Up until the last few minutes of this film, this was a truly wonderful film. Bette Davis does an exceptional job playing an extremely manipulative woman who repeatedly overplays her hand. At the beginning of the film she is engaged to nice-guy Henry Fonda. But, time and again, she picks fights with him and tries to dominate him until he eventually tires of this and leaves her. A year later, Fonda returns and Davis is ready to apologize and pick up where they had left off--only to find out that Fonda is now married. True to her manipulative nature, she then schemes to have Fonda and the hot-headed gentleman, George Brent, get into an argument. What she didn't anticipate was that after Fonda was called away, that Brent would continue this argument with Fonda's wife until eventually Fonda's younger brother challenges Brent to a duel. Soon afterwards, Brent is dead and Davis sees that her scheming has gotten way out of hand. She loved manipulating others and making them miserable, but this death really shook her. So, a short time later when Fonda is stricken with Yellow Fever, she tries to redeem herself by volunteering to follow him into quarantine to nurse him back to health--at which time the movie ends.<br /><br />So after that summary, let's talk about the good and bad of the movie. As for the good, there's so much to like about the film. The performances are wonderful--Davis received the Oscar for Best Actress and was THE standout performer in the film. Fonda and Brent give excellent support and are not overshadowed by Davis. Even the supporting actors are excellent, though I really did not think that Fay Bainter (playing Davis' aunt) deserved the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress (though she got it), as her role was pretty small and not particularly transcendent. I really think they gave it to her because of the overall movie, not her individual performance.<br /><br />Also, a major plus to this movie was the incredible cinematography. This is simply the most beautiful black and white film I have seen and it's obvious the cameraman and director (Wyler) were tops in their fields. It's really amazing how despite being filmed in a sound stage, the film looked so good.<br /><br />As for the bad, and this kept the movie from receiving a 10, it was the stupid conclusion to the film. Throughout the entire film, Davis played a self-centered manipulator. But, after seeing her plans go out of control, she repents and is willing to give her life to save Fonda!? This just isn't in character at all and seems like a "Hollywood" ending. I really wanted a more thought-out ending--maybe where she did go with Fonda into quarantine but only to try to win him back or perhaps him dying and her going about her merry way while hardly skipping a beat. THAT would have been more in character.<br /><br />One other note: You will no doubt notice that this movie gives a VERY idealized view of slavery. The slaves seem universally happy and well-treated. For the sake of reality, I kind of wish they'd showed less of Bette hobnobbing with the slaves (something a society woman NEVER would have done in the Old South) and maybe ordering some of them to be whipped!