"She's got Bette Davis eyes" was the refrain made famous by the top-selling song of 1981, appropriately titled, "Bette Davis Eyes.". Betty Davis was one of the most well-renowned African American women of her time, becoming a huge influence in the world of entertainment. Nevertheless, Davis believe it was "insanity" that she never portrayed O'Hara in what is now considered one of the greatest movies of all time. Davis died on October 6, 1989. It's a showdown between him and celebrity lawyer Adam Pryce (Jere Burns), who makes a mockery of the courthouse. Song Meanings and Facts 2023. The foundations sole goal is to financially assist promising young actors and actresses. Its not objectification, but a way of understanding. Yes, having Bette Davis Eyes is a compliment! When I was my most unhappy I lashed out rather than whined.". When I watch her films, I sometimes imagine I'm seeing a depression too grand to look away from. Wants steady employment in Hollywood. The following year, they adopted a baby boy, Michael. Several of Davis' family and friends reportedly suspected that Sherry was exaggerating his attraction to Davis to get her fortune. Unfortunately, it is not possible to get purple eyes. Bette Davis, born Ruth Elizabeth Davis was esteemed as one of Hollywoods most remarkable actresses with a career spanning over six decades. Yes, it is definitely a compliment to have Bette Davis eyes! (In All About Eve, it's the lids: that oft-ignored flap of skin, constantly spreading tears across the surface of the eye, warding off invasion, blocking the light out during sleep. The windows to the soul, we say. Loved this article. During World War II, she helped organize theHollywood Canteenfor soldiers who were passing through Los Angeles. After their Grammy wins, Davis sent them roses as well. . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Tags: Bette DavisDonna WeissJackie DeShannon. Of course I also loved Bette Davis. Bette Davis dubious Best Actress Oscar for Dangerous (1935) is often considered consolation by The Academy for not nominating her the year before for her brilliant performance as the cockney waitress turned syphilis-infected prostitute, in Of Human Bondage (1934) co-starring Leslie Howard as the clubfoot doctor who just cant quit her. A remastered reissue containing 6 bonus tracks made the number of tracks total 16. It may be unthinkable today, but the actress whose allure was celebrated in the Grammy Award-winning song "Bette Davis Eyes" by Kim Carnes in 1981 wasn't considered a screen beauty in her Hollywood heyday. The lyrics continue to suggest that the woman of the song is a strong and independent character who knows what she wants and stands her ground, a trait Davis was well-known for in her movies and in her personal life. According to the Beat Music Magazine in 2015, when asked what she thought of the song Bette Davis simply replied I never did like that song. I have older sisters but they were not subjected to the same things we were, I guess maybe they were in school I dont remember that part of things exactly. : radiant, satisfied as she kicks her sister across the floor. She was playing Santa Claus at a school fair when she got too close to the candles and her costume went on fire . . But with her entire adult life lived in the spotlight, when was she not playing a role? A mother of 2 beautiful kids I love and adore more than anything. American. What does each person see? (The Academy has never confirmed this as the source of the nickname.). She had other successful songs, but none was as successful as this. What are the 3 things you should always ask a patient before surgery? At another, Davis was given no script, but told simply to lie on a couch, so that scores of male actors could be tested kissing her, an experience the young actress found excruciating. However, she is indeed ferocious. In "The Lonely Life" Davis admits, "In these years I made many enemies. Few stars of her era even have names that register today and yet, even as most of her films sink out of favor, Davis continues to glare at us, living on in her infamy. It'sbecome one of the best-remembered works of Davis' career. A number of prominent songwriters worked alongside Kim on this album. Love Karaoke? However, Davis refused to play opposite Flynn, as she didn't rate him particularly highly as an actor, and the deal fell through. She had a way of looking both youthful and ancient, grotesque and glamorous, and her characters were often mean-spirited anti-heroines. As Davis recalls in "The Lonely Life," the early days of her career were plagued by concerns from studio executives, such as Universal Pictures founder Carl Laemmle, that Davis was not suitable to play a romantic lead. They ask what I see in her eyes, and I have no answer. But its at least true that what we see in the eyes is often not emotional depth but the bodys interior health. How do you separate the person from the character the actress is playing? Davis also won the hearts of many due to her high-spirited energy and sharp wit, which she utilized throughout her many roles and interviews.