Dangerous

Davis received what she thought of as a "consolation Oscar" for this, belated recognition for her work the year before in Of Human Bondage. That was a better movie, but I think her performance was better here. Pauline Kael called her "an eerie stimulant" and wrote, "terrible as Dangerous is, she hypes it with an intensity that frequently makes you sit up and stare." And--my favorite--"[her husband is] such a crawly masochist that she seems to have done him a favor by mutilating him."

Bette Davis wins her first Oscar! A slightly more human version of her role in Of Human Bondage (1934). A dangerous woman who sucks you in and destroys the people because she's unable to control herself. Wouldn't say the actual story was that strong, but it IS Bette Davis' interpretation of her part which makes it great. Full of emotion and ignorance as to why bad things happen to her. You believe her that she doesn't want anyone any misery, but naturally she attracts scandal like no other.

Bette Davis mitigates the film's misogyny through the sheer force of her performance. There are moments, especially when she is telling some lunkhead off, where she takes over the movie and all the director has to do is capture those flashing eyes.