Phone Call From a Stranger (VHS)

The lives of 4 passengers, who randomly meet before a flight to Los Angeles, become eternally braided. Nunnally Johnson & co-writer, I.A.R. Wylie come dangerously close to using the story from Thornton Wilder's (1927) novel, "The Bridge of San Luis Rey," without acknowleging it.

Before their flight is delayed by weather, 4 travelers commune in the airport's cafe. Playing the lead role is Bette Davis' 4th (& last) husband, Gary Merrill. He's David Trask, a lawyer who's just left his adulterous wife immediately after she confesses to him that her affair is over. He's the serious & ethical guy in the movie compared to the other 3.

One's Dr. Robert Fortness (Michael Rennie), a physician who's hiding something horrible. The second is Binky Gay (Shelley Winters). She's a stripper with a attractive-to-men charm who lusts after having good times. A fun 'girl', they'd say about such a woman. The third is an obnoxious prankster, "Good Time" Eddie Hoke (Keenan Wynn). He's a traveling salesman for a novelty company.

The chemistry between the four mixes swell enough that they decide to stay inh touch with each other. So, they exchange contact information. The more time they spend together, the more they reveal of themselves to each other. For instance, because of the trouble the physician is in, he hires Trask to be his attorney & thus, confides his secret to Trask.

Binky is an armchair psychoanalyst by default. Since she's had men's drunken hearts poured out to her, in her profession, Binky's got a knack for doing personality analyses. She does this with the group of men & they learn that she's more than a "bimbo."

The never serious Good-timing Eddie whips out a wallet photo of his wife & passes it around. To everyone's astonishment she's a raving beauty with whom he's madly in love.

By now you might say, 'hey, it's 1952, Bette Davis has made it to the big time, where is she in this film?' I was thinking the same thing until she appeared. Believe me, without giving away the best parts of the story, she makes her 'entrance' right on time. Davis (predictably) steals the show in a supporting role, with her real-life husband playing the lead to her brief but key appearance.

Don't go away because the last scene with obnoxious Eddie's wife delivers the main point of the motion picture. It is such a surprise ending that it provides a feeling of being astounded because as the audience we're left questioning what really matters in our own lives? Which of our precious values is worth compromising & for whom?

After all is said & done in this high drama movie, then the viewer knows they've just been drawn cleverly into a morals play.

I'll warn you though, throughout I'd be surprised if you didn't wonder over & again, 'what the heck is this all about?' 'What is going to hold all of these loose pieces together?' I'd also be extremely surprised if the word obnoxious, when it came to characterizing Good Time Eddie, wasn't one of those absolute suitably good fits.

Like everything else that Bette Davis --chose herself-- to perform in, she had extra good reasons that had so much to do with her own set of values. In this movie, Davis' message is soft spoken, but quite clear.