Dark Victory

film by Goulding [1939]

Written by Lee Pfeiffer

Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Article History

Dark Victory, American dramatic film, released in 1939, that was notable for Bette Davis’s performance as a young woman coming to terms with her impending death.

Davis portrayed Judith Traherne, a spirited heiress suffering from a malignant brain tumour. Traherne undergoes surgery, but Dr. Frederick Steele (played by George Brent) is unable to completely remove the tumour. Rather than deliver the grim diagnosis, he tells her that the surgery was a success, and the two begin a romantic relationship. When Traherne discovers the truth about her condition, she makes a series of momentous and questionable decisions, including ending her engagement to Steele. However, she eventually realizes she is happiest with Steele, and they marry shortly before her death.

Dark Victory was based on a Broadway play that featured Tallulah Bankhead in the lead role. Although somewhat dated, the film continues to have emotional resonance, largely because of Davis’s strong performance. Dark Victory also featured Humphrey Bogart as a horse trainer and Ronald Reagan as a playboy pursuing Traherne.