Humphrey Bogart and Bette Davis Delivered a 100% Rotten Tomatoes-Rated Hitchcockian Noir Many Film Fans Probably Missed
Bette Davis' first role after her landmark court case gave her the strong material she craved in Marked Woman.
One of the most iconic faces from the Golden Age of Hollywood went to the British courts over a broken contract in 1937. Desperate to escape the confines of a restrictive deal she felt was keeping her playing the same, unchallenging roles, Bette Davisviolated her exclusivity clause with Warner Bros. Pictures. She signed onto not one, but two projects with a different studio. After securing an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress following her performance as Mildred Rogers in Of Human Bondage, but failing to take home the win, Davis felt the quality of her roles declined. Ultimately, Davis lost her lawsuit and remained under contract with Warner Bros. One would never know, though, as the first role she was given upon resuming her work with the company was the indomitable Mary Dwight, or Mary Strauber, in Lloyd Bacon’s 1937 Marked Woman. The standout performance among a star-studded cast, Davis imbues Mary with all the heart and grit necessary to shine in this dark crime noir.
