1939 was also a great year for actresses: Vivien Leigh and Ingrid Bergman made their first big impressions on American audiences, Marlene Dietrich came roaring back from a downward spiral and established actresses such as Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford and Bette Davis proved that they still had what it took to be stars. Here are some great films and actress performances, from a truly special year.
Dark Victory
Directed by: Edmund Goulding
Starring: Bette Davis, George Brent, Humphrey Bogart, Geraldine Fitzgerald,
Ronald Reagan
Jack Warner was certain that audiences would not want to spend an entire film watching a woman die from a brain tumor. Bette Davis proved him wrong. With characteristic gusto, she turned a tearjerking role into a heartbreaking profile of a woman courageously facing death.
Destry Rides Again
Directed by: George Marshall
Starring: Marlene Dietrich, Jimmy Stewart, Mischa Auer, Charles Winninger, Brian
Donlevy, Una Merkel
Marlene Dietrich's career never did fully recover after her legendary partnership with director Josef von Sternberg ended in 1935, but nevertheless, she held onto star status for many years. Before this lighthearted Western came along, Dietrich was beginning to think her career had come to an early end. Her gutsy and humorous performance as saloon singer Frenchie showed audiences a less aloof side to her personality and they liked what they saw. The movie was a hit, partly because of a hilarious bar room brawl between Merkel and Dietrich.
Gone with the Wind
Directed by: Victor Fleming/ George Cukor/ Sam Wood
Starring: Vivien Leigh, Clark Gable, Leslie Howard, Olivia de Havilland, Hattie
McDaniel, Butterfly McQueen
There's really not much more that can be said about this incredibly successful film. Many stories about it have transcended film history to become a part of our national lore. Aside from all its other remarkable characteristics, this was a stunning showcase for actresses; in fact, the dramas of the female characters dominate the film. Vivien Leigh and Hattie McDaniel blew away the competition at the Academy Awards in a year of stunning performances. Olivia de Havilland and Butterfly McQueen were equally adept in their roles, though their performances are sometimes overshadowed by the legendary status of the film.
