Editing Dark Victory (section)

==Production==
[[File:Ronald Reagan in Dark Victory trailer.jpg|right|thumb|upright|From the film's trailer]]
[[File:Humphrey Bogart in Dark Victory trailer.jpg|right|thumb|upright|From the trailer]]
[[Tallulah Bankhead]] originated the role of Judith Traherne in the [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] [[Dark Victory (play)|production]], which ran for 51 performances at the [[Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre|Plymouth Theatre]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ibdb.com/production.asp?ID=10417 |title=Dark Victory |website=Internet Broadway Database |access-date=August 20, 2012}}</ref> before being cut short when Bankhead fell ill with a bacterial infection. Davis openly admitted in later years that she had emulated Bankhead in the role. In 1935, [[David O. Selznick]] wanted to cast [[Greta Garbo]] and [[Fredric March]] in the leads, but Garbo chose to play the lead in ''[[Anna Karenina (1935 film)|Anna Karenina]]'' instead. In 1936, he offered the role to [[Merle Oberon]], but contractual problems with [[Samuel Goldwyn]] prevented her from doing the film. When Bette Davis discovered the play in 1938, she shopped it to every producer on the Warners lot, and Hal Wallis bought the rights from Selznick for her, for $50,000,  when director Edmound Goulding and producer [[David Lewis (producer)|David Lewis]] showed interest in the project.<ref name=tcmnote>{{cite journal| url= https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/586/dark-victory#notes| title=Dark Victory: Notes| website=[[Turner Classic Movies]]| access-date=March 14, 2024}}</ref>

Davis had recently ended affairs with [[William Wyler]] and [[Howard Hughes]] and her husband Ham Nelson had filed for divorce, and after the first few days of filming she begged to be released from her contract, claiming she was too sick to continue.{{sfn|Schickel|Perry|2009|pp=102–103}} Producer [[Hal Wallis]] responded, "I've seen the [[dailies|rushes]] – stay sick!" She found comfort with Brent, who had just divorced [[Constance Worth]], and the two embarked on an affair that continued throughout filming and for a year – and three films – after.<ref name=tcmart>{{cite web|last=Landazuri |first=Margarita |url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/586/dark-victory#articles-reviews |title=''Dark Victory'' (article) |website=Turner Classic Movies |access-date=March 14, 2024}}</ref> Goulding shot the film in sequence, and the arc of Judith's relationship with Dr. Steele mirrored Davis' relationship with Brent.<ref name=tcmart /> Davis was later to say that she wanted to marry Brent, but thought that it wouldn't work out. Still, "Of the men I didn't marry, the dearest was George Brent."<ref name=tcmart />

The tune "Oh! Give Me Time for Tenderness", sung by Judith, was written by [[Edmund Goulding]] and [[Elsie Janis]]. The voice of Vera Van was [[Dubbing (filmmaking)|dubbed]] for Davis.

Another scene for the film's ending was shot, but ultimately was deemed anticlimactic: after Judith's death, her horse was seen winning a race, and her stablehand Michael (Bogart) was shown crying. The scene met with negative response with [[Film screening|sneak preview]] audiences and was cut.<ref name="Ursini">DVD [[audio commentary]] by film historian [[James Ursini]] and [[CNN]] film critic [[Paul Clinton]], 2005 issue, [[Warner Home Video]]</ref>

The film premiered at [[Radio City Music Hall]].