This expertly-produced type of 'woman's picture' was part of Hollywood's steady diet in the 1940s. Bette Davis starred in many of them, often taking on other top actresses like Miriam Hopkins in the acting stakes. Here the only surprise is that Davis plays the good girl and pretty Mary Astor the bad. Astor also shocked Davis by beating her to the Oscar in this heady melodramatic brew, small gratitude for Davis having had Astor's role enlarged so that the clashes between the two would be more memorable. Astor, an expert pianist, did much of her own playing for the film, including much of the Tchaikovsky piano concerto.

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