MR. SKEFFINGTON (1944)
NOVEMBER 10

Mr. Skeffington is an atypical film for me to recommend. Whether I'm a romantic or not is a question better presented to the women I've known (though allow me to alleviate your suspense--their answer would be a unanimous and resounding--"No!").

But I do have a heart, so I can say that unless you're Jack Haley in The Wizard of Oz you're going to be moved by Claude Rains as Job Skeffington. He's a Wall Street stockbroker shortly before World War I who falls hard for Fanny--that's Bette Davis. She agrees to marry him. He ought to be deliriously happy, except she doesn't love him, or respect him. Truth is, the jury is out on whether she even likes him or their daughter.

Also, she cheats on him. But only with everybody. Other than that --they're like Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward.

Both Davis and Rains earned Oscar® nominations-- Davis for Best Actress, Rains for Best Supporting Actor, even though he plays the title role. Davis is consistently loathsome throughout. New York Times critic Bosley Crowther found the character contemptible, calling Fanny "shallow and unsubstantial." In a sense, he's right. Sure, the character lacks depth, but Davis makes her splendidly hateable. Yet we still root for her to find some modicum of humanity.

And Claude Rains is the reason why, bringing exactly the right blend of nobility, loyalty and, most importantly, human frailty to Job Skeffington. This is a flawed man, not one suffering silently through Davis' narcissistic dalliances.

But Crowther wanted more from Skeffington than counterpunching infidelity. He wanted literal punching. "It is hard to conceive," he wrote, "why he never gives his wife a light clip on the jaw." Perhaps because that would be domestic violence. Even in 1944.

by Ben Mankiewicz