.

Rated: 0.5/4

Jul 25, 2007

Full Review

Pablo Villaça

Cinema em Cena

Sherman conduz bem a narrativa, que abrange trs dcadas das vidas de seus personagens, e auxiliado na tarefa por excelentes atuaes de Davis, Abel e Rains.

Rated: 4/5

Apr 24, 2006

Full Review

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deke p

1944! Bette Davis & CLAUDE RAINS! Bette was vain and most beautiful, then as 50ish made up to look like here in 1960s as BABY JANE. With LONG EYELASHES, even in 1944. So her character loses her beauty. And has been imagining seeing her husband, Rains. Most of the moie she is made up as stereotypical spinster, with annoying high pitched society voice. I missed the first hour, shd see it next chance.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Bette Davis, playing a woman fighting a losing battle with time, had an engaging role here, a hybrid of the charm her characters exude in her earlier work and the fun some of her later characters can create when Ms. Davis is playing the cold and calculating type. Claude Rains was enjoyable as always in the title role and the rest of the supporting cast, notably the many suitors, all added value. My main complaint was the length as unfortunately this film definitely seemed to drag on at times and while the themes were worthy of exploration, the presentation could have been more succinct. *Binging Bette Davis #11

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/20/23

Full Review

Frances H

It should have been called Mrs. Skeffinton, since it was more about the female character portrayed in Scarlett O'Hara fashion by Bette Davis in this melodramatic soap opera. Way too self-indulgent and heavy on the moralizing.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

11/13/20

Full Review

Audience Member

Classic Betty Davis; and, a reflective storyline of an adult, coming of age & self-realization. An enjoyable film from the Golden Age of Hollywood with wonderful strong character acting by a Davis, Raines & a sound supporting cast.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Utter melodramatic soap opera trash. Dialogue and direction astoundingly vapid and stultifying, forerunner of daytime tv soaps. Made for teenage women during WWII. Rains ok; Davis an obnoxious caricature of any real person. Scraping bottom of classic film barrel.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

01/17/23

Full Review

steve d

Claude Rains stole the show.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

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Vincent Sherman

Director

Bette Davis

Fanny Trellis Skeffington

Claude Rains

Job Skeffington

Walter Abel

George Trellis

Richard Waring

Trippy Trellis

George Coulouris

Doctor Byles

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Synopsis

A woman dreams of a picture-perfect life but finds she's close to losing everything. Gorgeous Fanny Trellis (Bette Davis) appears to have her choice of men, and wealthy Job Skeffington (Claude Rains) is her pick. Fanny's marriage plans are to preserve her family's reputation, but her machinations are rendered meaningless when her brother Trippy (Richard Waring) is killed in World War I. For Fanny and Job, the following years will be colored by loss, longing and self-discovery.

Director: Vincent Sherman
Producer: Jack L. Warner
Screenwriter: Elizabeth von Arnim, Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Production Co: First National Pictures, Warner Bros.
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 25, 1944, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 19, 2016
Runtime: 2h 25m
Sound Mix: Mono

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