Bette Davis told her own story via countless television appearances, two biographies, and extensive personal appearance tours in her later years. Her daughter, B.D. Hyman, told her own version of life with Bette in a damning tell-all, My Mother's Keeper. Now Turner Classic Movies (TCM), with the help of writer/director Peter Jones, illuminates the life of the legend in a new biopic, Stardust: The Bette Davis Story. The biggest surprise of the evening is that Jones actually manages to unearth some personal information never before brought to light, telling a story that diverges from the tried-and-possibly true factoids of the past.
Did you know that Davis probably contributed to the death of her third husband by inflicting a serious head wound in a domestic squabble, or that she had two abortions early in her career? Peter Jones assembles an articulate cast of friends and co-workers who opine about Davis the actress and the person. On-camera interviewees include Ellen Burstyn, James Woods, and Jane Fonda, with Jones' intelligent voiceover narration delivered by Susan Sarandon. Stardust achieves a remarkable balance in its revelation of Davis' career and personal life, without resorting to mindless fawning or smoke-blowing. Davis was not always a nice lady. She drank too much, she felt sorry for herself in her later years, she had numerous affairs with married leading men, and she simply refused to take advice from anyone.
Headstrong, tempestuous, and volcanic in temperament, Davis was also insecure. On almost all the critical elements of personality, she was Margo Channing at the time she played that character in All About Eve. She was also completely dedicated to her craft and a workaholic. One of the most interesting aspects of Stardust is its subtle exposè of B.D. Hyman, who refused to cooperate with the project. Peter Jones unearths archival footage of interviews with Davis' turncoat daughter and, via his narration, he explains that Hyman is now something of a religious zealot. Gay viewers will find a headline that flashes across the screen during the Hyman section informative. It shows what is presumably one of Hyman's writings bearing the headline, "The Antichrist is a homosexual."
Stardust is a compelling work, guaranteed to hold your attention for the duration. But the most riveting sections of the biography are the excerpts from Davis' films. Even taken out of context, it is clear these scenes reflect a genius at work. By way of supporting evidence, TCM will be screening dozens of Davis films throughout the month of March. For more information and schedules, go to www.turnerclassicmovies.com .
Stardust first airs on TCM on Wednesday, May 3, at 8 p.m.