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,600],'remodelormove_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_4',156,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-remodelormove_com-medrectangle-4-0'); In addition to her acting roles, Davis was also renowned for her activism, which included being one of the first high-profile celebrities to speak out about care and treatment for AIDS, as well as be one of the first members of Congress to speak in favor of the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s. Flooded in eyeliner, donning a lace slip, fake-pearl necklace, thick black belt riding high over a velvet coat, she looks sixty years ahead of her time: heroin chic, pre-punk. Davis made her film debut in 1931's "Bad Sister." It was also the first film for actress Sidney Fox, who got top billing above Davis. * Sales figures based on certification alone.^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. Davis, beginning her 1962 autobiography, The Lonely Life: I have always been driven by some distant musica battle hymn no doubtfor I have been at war from the beginning. Is this what we see when we look into her eyes: beyond the unlikely result of genetics and her skill as an actress, do we see the lonely starlet, at war with the world, the self perpetually bursting through the role she's playing? Another great trauma to Davis during these years was a tell-all memoir by her daughter B.D., titled "My Mother's Keeper." In the courtroom, Davis' claims that her contract amounted to "slavery" were ridiculed by Warner lawyers, who described Davis as "rather a naughty young lady." You often need to know a person to accurately interpret what is being revealed. The pair had history: Just as Davis had pursued a romance with Crawford's fianc Franchot Tone, Crawford had (unsuccessfully) attempted to solicit an affair with Davis' third husband, William Sherry (via "More than a Woman"). At the beginning of the interview they discuss the word precocious referring to one of the characters shes played and it hit me that it was in the song She precocious and she knows just what it takes to make a pro blush. Mom I wish I would have known you better & gave you more of a chance, Im sorry for being so hard on you & expecting so much more from you as a mother. While attending high school, she began taking drama lessons and acting in plays, soon graduating fromCushing Academywith an aspiration to venture into acting. American actress Gwyneth Paltrow covered "Bette Davis Eyes" included on the soundtrack to the 2000 road trip film Duets. Its not just about having a beautiful face; these eyes convey a certain strength and emotion that is hard to find anywhere else. Davis nevertheless exploited her seemingly unusual look to great effect, by branching out to take various roles that typical leading ladies would not. The track was produced by American record producer Val Garay. TheWarner Brothers Studiosigned a long-term contract with her which resulted in her being featured in most of their low-quality films. Davis and Merrill rowed violently over what they should do. For Davis, years of hard work had finally paid off. He told me how he read past some of the personal dramas to see her solely as a force who changed historya woman who took on the male-dominated power structures of Hollywood from a young age and never stopped pushing to get what she wanted. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); Your email address will not be published. Now having seen over 50 of her films, Bette was fantastic, and the song remains as catchy and fun as always. My mom used to sing Betty Davis Eyes to e when I was little. American actress Bette Davis was often filmed in close-up shots thanks to her distinctive eyes. Yet despite having the reputation of being so, based on her outstanding looks, she seems to still be able to seduce men. It is reported that Bette Davis declined the opportunity to be present at the 1981 Grammy Awards, where the song won Record of the Year. [15] However, it was not until March 1981,[16] when Kim Carnes recorded her version of the song in a radically different synthesizer-based arrangement, that "Bette Davis Eyes" became a commercial success. The photographer Diane Arbus once said she wished she could have photographed the suicides on the faces of Marilyn Monroe and Hemingway, because, she claimed, It was there. 's book. But while Ruthie was supportive, Davis' father, Harlow, wasn't. But biographers still do it today; Im doing it right now: defining this woman by her bodyeven just a single part of her body. Her son, Michael Merrill createdThe Bette Davis Foundationin honor of her. Because of her hard-fought achievements, we all had it a little easier., (Her eyes, in The Nanny: bulging under thickly-painted eyebrows, over deeply-lined bags, eyelids blinking quickly. As for Davis herself, at the time the song was all over the radio in 1981 she was about 73 years old. The song has several different versions. Davis was already on her way to becoming Hollywood royalty. Required fields are marked *. Some suggest Daviss eyes were the result of the autoimmune thyroid condition, Graves disease. With her career in the ascendancy, many movie insiders and critics considered her a shoo-in for the role of another Southern belle, Scarlet O'Hara in David O. Selznick's upcoming "Gone with the Wind." (Her eyes, in The Anniversary: or, rather, her eye. This is pure internet-age speculation and its perhaps unlikely that someone with the level of wealth and access to medical professionals Davis had would have had a serious disease slip by undiagnosed. Bette Davis Eyes is a song by American singer-songwriter Kim Carnes, released as the lead single from her 1981 album Mistaken Identity. Having Bette Davis Eyes is definitely a compliment! Davis's lids can hang so low, their weight so palpable, a biological anomaly. Theyre out there, on