Movie name
Anybody know why this movies is called Mr. Skeffington instead of Mrs. Skeffington? Mrs. seems much more appropriate than Mr.
shareIt is based on the book Mr. Skeffington
shareBasically, though the movie appears to be "all about Mrs. Skeffington, in the end, we understand it was never about her at all. The moral of the story is that it is indeed a story of what real love means and that is personified in the character of Mr. Skeffington's quote that "a person is beautiful if they are loved".
shareWell Bette wanted Claude Rains to be the first one to be credited for the movie but Jack Warner thought that the movie couldn't be sold under his name so thats why she has the first credit.
I've been lucky. I'll be lucky again--Bette Davis
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But hold on a minute. Up until the point that Fanny realises that Job is blind, the audience is not convinced that she'll take him back. It's only when she knows that he can't see her that she can accept him back - ie when she once again is controlling the relationship. She is self centred and narcissistic throughout, and the apparent magnanimity of her acceptance of Job is in reality a mixture of pity and power. So I can't agree! I also find her portrayal of Fanny rather one dimensional particularly in the early part of the film.
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You say that Job gave her a moral position. But I still argue that the script tells all. WHY was Job blind in that last scene? Because Fanny simply wouldn't have taken him back unless he had been blind. Fanny has no moral position. She realises that the pragmatism of the psychotherapist is right and cannot stand being alone. So, she takes Job back - keeping the power in the relationship- living the role that she is still beautiful. She is self delusional in that regard and still self obsessed. Her relationship with her daughter is a reference point here- she has left and Fanny is determined not to be deserted again. Fanny, at the end is more shallow and unpleasant than she has ever been.
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You bring up very good points that are (possibly unintentionally) even backed up by the movie, itself. Particularly at the end, when Cousin George says Job will always "think of her as young and beautiful" in his mind.
Good grief, as if the constant reinforcing of "woman is only beautiful when she is loved" isn't enough, they had to keep on talking their way, what could've been, a great ending.
I believe your excellent point is borne out in the final line in the film, in which Fanny tells Manby to phone the (fictitious?) lady friend to say she won't be able to meet her for lunch. Not only is that an indication that she has a new preoccupation (the line has been used several times previously when Fanny needed an excuse to pursue a new interest) but it also suggests that she is-- despite her seeming epiphany-- "the same old Fanny." Her sudden realization that she is a woman alone is made less onerous by the knowledge that not only is faithful old Job back in her life but there is the added bonus of his not being able to see her as aged and less than beautiful. In addition, Job's blindness will make him more dependent upon her, a circumstance which gives Fanny even more power over him.
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