(Some Spoilers) Generally accepted by everyone for getting the Academy Award in 1935 for "Dangerous". To make up for her being denied it in 1934 as waitress Mildred Rogers in the Sumerset Maugham classic "Of human Bondage". Bette Davis' performance as the down and out former Broadway actress Joyce Heath could have easily have won her that coveted award. Even without the Acadamy's member feeling guilty for not giving it to her the year before.
In some cheap gin joint Joyce is spotted by socialite architect Donald "Don" Berrows, Franchot Tone, who's out painting the town red and green with his fiancée the beautiful and blue-blooded Gail Armitage, Margaret Lindsay, and his friend Ted, Dick Foran. Telling the two that he has to take care of some pressing business Don goes to see Joyce and, after buying her a drink, tells her what an impact she made on his life after he first saw her in a play some five years ago. Joyce had convinced Don to go into a life of creativity, architecture, just by seeing her stunning and creative performance on the theater stage.
Taking Joyce to his country home to dry out Don falls in love with her which causes him to worry about his upcoming marriage to Gail, whom he feels he's cheating on. Breaking the truth to Gail about his and Joyce's feelings for each other and how even if he breaks up with her, which he fully intended to do,it would never be the same between them. Gail hurt and upset gives Don back his engagement ring and calls it,their upcoming marriage,quits.
In an effort to revive Joyce's career Don get's Broadway producer George Sheffield, Pierre Watkin, to direct the play "But to Die" which Joyce was to star in. Don in turn puts up $80,000.00 of his own money to finance the play. With Joyce back in top form opening night looks like it would be a complete success but there's one thing that she didn't tell Don about her past. Something that will later come back to haunt her and that's that she can never marry him! Joyce is already married and her husband Gordon ,Alison Skipworth, the man who's career she destroyed will never give her a divorce! The only way Joyce can get him out of being married to her is like the saying goes :"Untill Death do Us Part".
Bette Davis' performance in "Dangerous" lifts up the movie far above the soap-opera that it's script would have made it with a lesser talented actress. The fine supporting cast also greatly helps Miss.Davis pull the whole thing off successfully. The ending of "Dangerous"is nowhere as predictable as you would have thought in a, at first sight, predictable movie. Joyce seeing the light and instead of hurting the two men in her life, Don & Gordon, uses her selfish destructive and unfeeling personality ,for the very last time, that in a strange twist of fate straightened out all the loose ends in the movie.
It was that decision on Joyce's brought that her back to the life that she discarded so long ago, that she thought she'll never have again.
In some cheap gin joint Joyce is spotted by socialite architect Donald "Don" Berrows, Franchot Tone, who's out painting the town red and green with his fiancée the beautiful and blue-blooded Gail Armitage, Margaret Lindsay, and his friend Ted, Dick Foran. Telling the two that he has to take care of some pressing business Don goes to see Joyce and, after buying her a drink, tells her what an impact she made on his life after he first saw her in a play some five years ago. Joyce had convinced Don to go into a life of creativity, architecture, just by seeing her stunning and creative performance on the theater stage.
Taking Joyce to his country home to dry out Don falls in love with her which causes him to worry about his upcoming marriage to Gail, whom he feels he's cheating on. Breaking the truth to Gail about his and Joyce's feelings for each other and how even if he breaks up with her, which he fully intended to do,it would never be the same between them. Gail hurt and upset gives Don back his engagement ring and calls it,their upcoming marriage,quits.
In an effort to revive Joyce's career Don get's Broadway producer George Sheffield, Pierre Watkin, to direct the play "But to Die" which Joyce was to star in. Don in turn puts up $80,000.00 of his own money to finance the play. With Joyce back in top form opening night looks like it would be a complete success but there's one thing that she didn't tell Don about her past. Something that will later come back to haunt her and that's that she can never marry him! Joyce is already married and her husband Gordon ,Alison Skipworth, the man who's career she destroyed will never give her a divorce! The only way Joyce can get him out of being married to her is like the saying goes :"Untill Death do Us Part".
Bette Davis' performance in "Dangerous" lifts up the movie far above the soap-opera that it's script would have made it with a lesser talented actress. The fine supporting cast also greatly helps Miss.Davis pull the whole thing off successfully. The ending of "Dangerous"is nowhere as predictable as you would have thought in a, at first sight, predictable movie. Joyce seeing the light and instead of hurting the two men in her life, Don & Gordon, uses her selfish destructive and unfeeling personality ,for the very last time, that in a strange twist of fate straightened out all the loose ends in the movie.
It was that decision on Joyce's brought that her back to the life that she discarded so long ago, that she thought she'll never have again.