This is Our Life 1942

     Stanley Timberlake is engaged to Craig Fleming.  She decides she doesn’t want to marry him and she leaves home with her sister Roy’s husband Peter Kingsmill.  Peter gets a divorce from Roy and he marries Stanley.  They settle in Baltimore, Maryland.  Things don’t work out and Peter begins to drink.  Stanley returns to Richmond, Virginia.  She discovers her sister Roy is now dating her former fiancé Craig and they plan to marry.  Stanley is jealous and selfish plus she feels she may be able to win Craig back?  Circumstances take a different turn and Stanley tries to pin something she did on Parry Clay.  He’s a struggling young clerk working in Craig’s law office.

     It’s interesting that both the sisters have names usually given to men?  A reason isn't given in the film.  Stanley is a piece of work and she only cares about herself.  She drives too fast and she doesn’t care about the speeding tickets.  She also doesn’t care about the person she’s with as long it’s someone her sister wants!!  Her sister Roy is nothing like Stanley!!  She is a decent and kind person that doesn’t deserve an evil scheming sister!!  3 ½* (I liked this movie)  

97 min, Drama directed by John Huston with Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, George Brent, Dennis Morgan, Charles Coburn, Frank Craven, Billie Burke, Hattie McDaniel, Lee Patrick, Mary Servoss, Ernest Anderson.

Note:  Imdb 7.5 out of 10, 73% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, TCM Leonard Maltin 3* out of 4*, average user review 4.8* out of 5*, Leterboxd 3.4* out of 5*, Amazon Video 4.1* out of 5* with 86 review.

Special Note:  Filmed at Warner Brothers Burbank Studios, California.  Director John Huston was having an affair with Olivia de Havilland during production.  There was a comment made by studio head Jack L. Warner that Bette has the lines but Olivia was getting the best camera shots!!  In David Maraniss’ 2012 biography of former President Barack Obama it is reported that Stanley Ann Dunham Obama Soetoro, the mother of Barack was named Stanley after Bette Davis in this film.  Davis said she regretted making this film and she called it “a most disgraceful film.”  She felt she wasn’t right for the role because the character was supposed to be a very young southern woman.  Davis was older at 34 years old?  Davis drives a 1941 Buick Roadmaster convertible, the Police Inspector drives a 1941 Buick four-door sedan and the Policeman in the pursuit car has a 1939 Buick.