The Whales of August (VHS)

Bette Davis gives the performance of her lifetime without the use of her famous eyes! With white hair streaming beautifully all the way down her back & the ever so sweet Lillian Gish at her side playing her devout sister (Sarah), with whom she's always lived, Davis (Libby) has never better used her famous voice expressions to covey herself.

In real life, Davis is dying of cancer during the filming of this, her last major leading role. (Although, "Wicked Stepmother" is officiously Davis' last motion picture, Davis did it for a very different reason & her performance in it is intentionally camp).

For an hour & 31 minutes, Davis & Gish (primarily) converse with each other as very different sisters who do manage to get along lovingly well, regardless. Gish is the sweet sister; Davis is the elder one, perhaps more distant to remain wiser & more difficult a lady with whom to socialize. Nevertheless, both sisters are in every respect of the word, 'ladies'.

They are living in their childhood retreat home on the coast of Maine, in August. Three other characters appear, with Ann Southern playing more than a bit role as Sarah's (Gish's) best friend. Vincent Price is a courtly Russian of royal ancestry who'd been living with a neighbor woman who suddenly & recently died. Appearing far younger than 78yo., he fishes at the shore where the widowed sisters reside. Then, there's the comic relief in Sarah & Libby's clutz of a handyman, who Libby (Davis) exclaims: 'He's the loudest man god ever made'.

Davis & Gish paired together in the last stage of Davis' life is casting brilliance. No one better than Gish could have performed beside Davis in such a way that allowed us to have one last glimpse of who Davis, as an actor, really was; how she made a 60+ year career from more than her eyes or voice: Davis deliberately took roles playing the most difficult women; women who are immortalized on film as fiercely independent, outspoken & strong-willed, well before it was socially acceptable.

See this fine motion picture & try, at the end, not to weep being fully aware that it is the last time either of us will ever have the chance to see Bette Davis portray another of her true-to-real-life characters.

There's no doubt at all in this critiquer's mind that Davis was working through a great deal of pain & physical suffering to send one last love letter: to us, her audience.

I love this movie every time I watch it - Lillian Gish, Bette Davis, Ann Sothern, Vincent Price, and Ann Sothern's daughter, Tisha Sterling - as a young "trisha" -which is Ann Sotherns character. This movie seems to be carefully orchestrated, with no little point being chance.

The scenery itself is breathtaking, as well as the fantastic performances from each member.

Also inspirational, Lillian Gish was very old when she starred in this, this was many years after Bette Davis suffered a major stroke on her series "hotel" - and Ann Sothern had severe back trauma after a set fell on her during a live performance at a dinner club. Vincent Price was great, in a non-horror role - which I don't think I had ever seen him in.

Ann was nominated for an award - and I feel she should have won - for her performance.