Bette Davis of the thirties and into the forties", achieving notability for the variety of her characterizations and her ability to assert herself, even when her material was mediocre. Individual performances continued to receive praise; in 1987, Bill Collins analyzed "The Letter" (1940), and described her performance as "a brilliant, subtle achievement", and wrote: "Bette Davis makes Leslie Crosbie one of the most extraordinary females in movies." In a 2000 review for "All About Eve" (1950), Roger Ebert noted: "Davis was a character, an icon with a grand style; so, even her excesses are realistic." In 2006, "Premiere" magazine ranked her portrayal
The Magnificent Yankee (1950 film) The Magnificent Yankee (1950 film) The Magnificent Yankee is a 1950 American biographical film adapted by Emmet Lavery from his play of the same title, which was in turn adapted from the book "Mr. Justice Holmes" by Francis Biddle. The story examines the life of United States Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes. The film was directed by John Sturges, with stars Louis Calhern, Ann Harding, Eduard Franz, and Philip Ober. Calhern created the role of Oliver Wendell Holmes in the play's original Broadway production, and the part was his only starring role in a sound film. A grateful Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer