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PLOT SUMMARY: Tempestuous, ambitious, concert pianist Sandra Kova (Mary Astor) shares a bond with down-to-earth Maggie Van Allen (Bette Davis) and her little boy Pete. Sandra's chic New York friends can't imagine what the two women have in common. What they don't know is that Pete is Sandra's son - and the son of the heroic aviator (George Brent) both women love. Powerful emotions rage against a backdrop of powerful music in the film that earned Astor a 1941 Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her tour-de-force performance opposite the legendary star who always gives a tour-de-force performance. Join two great actresses for the story of a great passion. a great sacrifice... and a great lie.
ABOUT THE DVD: This is a release for the UK market (Region 2 PAL format) by WARNER HOME VIDEO. The film is presented in FULL SCREEN and in BLACK & WHITE and runs for a total of 103 minutes. The AUDIO is the original ENGLISH language (with GERMAN and SPANISH dubbed audiotracks on the DVD too). SUBTITLES are available in ENGLISH, GERMAN or SPANISH - SPECIAL FEATURES include the film's original theatrical trailer (and the trailer of "The Strawberry Blonde") along with Vintage Newreel and "Warner Night at the Moves 1941" shorts 'At The Stroke Of Twelve', 'Polo With The Stars' and the classic cartoon 'Porky's Pooch'
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Pete (George Brent) gets married to concert pianist Sandra (Mary Astor) but their union isn't legal so he re-arranges another wedding date. However, Sandra already has commitments on that day which, quite rightly, she fulfils. I'm not sure why Pete has a problem with this but he does and off he goes to marry previous lover Maggie (Bette Davis) instead. The script then throws us by killing off Pete. However, Sandra has become pregnant by him and Maggie proposes a deal which becomes the Great Lie. Maggie will keep the child as her own while securing Sandra financially and no-one outside these two women should know anything of the deal. Well, guess what ?...Pete is not really dead and returns to Maggie where he assumes that she is the mother of his son. At this moment, Sandra appears back on the scene.....
The story is complete tosh. No way would a normal woman want to bring up a child that is not only not her own, but also belongs to her main love rival. It would be far more realistic to see her murder the baby. On the flip side, no way would a mother give up her baby to her main love rival - she'd abort or put it up for adoption rather than hand it to someone that she hates. The story of the Great Lie is ludicrous. But it doesn't matter coz it makes for great watching. And this is down to the two women Bette Davis and Mary Astor. Their sparring is very entertaining and continues throughout the whole film. Mary Astor takes the usual Bette Davis role and has great fun with the cutting one-liners. Her piano playing scenes at her concerts are a bit suspect but she manages to make what could be a very irritating bitchy character completely watchable and will have you thinking "oh good, she's back!" instead of "Oh no, not that annoying woman again".
The black cast at Maggie's home are completely annoying but they do sing a nice song on Pete and Maggie's wedding night. It's followed by a boy singing a crappy song but thankfully, they cut that one short. Despite the stupid storyline, the film is very watchable, especially whenever Davis and Astor have scenes together, and I anticipated a different ending - eg, Davis has no option but to kill Astor and thus preserve the Great Lie. Well, that's not what happens!
The story is complete tosh. No way would a normal woman want to bring up a child that is not only not her own, but also belongs to her main love rival. It would be far more realistic to see her murder the baby. On the flip side, no way would a mother give up her baby to her main love rival - she'd abort or put it up for adoption rather than hand it to someone that she hates. The story of the Great Lie is ludicrous. But it doesn't matter coz it makes for great watching. And this is down to the two women Bette Davis and Mary Astor. Their sparring is very entertaining and continues throughout the whole film. Mary Astor takes the usual Bette Davis role and has great fun with the cutting one-liners. Her piano playing scenes at her concerts are a bit suspect but she manages to make what could be a very irritating bitchy character completely watchable and will have you thinking "oh good, she's back!" instead of "Oh no, not that annoying woman again".
The black cast at Maggie's home are completely annoying but they do sing a nice song on Pete and Maggie's wedding night. It's followed by a boy singing a crappy song but thankfully, they cut that one short. Despite the stupid storyline, the film is very watchable, especially whenever Davis and Astor have scenes together, and I anticipated a different ending - eg, Davis has no option but to kill Astor and thus preserve the Great Lie. Well, that's not what happens!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
In recent weeks I have seen a great many Bette Davis films as I work my way through her back catalogue. The standard has been exceptionally high and even the average films have had great performances from Davis, if no one else. `The Great Lie', is the only film so far that I did not enjoy. The ingredients are present; Davis, Mary Astor as her spiky adversary and a storyline about lost loves and child adoption. This set up is not too dissimilar from `The Old Maid' one of Davis' fantastic hidden gems. However, the film falls flat.
One major issue is actor George Brent, who plays Pete, a man who both Maggie (Davis) and Sandra (Astor) love. For the first half of the film he is a drunk and a womaniser, it is not until later events that we grow to like him, but by this point I had lost all sympathy with his plight. Why would Maggie be so hung up about a man who would take advantage of another woman? The first act is all about the love triangle between the three and it just drags on and is dull. Even the slightly likable Maggie is not that engaging, whilst Pete and Sandra are just unpleasant. Towards the end Mary Astor comes into her role as she can produce some venom, but it is far too late to make the film enjoyable. Poor pacing makes this a Davis' film to avoid - and I don't say that often.
One major issue is actor George Brent, who plays Pete, a man who both Maggie (Davis) and Sandra (Astor) love. For the first half of the film he is a drunk and a womaniser, it is not until later events that we grow to like him, but by this point I had lost all sympathy with his plight. Why would Maggie be so hung up about a man who would take advantage of another woman? The first act is all about the love triangle between the three and it just drags on and is dull. Even the slightly likable Maggie is not that engaging, whilst Pete and Sandra are just unpleasant. Towards the end Mary Astor comes into her role as she can produce some venom, but it is far too late to make the film enjoyable. Poor pacing makes this a Davis' film to avoid - and I don't say that often.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
As usual, a sterling performance from Bette Davis, and from the rest of the cast in this moving story, well worth seeing. It has been many years since I first saw this film, it was a pleasure to remake its acquaintance.
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