AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Bette Davis (1977)

Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy. See more awards »

Photos

Add Image Add an image

Do you have any images for this title?

Learn more

More Like This

◄ Prev 6 Next 6 ►

Documentary | Drama

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.9/10 X

The film chronicles the diagnosis and treatment of a breast cancer survivor, interspersed with personal tales from famous international celebrities who are also survivors, or affected closely by cancer.

Director: Namrata Singh Gujral

Stars: Kelly McGillis, Olivia Newton-John, Namrata Singh Gujral

Drama

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.9/10 X

When his fiancée Valentine dumps him, prominent lawyer Geoffrey Sherwood goes on a bender and winds up married to a stranger, Miriam Brady. They decide to give their marriage a chance. ... See full summary »

Director: Alfred E. Green

Stars: Bette Davis, Ian Hunter, Colin Clive

Biography | Western

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.7/10 X

An agent sent from Washington in 1874 takes charge of an Apache reservation and has the oppressive US Army back off, which creates conflicts and causes the Indians to have great respect for him.

Director: Jesse Hibbs

Stars: Audie Murphy, Anne Bancroft, Pat Crowley

Crime | Drama | Mystery

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7/10 X

Ronald Quayle escapes from prison. He was sent there for murdering his father, based on the testimony of his stepmother, Caroline. An explosion disfigures him, but plastic surgery gives him... See full summary »

Director: Roy William Neill

Stars: H.B. Warner, Walter Byron, Bette Davis

Drama

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8.1/10 X

Elizabeth Winfield is a retired teacher and matriarch of a problematic family who desperately tries to keep her family together, after many years they separated from each other. While she's... See full summary »

Director: Fielder Cook

Stars: Bette Davis, J. Ashley Hyman, David Huddleston

Drama

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.9/10 X

A dying woman and her husband agree to a joint-suicide pact, whether others like it or not.

Director: George Schaefer

Stars: Bette Davis, James Stewart, Melinda Dillon

Crime | Mystery | Thriller

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.9/10 X

An English schoolteacher meets his lookalike, a French count; and unwillingly swaps identities with him.

Director: Robert Hamer

Stars: Alec Guinness, Bette Davis, Nicole Maurey

Adventure | Romance

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 5.7/10 X

The French Foreign Legion battles rebellious Arabs in North Africa.

Director: Lesley Selander

Stars: Ralph Meeker, Marla English, J. Carrol Naish

Drama

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.6/10 X

In post-war Vienna, occupied by the Allies, four sergeants representing each of the occupying nations (USA, England, France, Soviet Union) patrol in the same Jeep. One day they are given ... See full summary »

Directors: Leopold Lindtberg, Elizabeth Montagu

Stars: Viveca Lindfors, Ralph Meeker, Yossi Yadin

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.7/10 X

Jerry Barker finds a lost boy whose rich father is extorted into paying a ransom for his return but the boy accidentally dies and Jerry goes to prison.

Director: Howard W. Koch

Stars: Broderick Crawford, Ralph Meeker, Reed Hadley

Biography | Musical | Romance

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.8/10 X

Blossom Seeley climbs to Broadway success with her partner Benny Fields, then retires to become his wife.

Director: Irving Brecher

Stars: Betty Hutton, Ralph Meeker, Robert Keith

Drama | Music

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6/10 X

In New Orleans, prizefighter Socks Barbarrosa suddenly runs out of the ring before his title bout, and swears he'll never fight again. He gives no reason for his strange actions. His girl ... See full summary »

Director: Raoul Walsh

Stars: Ralph Meeker, Leslie Caron, Kurt Kasznar

Edit

Cast

Credited cast:
	Bette Davis	...	Herself - Honoree
	Olivia de Havilland	...	Herself
	Peter Falk	...	Himself
	Mia Farrow	...	Herself
	Geraldine Fitzgerald	...	Herself
	Henry Fonda	...	Himself
	Jane Fonda	...	Herself - Host
	Lee Grant	...	Herself
	Lillian Hellman	...	Herself - Audience Member
	Paul Henreid	...	Himself
	Celeste Holm	...	Herself
	Joseph L. Mankiewicz	...	Himself
	Martin Manulis	...	Himself
	Liza Minnelli	...	Herself
	George Stevens Jr.	...	Himself

See full cast »

View production, box office, & company info

Edit

Storyline

On March 1, 1977, Bette Davis became the first woman recipient of the prestigious Life Achievement Award from the American Film Institute. Host Jane Fonda reminded Bette that it was her birth that made it necessary for Bette to recite her lines to a stand-in rather than to Henry Fonda in "Jezebel;" and Olivia de Havilland good-naturedly complained that Bette "got all the roles I always wanted." Also on hand were mentor-director William Wyler, Mia Farrow, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Henry Fonda, Lee Grant, Paul Henreid, Celeste Holm, Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Martin Manulis, Liza Minnelli, George Stevens Jr., Cicely Tyson, Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood. Film clips included "Of Human Bondage," "Dangerous," "Jezebel," "Dark Victory," "The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex," "The Letter," "The Little Foxes," "Now, Voyager," "Mr. Skeffington," "Beyond the Forest," "All About Eve," and "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" Written by alfiehitchie

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

tribute | lifetime achievement award | awards show | tv special | See All (4) »

Genres:

Documentary

Parents Guide:

Add content advisory for parents »

Edit

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 March 1977 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

The AFI Salute to Bette Davis See more »

Company Credits

Production Co:

American Film Institute (AFI) See more »

Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

See full technical specs »

Edit

Did You Know?

Trivia

Bette Davis thanked George Arliss, Jack L. Warner, Hal B. Wallis and William Wyler as being the most responsible for her successful career. See more »

Quotes

Bette Davis: [Concluding her acceptance speech to the audience] I'd like to kiss yuh, but I just washed my hair.
See more »

Connections

Features Dark Victory (1939) See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.

User Reviews

Entertaining evening with Bette and admirers...

21 October 2007 | by Doylenf – See all my reviews

It's always interesting to see a well-deserved tribute to one of Hollywood's busiest actresses during the Golden Age, and especially when so many of her friends and co-stars were still living and able to attend such a ceremony.

The AFI's salute to BETTE DAVIS was a star-studded event, including brief talks from such luminaries as GERALDINE FITZGERALD, PAUL HENRIED, ROBERT WAGNER, NATALIE WOOD, OLIVIA DE HAVILLAND, WILLIAM WYLER and others.

I read afterwards that NATLIE WOOD was annoyed that Olivia brought up the fact that she too had won two Oscars while talking about Bette--as if she was taking some of the spotlight away from Bette's success. I do recall de Havilland saying something like: "I always wanted the career that Bette had." But since she and Bette Davis remained good friends, I don't think Olivia was trying to upstage Bette at all.

All in all, a fun evening--especially for fans of Bette Davis and the Golden Age of movies.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? | Report this

Review this title | See all 2 user reviews »

Getting Started | Contributor Zone »