The legendary Hollywood star Bette Davis blazed a fiery trail in this enthralling portrait of a brilliant actress and the movies her talent elevated to greatness. She was magnificent and exasperating in equal measure, with Jack Warner calling her "an explosive little broad with a sharp left," and Humphrey Bogart remarking, "Unless you're very big she can knock you down." Bette Davis was a force of nature—an idiosyncratic talent who nevertheless defined the words "movie star" for more than half a century and who created an extraordinary body of work filled with unforgettable performances.

In Dark Victory, the noted film critic and biographer Ed Sikov paints the most detailed picture ever delivered of this intelligent, opinionated, and unusual woman who was—in the words of a close friend—"one of the major events of the twentieth century." Drawing on new interviews with friends, directors, and admirers, as well as archival research and a fresh look at the films, this stylish, intimate biography reveals Davis's personal as well as professional life in a way that is both revealing and sympathetic.

With his wise and well-informed take on the production and accomplishments of such movie milestones as Jezebel, All About Eve, and Now, Voyager, as well as the turbulent life and complicated personality of the actress who made them, Sikov's Dark Victory brings to life the two-time Academy Award–winning actress's unmistakable screen style, and shows the reader how Davis's art was her own dark victory.

The biography highlights Davis's idiosyncratic talent and her status as a movie star who defined the role for more than half a century. It also delves into her personal and professional life, drawing on new interviews and a fresh look at her films to paint a revealing and sympathetic portrait of the actress.

Sikov's well-informed and insightful analysis of Davis's iconic performances in films like Jezebel, All About Eve, and Now, Voyager, as well as his understanding of her turbulent life and complicated personality, bring to life the two-time Academy Award winner's unmistakable screen style and demonstrate how her art was her own dark victory.

The book is a comprehensive and intimate portrait of a legendary Hollywood star, capturing both her professional achievements and her personal complexities. Through meticulous research and thoughtful interpretation, Sikov's Dark Victory provides a nuanced and engaging exploration of Bette Davis's enduring legacy as one of the most influential and captivating actresses of the 20th century.

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