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The Old Maid

Play trailer Poster for The Old Maid 1939 1h 35m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 4 Reviews 75% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
After disappearing for two years, Clem Spender (George Brent) returns on the day his former fiancée, Delia (Miriam Hopkins), is marrying another man. Her cousin Charlotte (Bette Davis) sneaks away with Clem, who enlists in the Union Army the next day and dies soon after. Charlotte and Clem's child, Clementina, grows up not knowing critical Charlotte is her mother. Jealous of Charlotte's affair, Delia pretends to be Clementina's mother, sabotaging mother and child's relationship.
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The Old Maid

Critics Reviews

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Russell Maloney The New Yorker 09/06/2018
The characters are well conceived, they react credibly, and they actually develop as the action progresses. The story is adult, insofar as it is concerned with something beyond getting a certain girl into the arms of a certain man. But how dull it is! Go to Full Review Fernando F. Croce CinePassion 11/11/2009
A well-oiled assembly of betrayals, vendettas, and maternal passion plays Go to Full Review Steve Crum Video-Reviewmaster.com 11/01/2008
5/5
Bette Davis at the peak of her acting chops, a brilliant, melodramatic role. Go to Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 07/19/2005
4/5
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Audience Reviews

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Sharon C Aug 24 I love anything that Bette Davis is in!! She is very beautiful in this film. And of course her acting is spot on. No one will ever surpass her acting accomplishments. This film is the usual pot boiler from the 40s with George Brent. Why he was in so many films is a mystery. He couldn’t act. See more Angela M Apr 26 I found the film very engaging due to the incredible acting of the two female leads. What could not be said or shown by Charlotte’s character due to her heart wrenching situation was so carefully crafted by the young Davis, I was just left stunned by the end. See more Steve D 01/11/2024 It has been done better but the acting is great. See more william d @acsdoug 11/15/2020 Overwrought, and frankly a bit boring, melodrama. See more 07/05/2019 I liked the movie very much! It kept me guessing throughout. I love the old movies as you just never know whats going to happen next. Plus the actors are so much more talented than some actors of today and the plots more interesting! This film was made in 1939 and was beautifully written, directed and the talent was superb! You just don't see that much today. See more 06/13/2019 Excessive melodramatic histrionic film with a plot that would be impossible to realize in real life. But in the movies, anything goes... See more Read all reviews
The Old Maid

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Cast & Crew

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Edmund Goulding

Director

Bette Davis

Charlotte Lovell

Miriam Hopkins

Delia Lovell Ralston

George Brent

Lt. Clem Spender

Donald Crisp

Dr. Lanskell

Jane Bryan

Clementina
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The Old Maid

The Old Maid (1939) The Old Maid (1939) The Old Maid (1939) The Old Maid (1939) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis After disappearing for two years, Clem Spender (George Brent) returns on the day his former fiancée, Delia (Miriam Hopkins), is marrying another man. Her cousin Charlotte (Bette Davis) sneaks away with Clem, who enlists in the Union Army the next day and dies soon after. Charlotte and Clem's child, Clementina, grows up not knowing critical Charlotte is her mother. Jealous of Charlotte's affair, Delia pretends to be Clementina's mother, sabotaging mother and child's relationship.
Director
Edmund Goulding
Production Co
Warner Bros.
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 16, 1939, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 1, 2009
Runtime
1h 35m
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