Only crusty old Charles Coburn proves anything like a match for Bette Davis (both in the story and the acting department) as she rampages over the rest of the cast in this lurid melodrama about a self-willed hussy who ruins everyone's life including her own. Still, it's understandable that Bette and Olivia de Havilland are so ratty as warring sisters when their father has given them names like Stanley and Roy. 'There's a demon within Bette,' observed director John Huston afterwards, 'and I let the demon go on this one.' He also had the cast of his previous film The Maltese Falcon, step into a bar scene for cameos - then decided it was too intrusive and cut them out again. Over-acting like this from Davis is compellingly watchable: you long to see her despatched well before the last reel.


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