Most of the time watching this I was thinking Bette is playing the wrong female role of this move, she should be the self-obsessed narcist. She is not that good in this type of role here, the quiet contained reserved dignified loner. Olivia de Havilland would be perfect for it; Bette approaches it wrong. In wanting to be low key she comes out arrogant and passive aggressive. It's not that she is bad but seems like there is no drive to her acting, like she is just doing a job just to get it over with. The other actress is not good either, actually even worse. She is playing in a totally different type of movie, a farcical comedy not drama. Sometimes she is hilarious, but I don't think it was intentional. Or I just completely misinterpreted the genre of this movie. Only in the last scene I get it that the whole point and story of this movie is love and lifelong friendship of two women whit all the ups and downs through time. And it has a very depressing line all through it, if it was supposed to be a chick comedy, especially regarding Bette's character.
Review of Old Acquaintance
Old Acquaintance
(1943)
It could work with different actors and more focused script
12 September 2022