According to Robert Osbourne TCM Bette Davis was offered the part to give her a lighter, comedic role than what she had been doing, she turned it down and
Barbara Stanwick took it.
I could really see Bette Davis running with this part and doing quite well! It's a shame we can't see both versions!
There's no doubt, though, that Barbara Stanwyck owns the part. There will never be a need to remake this because they didn't have a good leading actress.
I've seen Davis in MWCTD and she was not good. She would have overwhelmed this with her mannered acting and ruined it. Stanwyck had just the right touch, the balance of humor and sexiness, that Davis never could. She and Morgan were perfect together. She had a brassiness that his Everyman quality was a perfect match for.
When it comes to pain and suffering, she's right up there with Elizabeth Taylor.
[deleted]
Rosalind Russell might have been better than either of them.
shareI think Bette could have pulled it off. She was better with comedy than most people give her credit for. I actually loved her in 'The Bride Came C.O.D.' That being said, Stanwyck is definitely the superior comedic actress, and she really brought something special to this role. I think it would have been interesting to see Bette in a movie like this, but I'm definitely glad it worked out the way it did.
shareAgreed. As soon as I heard Robert Osborne say someone else was up for this role I knew it was Bette Davis.
doesn't robert osborne say that about every role?
one of these days he's going to say something like, 'as you know kirk douglas did a fantastic job as spartacus, funnily enough, he wasn't stanley kubrick's first choice (smiles vaguely)....it was, none other than...bette davis.'
and when he does! well, then we will all know what's what!
Season's Greetings!
Coincidentally Bette Davis played a character named Stanley http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034890/. Some people think she overdid it, but I thought her portrayal was appropriate.
[deleted]
Fate was kind in that regard. I don't see anyone in that part but Stanwyck.
share