Victory Over Tyrannical Directing
Even a minor role can carry great weight, and it’s clear that Reagan understood that.
When Edmund Goulding’s film, “Dark Victory” came out in 1939, it wasn’t clear how it would be received. Many had trepidations, including studio head, Jack Warner. After all, who would want to see a movie about a young socialite’s struggle with brain cancer, or watch her slow descent toward death? Surprisingly, the film did well, mostly because of Goulding’s choice to turn the film into heavy melodrama and a tearjerker, and because of Bette Davis’ performance as Judy Traherne, the wealthy socialite diagnosed with malignant glioma.
Judy is painfully aware of her constant headaches as well as her blurry and double vision. Her best friend, Ann, knows something is awfully wrong, yet Judy continues to deny reality. She makes light of the alleged illness and would rather continue partying with Ann and her other friends, including Alec Hamm (Ronald Reagan). There is an implied romance between Judy and Alec, but their superficial life prevents them from making a proper commitment to each other. Alec appears to be one of those men interested only in hedonism, no matter what form it takes, and no matter who’s included.
Life changes drastically when Judy sees Dr. Frederick Steele (George Brent), who informs her the situation is dire. She has no choice but to listen, and he performs surgery on Judy. The surgery is a success but only Steele (and later, Ann and Alec) knows that the glioma will return. Judy will have a good life for a little while until one day, darkness will fall over her, she will begin to lose her eyesight, and then die.
Judy is mostly blissfully unaware of this fact and decides to marry Steele, move to Vermont, and live happily ever after. She may be completely happy but she’s certainly not stupid. Eventually, the knowledge of the disease and the disease itself catch up with her once again. She tries to give one last slice of happiness and love to Steele, and dies alone.
“Dark Victory” was a major motion picture from a major studio, and it carried with it certain caché. At this point, young Ronald Reagan had been in the movie business for two years (his first film being 1937’s “Love is On the Air”), and this was a major opportunity for him. By all indications, making “Dark Victory” should have been a great triumph for Reagan. Jack Warner was very supportive of Reagan and his talent. Yet, just like with any other actor, talent can only be made visible if it isn’t suppressed by a bad script or a director unwilling to bring it out. Unfortunately, Edmund Goulding’s intentions for Reagan’s character did not serve Reagan well at all.