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Old Acquaintance Film Statistics
Director: Vincent Sherman | Studio: Warner Bros. | Cast: Bette Davis, Miriam Hopkins, Gig Young, John Loder, Dolores Moran | Year: 1943 | Format: B&W | Runtime: 110 Mins
The Enduring Friction of Kit and Millie (And Bette Davis and Miriam Hopkins)
When it comes to Old Hollywood movies, there aren’t many juicier (or full of gossip) than the Old Acquaintance film, a movie that brought about a collision of two Hollywood legends who famously disliked each other: Bette Davis and Miriam Hopkins. Released in 1943, this B&W prestige melodrama serves as the ultimate showcase for Bette Davis at the height of her talents and career as the likable Kit Marlowe, who endures (or really survives) a lifetime friendship with Millie Drake (Hopkins), an absolute narcissist full of jealousy, envy, and cruelty.
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And while the popular ‘woman’s picture’ is entertaining, the behind-the-scenes drama makes it all the more fascinating to watch as these two Hollywood legends duel it out onscreen – leading to an unforgettable confrontation.
The Story
Old Acquaintance is an adaptation of the popular 1940 John Van Druten play that is a fun mix of soapy melodrama, romance (two love triangles), and rivalry between two very different friends and authors: one is critically acclaimed and ultimately single, who writes literary fiction, and the other is a young wife and soon-to-be mother who later becomes a commercially successful author of pulp romances.
The story begins in 1924 and ultimately spans 20 years. Kit Marlowe (Davis) and Millie Drake (Hopkins) have been friends since childhood – only Kit went on to become an acclaimed author, while Millie married young and is pregnant with her kind, idealistic husband, Preston (John Loder).
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When Kit returns to her hometown, she’s given a huge welcome due to her literary success as a serious author. And it’s here that her friend Millie begins to show signs of jealous, histrionic behavior. And it’s also in this moment that Millie asks Kit to take her romance manuscript to Kit’s publisher, later leading to Millie’s gigantic commercial success as a ‘trashy’ romance writer despite longing to be taken seriously like Kit.
Time passes, and Kit and Millie continue to be close friends – despite Millie’s worsening behavior, which gets crueler the more successful she is. Her acerbic words and narcissism push her husband (John Loder) away and toward the kind, witty, and self-sacrificing Kit. Only, Kit would never agree to an affair with her friend’s husband. So, he leaves behind his wife and daughter, Deirdre.
Soon, we catch up to the present day (1940s) as an ever-worsening Millie puts Kit’s (who’s a mother figure to Deirdre and in a committed romantic relationship with Rudd, a younger man played by Gig Young) patience to the test. With the sudden return of Preston, it brings years of jealousy to the surface, leading to an ultimate confrontation between the two women when Kit finally snaps.
Old Acquaintance Cast & Characters
Bette Davis, as the relatable and likable Kit Marlow, brings her Now Voyager-like charm and nobility to this role. And uses quite a bit of restraint – so as to make the epic confrontation between her and Hopkins even more memorable when she loses it.
Miriam Hopkins, on the other hand, known for her “unrestrained acting style,” let out all her over-the-top energy as Millie Drake, and it’s oh-so-fun to watch.
Other supporting players include John Loder as Preston Drake, the disappointed husband, Gig Young as the handsome and swoony Rudd Kendall, and Dolores Moran as Deirdre ‘DeDe’ Drake, the wild and naïve daughter of Millie and Preston.
Everyone plays their parts to perfection, perfectly balancing each other out in what is a guilty pleasure to watch.
Old Acquaintance Film Review
What really sells Old Acquaintance is the frenemy chemistry between Davis and Hopkins as Kit and Millie. Why are they still friends? While watching the film, it’s easy to consider the dynamic of childhood friendships that endure. What keeps some friends bonded over time? Is it because of that early connection? A true bond of love? Or is it more a bond of habit or loyalty? Should some people remain friends when they no longer have anything in common?
By the end, the “frenemy” relationship between the two women feels like a co-dependent, toxic relationship where both (particularly Kit) would be better off without each other.