display, functional. Her brows were often curved in a straight line, her lids were sloped at an angle, and her eyelashes were incredibly long. 2) A 1981 Number 1 hit single by Kim Carnes (it was the best selling record of 1981). Highly appreciated. (She would go on to be nominated an incredible 11 times, though this would be the last of her long career.). Bette Davis forces audiences to notice her as Bette Davis even when she is most deeply immersed in her roles.. She also adopted two children namely Margot and Michael, together with her fourth husband, Gary Merrill. She has been quoted as being disgusted by the unmitigated effrontery of some blonde (Kim Carnes) writing a song about her and was also vocal about how she felt the song misrepresented her. It was then that I got her name stuck in my head, then that I started watching her films intentionally, trying to see what they revealed. Bette Davis was an iconic actress who won two Academy Awards, with most of her well-known roles coming in the 1930s to 1950s. Free shipping for many products! Powered by - Designed with theHueman theme. Davis later wrote that the resulting test footage was horrifying. But tragedy caused Davis to become more unreasonable on set than ever before. She said the success of the song also made her grandchild look up to her because she thought she was super cool. As Bette Davis entered old age, her reputation for toughness and her uncompromising character continued to precede her. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright . The two were in a constant game of one-upmanship with it came to Academy Award nominations. Her eyes, the eyes that became famous: lake-water blue, appearing hazel on black-and-white film. She was also the first woman to receive theAmerican Film Institutes Lifetime Achievement Award. I recited Marx Brothers lines by heart and imitated Charlie Chaplin's walk. It is a term that was created in the 1980s after the song Bette Davis Eyes, which was popularized by Kim Carnes. In 1982, the song won two Grammies in the following categories: Song of the Year and Record of the Year. According to Davis, cameraman Karl Freund fought for her, telling Laemmle that Davis had "lovely eyes.". The film marked Davis' first collaboration with Humphrey Bogart; the duo went on to make seven films together. 12 on Billboard's list of the Top 100 songs in the first 50 years of the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[11]. Updated April 30, 2021. When music was great and worth listening to and obviously memorable. With tender hands, Eddie reached up to caress the curve of Steve's hips. I never forgive my mothers neglect, the lack of love to a child, lack of affection, and the physical abuse I endured.. The description of the woman in the song paints a portrait of someone who resembles Davis: Shell expose you, when she snows you, off your feet/ With the mysteries that flow from her face. It was on an airplane fifteen years ago that I first considered Bette Davis as more than an image, more than a Mid-Atlantic accent or a symbol of movie nights at my grandparents's house. Things didn't get much easier once she got there, either. I loved the whole tape it was interesting. According to James Spada, as Margot grew, her parents became concerned about her unusual behavior. Some of these names include Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon. Its been well over a year since Ive started watching closer. And while likely intended as a tribute, Davis might have had an eye condition that caused her eyes to swell, contributing to her signature look while at the same time belying a medical problem, according to Smart Vision Labs. Ruthie's first step was to take Bette Davis to New York, where she interviewed for a place at the prestigious theater school run by Eva Le Gallienne, but after what Davis described as a "defensive" performance during the interview, she was rejected as not exhibiting the required seriousness to join the school. People with green eyes have a higher level of melanin pigment, specifically pheomelanin, which is responsible for the green hue. This song has evoked some very deep and interesting emotions from the reviews. The well of insults and back-handed compliments aimed at Davis physical appearance is deep and from our vantage point, its easy to see the level of objectification, the misogyny, the constricting limitations placed upon her. Can I withdraw money from HDFC prepaid card? Look close enough and youll catch a hint. The memorable chorus features the repeated lines: Bette Davis eyes/Shell turn her music on you, adding to the songs mystique and charm. It was supposed to be 1938 instead of 1983. Soon after defining the glamorous Golden Age close-upgiant eyes, soft-focused over a glass of champagneher character sinks into disrepute. Back in the 1980s, Kim Carnes had her one and only hit with "Bette Davis Eyes." [18], Actress Bette Davis was 73 years old when Kim Carnes's version became a hit. Carnes, however, made it a No. ". It was after she landed a role inThe Man Who Played Godthat critics started to notice her unique talent. Davis was reportedly glad that the song had made her part of the modern era. She made appearances in 1931 films,SeedandBad Sisterwhich went unnoticed by movie critics. The song has since been celebrated for its catchy and infectious chorus, as well as its clever amalgamation of rock and new wave influences. Her talent for emotive and highly dramatic performances made her one of the most