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| The Great Lie | 
 enlarge | Director: Edmund Goulding
Studio: Warner Home Video
Category: DVD
Buy New: $29.91
New (1) Used (1) from $29.91
Avg. Customer Rating:  5 reviews
Sales Rank: 42355
Format: Black & White, Ntsc
Languages: English (Unknown), English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 107
UPC: 085391203117
EAN: 0085391203117
ASIN: B001709O9A
Theatrical Release Date: 1941
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
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 Porkys Pooch o Trailers of The Great Lie and 1941s The Strawberry Blonde
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| Customer Reviews:
Classic 1940's Bette Davis. Nuff said November 25, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
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.
 lively melodrama with Astor a fine co-star to Davis September 12, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
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.
Bette Davis and George Brent- It doesn't get any better! July 21, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
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!
 Nothing "Great" about it... July 20, 2008
0 out of 3 found this review helpful
Why MUST B.D. always be trying to recreate "Gone With the Wind"...complete with herself as the genteel, jodphur-wearing, "madcap", julip drinking belle with a huge plantation house and, unfortunately, "darkies" on de lawn. How sad that many of us grew up with this sort of prejudice and patronizing attitude fostered by the film industry. Hattie MacDaniel, in her usual "Mammy" role, was never given a chance to cast a larger screen-shadow. But I digress.
B.D. was beautiful in this movie, and her acting was good. Mary Astor was a worthy opponent. Brent was smarmy and unbelievable...what did the two ladies see in him anyhow...maybe it was his slicked-back hair? The baby was fine. But the the truth is...The Great Lie just isn't.
 Dumb soap opera in comprehensive package June 20, 2008
0 out of 3 found this review helpful
"The Great Lie" is a second rate Bette Davis vehicle released in 1941 when she was at the height of her career. The merits of the film include:
- a charming performance by a natural Davis with a particularly warm and convincing relationship with leading man George Brent with whom Davis had great personal rapport
- a vibrant Oscar winning performance from a striking Mary Astor as Davis's rival
- great production values, with lush photography, sets and musical score.
The drawback, however, which almost sinks the film, is the sappy story which Davis and Astor tried to spice up with their own intervention on the script. The story simply is not worthy of the superlative treatment it is given.
The DVD contains an excellent print and a comprehensive set of dull extras from the Warner Brothers vaults. The newsreel, minus soundtrack, shows candid shots of famous people at Ciro's, a popular LA nightclub. It is fairly dumb. There is a short film based on a Damon Runyan story, a neat little thriller about a thug reformed by an elderly lady. There are 2 more, one about polo, the other about horse racing. Warner's were masters at recycling their product and "Polo with the Stars" combines documentary with excerpts from "The Little Giant" starring Edward G Robinson and "Polo Joe" starring Joe E Brown. The cartoon is amusing as Porky Pig is bombarded by a dog looking for a home. Two trailers are included - for "The Great Lie" itself which clearly aims the film at the women in the audience and "Strawberry Blonde" a rollicking Jimmy Cagney nostalgia fest from the same year.
The whole package is certainly comprehensive even if most of it is second rate. Therefore the DVD is good value but better if purchased as part of the Bette Davis Collection Volume 3.
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