Old Acquaintance shows how success can affect people. It is the story of two best friends, Katherine (Kit) Marlowe, (Bette Davis), and Mildred (Millie) Drake. Kit is a successful writer, with adoring fans. Millie has a loving husband, Preston, (Gig Young). She is very envious of her friend Kit’s fame. Millie has been struggling with her writing, and finally comes up with a novel that sells. This is due in large part, because Kit took the manuscript to her publisher, per Millie’s request. Her books make her famous, but she is never satisfied. Her instability and her verbal abuse to Preston, causes her marriage to fall apart. Preston has always loved Kit. He even kisses her, in one scene, but Kit tells him, she can’t return his feelings. It is this strong loyalty that makes Kit’s character the moral center, of this film.
Millie’s marriage did result in a daughter, (Deirdre (DeDe), (Dolores Moran). She is a young headstrong lady. She falls head over heels, for Kit’s former boyfriend. Kit still has feelings for him, but doesn’t want to deny DeDe true love. DeDe’s father has also returned, after ten years. Millie wants him back, but he is engaged, and going off to war. Kit and Millie are both broken-hearted, but realize, they can comfort each other, toasting to old acquaintances.
Bette Davis and Miriam Hopkins, played lifelong friends in this movie. They despised each other in real life. The duo managed to get through three films together; Old Acquaintance being their last one. They play their scenes together very well, and their onscreen animosity is very convincing. Bette Davis could be considered the queen of melodrama. It is the type of film that made her famous. Her character, despite all the wrongs done to her by Millie, still accepts her. Kit even keeps Deirdre, from making a mistake, with a playboy. This is something she doesn’t have to do, but it is the right thing to do.
Bette Davis was a two time Academy Award winning actress. She displays her acting range in this film. She goes from loving best friend, to an enraged woman. She gets so angry at Millie, that she grabs her throat, and throws her down.She is also good in the scene, when she comes down the stairs, in an evening gown. She has decided to finally accept her beau’s proposal. He tells her he no longer want to marry her. The look on Kit’s face says everything. It is an actress like Betty Davis who can convey the anguish. Old Acquaintance is worth seeing simply for Bette Davis performance.