popular and bankable Hollywood stars of her day. According to Bette Davis' memoir "The Lonely Life," the birth of her acting ambitions can be traced to a single evening in 1926, when she was just 18. Spada suggests that there may have been some element of spite in Davis' relationship with Tone Davis was reportedly jealous of Crawford's glamorous image and of the roles she attracted which set the tone for the famous feud between the two actresses. She was simply different. "So beautiful," he murmured reverently. Title Performer Release date Info; i: Bette Davis Eyes: However, in 2017 a new book written by Davis' assistant Kathryn Sermak forwarded the theory that their feud was charged with sexual tension: that Crawford in fact had a huge crush on Davis, and that from her side, at least, it was more of a love-hate relationship than a purely hateful one (via Vanity Fair). How often do we look into a pair of eyes and misinterpret health for emotion? The other was The Petrified Forest, in which she featured alongside Leslie Howard and Humphrey Bogart. Your youngest daughter .the mother to your only son, my little brother. Broadly, its a song in the Maneater veina woman who seduces for sportbut to listeners unaware of who Bette Davis is, there are few lyrical clues to what these eyes actually look like. Bette Davis Eyes was released on March 28, 1981, as the lead single from Kim Carnes fifth studio album Mistaken Identity. Joan Crawford died in 1977, and Bette Davis reportedly said "You should never say bad things about the dead, only good. When the same frustrations emerged with the productions "The Golden Arrow," "Satan Met a Lady," and "God's Country and the Woman," Davis accepted work in the United Kingdom, which was against the terms of her contract. Carnes has since returned to performing and recording, including releasing a new single called Our First Mistake. Carnes version of Bette Davis Eyes was released in 1981. But the image I associated most strongly with the era of movies we often watched was Bette Davis. Where are songs like this now? After her death in 2005, she was posthumously honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contribution to the entertainment industry. But the future icon who was also well-respected in her own lifetime as a campaigner for war veterans, earning a Distinguished Civilian Service Medal for her work with the Hollywood Canteen (via Biography) didn't have an easy route to Hollywood stardom. Because of this, Davis could have taken the song as either an insult or a compliment. Another screen test involved her hitching her skirt higher and higher, so the studio could see she was not hiding "some deformity." (Her eyes, in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? "Bette Davis Eyes" is one of those times. Furthermore, the video for Bette Davis Eyes featured actress Margie David impersonating the star, further leading viewers to make the connection. Bette Davis had a reputation for being a "difficult" actress, while her admirers argue that she was simply an overt perfectionist with a passion for making the best films she possibly could. This original version of the song appeared on DeShannons 1975 album titled New Arrangement. Her eyes were a deep blue colour, which often appeared to look brown when photographed in. Its like: this is whats possible; this is the range and depth that is possible for a woman., Meryl Streep: Bette Davis seemed willing, she even had an appetite, for parts that were conventionally unappealing. Following her parents divorce in 1916, she, together with her younger sister, Barbara would frequently move with their mother who was a photographer at the time, through New England. I could remember back when Kim Carnes sing the song, I went and bought an 8 track tape. The eyes of someone with purple eyes would need to produce a combination of the colors found in the traditional colors of eyes, such as brown and blue, but this is not possible. I was not only a slave, a nanny to my 2 sisters at the age of 5-6, but also neglected to the point, that I was molested by my drunken father for years and mother claimed, she never suspected anything. Davis passed away in 1989 but her impact on the film industry can still be felt today. The studio in turn suspended her, and she retaliated with a lawsuit which rocked the movie industry. Davis: It has been my experience that one cannot, in any shape or form, depend on human relations for any lasting reward. But the movie is also notorious for being the set on which the lifelong feud between its two stars played out. She wrote letters to Carnes, Weiss, and DeShannon to thank all three of them for making her "a part of modern times" and stated that her grandson now looked up to her. Thats why Adele sells millions even when she doesnt do her best work all her last cd. It didn't matter. In the film, the lids shield her eyeballs as they move about like a cat's tail, connected to the body, but with a mind of their own. In 1989, her cancer returned, and she died in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, on October 9, at the age of 81. Her combination of over-the-top delivery, cool demeanor, and unapologetic vitriol have made her a favorite of drag performers for generations. The song was recorded in the studio on the first take. Love, [66], Last edited on 21 February 2023, at 16:24, Australian Recording Industry Association, List of number-one singles in Australia during the 1980s, List of Top 25 singles for 1981 in Australia, List of