Product Details

• Actors: Bette Davis, George Brent, Mary Astor, Lucille Watson, Hattie McDaniel
• Directors: Edmund Goulding
• Format: Black & White, NTSC
• Subtitles: English, French
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• Run Time: 107 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B001709O9A
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #53,777 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

AN AUTHENTIC REGION 1 DVD FROM WARNER BROTHERS. SYNOPSIS: Tempestuous, ambitious concert pianist Sandra Kovac (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 actually Sandra's son -- and the son of the heroic aviator (George Brent) that 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 stellar performance opposite the legendary star who always gives a tour-de-force performance. This story of a great passion, a great sacrifice... and a great lie showcases two great actresses. BONUS FEATURES: * Warner Night at the Movies 1941 Short Subjects Gallery: o Vintage newsreel o Broadway Brevities short At the Stroke of Twelve o Oscar-nominated Technicolor Sports Parade short Kings of the Turf o Hollywood Novelty short Polo with the Stars o Classic cartoon Porky's Pooch o Trailers of The Great Lie and 1941's The Strawberry Blonde

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Classic 1940's Bette Davis. Nuff said, November 25, 2008

By 

Joseph P. Menta, Jr. (Philadelphia, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Great Lie (DVD)

Bette Davis, Mary Astor, a love triangle, a child born out of wedlock, lots of great production values... what's not to be engrossed about? And I'm saying this as a guy who's really not the primary audience for this quintessential "women's picture".

"The Great Lie" on DVD features a sharp picture and good sound, and a variety of extra features. The bonus materials are not so much "behind the scenes" pieces about the main feature, but rather short subjects that movie-goers may have been exposed to if they went to see "The Great Lie" in theaters back in 1941. All were interesting in varying degrees except for the newsreel footage of a banquet of some kind, which featured no sound. One wonders why they included it here.

In any event, pick up this DVD for the good story and powerful character interaction between Ms. Davis and Ms. Astor during the movie itself. Everything else is just a minor bonus.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars lively melodrama with Astor a fine co-star to Davis, September 12, 2008

By 

Michael J. Brooks - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Great Lie (DVD)

The Great Lie is a slick, classic "women's picture" which Warners were very much the specialists at by the early 40's.

Mary Astor is the perfect self indulgent, spoiled, and tempestuous concert pianist opposite Davis' more subdued character. The scenes between her and Davis are most enjoyable with fur flying exquisitely in certain scenes. Nice to see an artist with the talent and versatitlity to match Davis. Very much a Davis picture with Brent who is cast perfectly opposite Davis. He was a very versatile leading man at Warners opposite strong leading ladies such as Davis - they appeared many times together.

This film was produced at the height of Davis' powers and the handsome production values and sets show this. Topped off by another of Max Steiner's rich scores that make this unmistakably a Warners top production.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bette Davis and George Brent- It doesn't get any better!, July 20, 2008

By 

Rita Reader "Lea" - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Great Lie (DVD)

This is one of my favorite classic movies. I watch it over and over, and I never get tired of the story. Mary Astor certainly deserved her Oscar nod for this! Some of the best scenes are of these two formidable ladies and how they cat fight it out. Bette is awesome and you really see why she is such an acting talent. George Brent is great too, but the ladies fold the movie up and put it in their pocket. You won't regret buying this one. It's a keeper!