It may sound melodramatic, but there really is no way to overstate the effectBette Davishad on Hollywood. Still consideredone of the greatest actressesof all time, Davis was a true trailblazer. Known for her no-nonsense attitude and fierce work ethic, she legendary challenged the idea of what a woman in film could be,created a whole subgenre of films, andchallenged her superiors at Warner Bros. to craft the tantalizing career for which she is so fondly remembered. Out of all the fantastic and groundbreaking battles she fought, though, one of her most impressive is often lost among the decades of stories she left behind. Underthe strict studio contract system, Davis boldly fought the likes of Jack Warner and the studio’s legal team in a scandalous court case that changed the trajectory of her career for the better.
Bette Davis Fought for Better Roles Early in Her Career
In an age of glamour and “well-behaved women,” Davis proudly fought stereotypes from the moment she arrived in the world. According toVanity Fair, a bolt of lightning hit the tree outside of her childhood home the moment she was born, and it’s the perfect way to summarizeher illustrious career.When she arrived in Hollywood to begin work at Universal, she was often shunned by studio executiveswho, despite her unique beauty, constantly put her down for not looking like the ideal Hollywood woman. She was let go from Universal shortly after beginning work, before being picked up by Warner Bros. Famously, the studio struggled to find her type, casting her in films she despised for their poor quality. As stated in the documentary,Bette Davis: Basically a Benevolent Volcano, she fought Jack Warner to loan her out for her breakout role as Mildred inOf Human Bondage, a film Davis always credited for jump-starting her career.
Bette Davis Almost Passed on the Greatest Role of Her Career — The Reason Why Is Wild
Try to imagine anyone else playing Margo Channing. We’ll wait.
The movie wasan unexpected hit, and Davis became an in-demand star for Warner Bros. She quickly became a huge box office draw for the studio, which led to her being cast in more and more roles. However, not every picture was a winner creatively, in the actress’ opinion. She continually found herself cast in movies with unimpressive scripts and helmed by directors who didn’t meet her high standards.Though she won her first Oscar for the filmDangerous, the film itself was not considered worthy of Davis’ talents, and many other pictures that followed felt more and more hollow. Fed up, Davis even passed on the opportunity to playScarlett O’Hara inGone with the Windto daringly take control of her own destiny.
Bette Davis Breached Her Contract with Warner Bros.
Likethe great charactersshe often played, Davis was never afraid of creating controversy. Fed up with the roles she was being forced to play,Davis announced she was going to England to make movies abroad. This, of course, breached her contract with Warner Bros. Warner, of course, was not happy about this, and took the actress to court. In a landmark case, Davis proudly challenged Warner throughout the proceedings. AsLoyola Marymount Universityrecalls, a studio could enforce an extension of an actor’s contract, which, in the case of Davis and many others, was about seven years. Studios had the right to suspend actors, which could ultimately double an actor’s contract in many cases. In the decades beforethe studio system crumbled, Davis sought to fight the practice in court, saying that “her studio contract should not be enforced on several grounds, including that the suspension/extension clauses were inequitable,” per Loyola Marymount. The court didn’t agree with the actress and ordered her to return to work for Warner. However, Davis ended upaccomplishing her ultimate goal.
Davis Experienced a Career Renaissance Following the Case
In Davis’ own words, “I lost the battle, but I won the war.”Though she was forced to return to Warner Bros., she was immediately welcomed home with better roles. In fact, nearlyall of Davis’ classic filmswere a result of her battle with the case. Herrole as Julie inJezebelsoon followed the case and earned Davis her second Oscar. Her determination helped Davis get the passion project,Dark Victory,made as well. Still considered one of her best films, it was one of the first collaborations between the actress andone of her best screen partners,Humphrey Bogart. Other smash hits such asThe Little Foxesand the iconicNow, Voyagerwere also a part of this era, and helped Davis truly become queen of the Warner lot. All things considered, the court case was not only bold, but it was also brilliantly calculated. Davis could have easily disappeared after losing the case, but instead, she reached heights that otherwise never would have happened. While her longtime friend,Olivia de Havilland, would fight the same battle and win decades later, Davis truly set the stage for change in Hollywood.
Dark Victory