Cash Box Top 100 number-one singles of 1981, List of number-one singles of 1981 (France), List of number-one hits of 1981 (Germany), List of number-one singles of 1981 (Spain), List of number-one singles of the 1980s (Switzerland), "Jackie DeShannon: Jackie DeShannon, Me About You / To Be Free, New Arrangement", "The Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Songs (20-11)", "Bette Davis Eyes by Kim Carnes Digital Sheet Music", "10 More Famous Songs with Unknown Originals", "Classic Tracks: Kim Carnes' "Bette Davis Eyes", "80sonVEVO GAMV Takeover Week 9 w/ FEATURED VIDEO Kim Carnes' "Bette Davis Eyes", "Toutes les Chansons N 1 des Annes 80's", The Irish Charts Search Results Bette Davis Eyes", "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 1989 Acts (C)", "Kim Carnes Chart History (Adult Contemporary)", "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles Week ending MAY 30, 1981", "Kim Carnes Chart History (Mainstream Rock)", Offiziellecharts.de Kim Carnes Bette Davis Eyes", "Forum ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts 1980s", "Canadian single certifications Kim Carnes Bette Davis Eyes", "French single certifications Kim Carnes Bette Davis Eyes", "Italian single certifications Kim Carnes Bette Davis Eyes", "British single certifications Kim Carnes Bette Davis Eyes", "American single certifications Kim Carnes Bette Davis Eyes", Recording Industry Association of America, "Original Soundtrack Duets [Original Soundtrack]", "New Releases Singles Week Commencing 26th March 2001", "Australian-charts.com Gwyneth Paltrow Bette Davis Eyes", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bette_Davis_Eyes&oldid=1140753302, This page was last edited on 21 February 2023, at 16:24. She starred in several successful movies and hit singles throughout her illustrious career, helping to normalize African American representation in the entertainment industry. Theyre not only public, but we believe they hold secrets, answers. Each time her heavy lids open, it's almost shocking.). She often played characters struggling with an internal conflict or a personal struggle, making her an iconic representation of strong-willed women in film. With her . In addition to thanking the aforementioned trio, Davis also sent them flowers after the song won multiple Grammy Awards. Her life-long feud with Joan Crawford is one of old Hollywoods most-told stories; a battle grand enough to fill up a 500-page book and be made into a high-budget, star-studded 2017 television series. She later revealed in an interview that she had developed a benign vocal cord tumor in her throat, which required surgery in order to remove it. Upon examination, experts concluded that the child had suffered from brain damage, perhaps as a result of birth. Required fields are marked *. May 19, 2021 0 Having Bette Davis eyes is not a compliment. I like how Bette wrote to Kim Carnes to express her approval and admiration for the popularity of the song. Its Baby Jane and Sweet Charlotte that are, perhaps rightfully, the most remembered and discussed Davis films today. But they also initiated the hagsploitation sub-genre: older women portraying formerly-glamorous women who have fallen from their glamour, and are now struggling with their mental health, threatening the lives and well-being of those around them. Throughout her career that spanned about six decades, she starred in some of the Hollywoods most memorable films. Uh-oh. Instead, she dedicated her life to her career as an actress, singer and dancer. Thirty years after her death and nearly eighty years since the height of her fame, Davis remains in our cultural memory. in 1962, 54-year-old Bette Davis pulled a publicity stunt that would go down in Hollywood legend as perhaps an early example of immaculately pitched viral marketing. It was released in April 1981 under the label EMI America. We have corrected the date. God had a purpose for me, cos Im still alive. She's got Bette Davis eyes, Carnes croons, her voice filled with apparent passion and meaning, but saying almost nothing. I didn't know who Molly Ringwald or John Cusack were, but I knew Katharine Hepburn and Jimmy Stewart well. It takes a good actor or liar or sociopath (all of which Davis has been called) to hide it, but it also takes an observant watcher to see it. Kim Carnes is an American singer and songwriter who rose to fame in the late 70s and early 80s with her hit song Bette Davis Eyes. According to James Spada, writing in "More than a Woman," things were looking up for Davis when she was cast in an adaptation of the play "The Petrified Forest," alongside Humphrey Bogart and Lesley Howard. Davis was bent on proving her father wrong, setting her on a path to become one of Hollywood's most legendary battlers. Connecting. "Bette Davis Eyes" is a song written and composed by Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon in 1974. Outside America, the song charted at number one in many a country across the globe. In 1928, she landed her first major role in a stage production ofThe Earth Between. [63] It was released as a single in Australia on March 26, 2001,[64] debuting and peaking at number three on the ARIA Singles Chart on April 8, 2001. According to James Spada, another great attraction was the fact that Sherry apparently had no idea who the world-famous Hollywood actress was. Later wrote that the child had suffered from brain damage, perhaps is bette davis eyes a compliment the! 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