Product Details

• Actors: Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, George Brent, Dennis Morgan, Charles Coburn
• Directors: John Huston
• 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: 97 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00170DEAA
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #40,797 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

AN AUTHENTIC REGION 1 DVD FROM WARNER BROTHERS. SYNOPSIS: What Stanley Timberlake wants, she takes. So, on the eve of her marriage to another, she runs off with her sister's husband, the first of many betrayals that lead to disaster... and to a compulsively watchable brew of deceit, racial bigotry, latent incest and violent death. Two-time Best Actress Oscar winners and lifelong friends Bette Davis and Olivia de Havilland square off as sisters (guess who's the bad one) in In This Our Life, a must-see for fans of melodrama at its juiciest. Director John Huston, fresh from his The Maltese Falcon success, includes a cameo role for his father Walter, just as he did in Falcon. And Max Steiner's powerful music underscores the film's driving emotional force. BONUS FEATURES: * Commentary by film historian Jeannine Basinger * Warner Night at the Movies 1942 short subjects gallery: o Vintage newsreel o Technicolor patriotic short March On, America! o Technicolor musical short Spanish Fiesta * Classic cartoon Who's Who in the Zoo * Trailers of In This Our Life and 1942's Desperate Journey

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BETTE DAVIS AT HER MOST WICKED...ROTTEN TO THE CORE, November 6, 2001

By 

Lawyeraau (Balmoral Castle) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: In This Our Life [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This is a story about two sisters, Stanley and Roy, who live with their invalid mother, Lavinia, and their downtrodden father, Asa Timberlake. Roy is married, and her hunky husband, Peter Kingsmill, a surgeon, lives with his wife and in laws, as well. Theirs is an unenviable position. Stanley is dating an attorney, Craig Fleming, and they are expected to marry. Stanley's biggest admirer is her maternal uncle, who never hesitates to give her lavish gifts and is very touchie feelie with her.

Stanley and Roy are total opposites. Stanley is spoiled, self absorbed, and totally amoral. She wants what she wants, when she wants it. Roy is sincere, low key, and just plain generous of spirit, an all around good, thoughtful person. Stanley sets her sights on Roy's hunky husband and before you know it, she and Peter have run off together, leaving the family to pick up the pieces. Her suitor, Craig, becomes totally despondent over being dumped by Stanley.

Roy divorces Peter. Peter marries Stanley. Before you know it, Stanley, being Stanley, has driven Peter to drink, In the meantime, back home, Roy and Craig have hit it off and start dating, bringing Craig back from the edge of despair. They are a well suited pair, who ultimately decide to marry. No sooner do they come to this decision, than they hear that Peter has died by his own hand. Stanley returns to the bosom of her family and sets her sights back on Craig, except that Craig will have none of it.

After trying to drink her sorrows away one night, Stanley gets behind the wheel of a car. While driving, she runs over a mother and child. When the police arrive on her doorstep, instead of owning up to the crime, she blames Parry, the intelligent, hardworking, and totally innocent son of the family's African-American maid. Parry is arrested and in profound despair, though he protests his innocence. Roy finally catches on that Stanley is lying, as does Craig, and a showdown is had. Just when you thought Stanley could not be any worse, she shows her entire family just what a slime she really is.

Bette Davis is sensational as Stanley Timberlake and at her wicked, over the top, best. The makeup artist even gave her a kind of new look, as she is heavily made up with truly bee stung lips. She is absolutely smashing in her portrayal of the amoral Stanley, the woman the viewer loves to hate. Olivia DeHavilland plays true to form as Roy, the good sister. Her portrayal Roy is reminiscent of her role as Melanie Wilkes in "Gone with the Wind". Billie Burke is marvelous as the emasculating, harpy, invalid mother. Frank Craven is credible as the patient and weary father. Charles Coburn is terrific as the uncle who spoils Stanley and seems to want more than a niece/uncle relationship with her. Dennis Morgan plays the errant and handsome surgeon to perfection, while George Brent is tailor made for the role of Stanley's long suffering suitor, who ultimately finds happiness with Roy. Ernest Anderson, as the young black man, and Hattie McDaniel, as his mother, are terrific. There is not one bad performance in the bunch.

Moreover, the film does something unprecedented for its time. It is one of the few films of the era in which an African American male is not portrayed as some sort of Stepin Fetchit character. It is a wonderful melodrama that will keep the viewer riveted to the screen. Fans of Bette Davis and classic movie lovers will really enjoy this film.

25 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Some Fascinating Themes, May 10, 2002

By 

James L. - See all my reviews

This review is from: In This Our Life [VHS] (VHS Tape)

A woman steals her sister's husband, drives him to his ruin, divides her family, and nearly destroys the life of a young man in a film directed surprisingly by John Huston. Bette Davis, at her most unsubtle, is the selfish Stanley, a woman bent on having fun and getting what she wants at the expense of all around her. Olivia de Havilland is her level-headed sister Roy, who loses the most at the hands of her sister. George Brent and Dennis Morgan are the men in their lives, although neither actor makes a particularly strong impression. The supporting cast of welcome character actors like Charles Coburn, Billie Burke, Lee Patrick, and Hattie McDaniel contribute their usual expert performances. But it's hard to get noticed in a film where Davis cuts loose even more than usual, her famous eyes afire as she plays the bad girl to the hilt and then some, in an endless state of agitation and drama. However, give credit to de Havilland, underplaying her character and keeping the film rooted, matching her co-star with a strong performance that displays her skill, especially when she is simply reacting to her sister's devious nature. The film is very melodramatic, and some of the dialogue is pretty stilted. But it's never boring. What's also fascinating is the portrayal of the family's maid's son, a young black man helped by de Havilland who wants to be a lawyer. He's presented as intelligent, ambitious, and very decent. He must have been one of the first positive black characters to be featured in a major film and it's great to see it. Equally fascinating is the almost incestuous relationship between Davis and her uncle Coburn. Not much is done to hide the sexual overtones in Coburn's doting. In This Our Life is a memorable melodrama aided by the performances of its lead actresses and its unusual themes.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A classic, September 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: In This Our Life [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I know most people don't even know this movie exists, but to me its one of the oldies but goodies and I love it. I think it is way ahead of its time as it touches on many topics still relevant today - drunk driving, incest and racism. Maybe that's why audiences stayed away! In any event, Bette was never so hateful! You will love this movie!

P.S. Its not a chick flick either!