Special Agent (1935)
6/10
Bette Davis' Punishment For Defying The Warner Brothers. And then....
21 July 2020
George Brent is a reporter and pretty chummy with racketeer Ricardo Cortez. Bette Davis is Cortez' personal secretary and keeps his books for him in code. Everyone knows what Cortez is, and Miss Davis fears him -- he's ruthless with 'associates' whom he doesn't find useful and might be a risk. the local DA can't jail him, but the Feds look to get him on income tax evasion, like they got capone.

Miss Davis wears hideous-looking costumes, with lots oflace, that make her look even skinnier than usual. Brent is competent, and it's Cortez who owns this movie. His veiled threats are terrifying. Still, despite the occasional flares of machine-gun fire, it's a well-financed programmer.

This was Bette Davis' reward for fighting the Warner Brothers for better roles and losing. Her next movie would win her an Academy Award.
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