7 Comments

  1. While I have no doubt that Bette Davis was impressive in this role, it’s hard to imagine Leslie Howard standing out in ANY role. Ick.

    Annette Bening was AWESOME in Being Julia. But I would have given the Oscar to Imelda Staunton that year. Definitely the worst Oscars of my lifetime, given that Hilary Swank beat them both in the ridiculously overrated and nauseating Million Dollar Baby.

    • I agree about Million Dollar Baby. An atrocious film. And I haven’t been a huge fan of Howard’s due to his annoying role in Gone with the Wind. It’s a tough call between Staunton and Bening. Both were excellent in those roles, for entirely different reasons. Staunton’s performance was certainly haunting. But it’s rare for me to get a book I didn’t before due to an actress’s portrayal—and Maugham’s Theatre didn’t really resonate for me UNTIL Bening made the main character come alive for me. Now I love both movie and story. So it’s hard for me to compare the performances.

  2. I don’t think I’ve seen this film – but anyway, I was brought here through the blogathon and want to say, your blog title/header and it’s mission is great! I’m pretty busy these days but I’d like to find time to have more of a poke around here some time 🙂

  3. Brian

    I read Of Human Bondage in my late teens, and I remember identifying greatly with Philip. I saw the 1934 movie much later and was rather indifferent about it, perhaps as much due to the economies it takes with Philip’s backstory as with the casting of Howard — he doesn’t seem to have many fans left, does he?. 🙂 I had to chuckle over the full-on scenery chewing screenshot of Davis… yikes!
    Apropos of nothing, I just saw Leslie’s son Ronald in an episode of the old TV show One Step Beyond (“true” life tales of the paranormal). Now there is an actor I can appreciate, with roles in the Sherlock Holmes TV series, in Boris Karloff’s Thriller TV show, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Hammer’s Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb, etc. 🙂

    • Yes, he’s not my favorite–though I did appreciate the support he gave Humphrey Bogart. I had no idea his son was an actor too! I need to check him out. He certainly looks like his father. And very few things are as scary as Bette Davis when she’s chewing the scenery, right? LOL.

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