Vincent Sherman, the director, skillfully directs what was a notoriously difficult film set, bringing out memorable performances from the actresses, while also successfully using the black and white cinematography to believably age the characters over two decades. The film itself uses clever editing and is never dull, although some viewers may find it a bit too soapy and melodramatic for their taste.
The sophisticated script uses sharp, theatrical dialogue that is adapted from John Van Druten’s popular play. And the film has a surprisingly modern edge when Bette Davis, in a famous scene, wears a man’s pajama top as a nightie to bed (and that’s it), which started a fashion revolution at the time, remnants of which we’re still seeing today.
All in all, Old Acquaintance is an intriguing film – albeit somewhat underrated in contemporary times despite its popularity upon release – a movie full of romance, strong characterization, and memorable soapy moments with two actresses fighting for your attention.
Background & Production Lore
So, what actually happened between Davis and Hopkins that started one of Hollywood’s most famous feuds? Well, it goes back to the movie, Jezebel. Miriam Hopkins starred in the play on Broadway and sold the film rights to Warner Bros, assuming they would cast her as the star. Only, they cast Bette Davis instead. And then she won the Oscar. Uh-oh.
They then later starred in the movie The Old Maid (1939), which became famous for the behind-the-scenes antics and feuding of Davis and Hopkins, although Davis claimed to keep her cool even though Hopkins kept trying to provoke her. Plus, there was the little, tiny thing of Bette Davis having an affair with Miriam Hopkins’ husband at the time, Anatole Litvak.
Quote:
“Miriam is a perfectly charming woman socially. Working with her is another story. On our first day of shooting, for instance, she arrived on the set wearing a complete replica of one of my Jezebel costumes. It was obvious she wanted me to blow my stack at this. I completely ignored the whole thing. Ensuing events prove she wanted even more to be in my shoes than in my dress.” – Bette Davis, The Lonely Life
By the time they starred in Old Acquaintance together, they already had an explosive history, so there were bound to be more fireworks. When the studio offered Hopkins the role of Millie, she started making instant demands, and due to her previous behavior on the set of The Old Maid, the original director of Old Acquaintance, Edmund Goulding, became stressed. Connected or not, he had a heart attack, and the studio replaced him. Vincent Sherman took over as director, ultimately winning Bette Davis over with his skill.
Unsurprisingly, Old Acquaintance was a chaotic set. Hopkins kept trying to upstage Davis, and the clashes between the two women led to numerous delays.
And then came the famous confrontation scene. Bette Davis described it as a slap in her memoir, but it was actually a “shaking.” What she said in The Lonely Life:
“Came the scene in the script when I slap her – that’s what the script said. I might add, the rafters above the stage were full of excited spectators. It was rather like a prizefight ring below. We rehearsed this scene for hours – not only her eyes were wondering but so was her body, to every corner of the stage.
I finally said, “Miriam! If I have to sit on top of the piano to look into your face for this speech, I will.” The slap followed the speech and I had to be near her.
Her look of innocence and seeming lack of comprehension was infuriating, but stand still she did—and take the slap she did. To be sure, her eyes filled with tears of self-pity—but the camera couldn’t see it. It was on her back!” – Bette Davis
However, Davis did call her a “good actress.”
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But there was even more soapy drama going on besides the feud during the filming of Old Acquaintance. Bette Davis had a brief affair with Gig Young on set while also beginning a romance with Vincent Sherman. So much drama!
And yet, despite all the drama and the war effort of the time, the 1943 film went on to be critically acclaimed and a box office success. It was later even remade into another film in 1981, Rich and Famous, starring Candice Bergen and Jacqueline Bisset.
Overall Thoughts
Part soap opera, part serious character study, Old Acquaintance is an atmospheric film that is altogether entertaining and absorbing. A piece of Old Hollywood history that classic film aficionados can’t miss – if only to watch Davis and Hopkins bring their intense behind-the-scenes history front and center to the big screen.
Ultimately, it’s a must-watch classic for fans of the Golden Age of Cinema and for anyone who appreciates a good, old-fashioned catfight.
Where to Watch (as of May 2026): Stream on Max or *rent or buy digitally and on *DVD.
Content Note: PG and mild.
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