This movie is great. It lets you see how the great actress "Bette Davis" can really act with this performance. At first she is strong and forthright (the way we all remember her) but, then when she faces death turns very compassionate for others. She doesn't dwell on anything she lives every moment as if it was her last. You will see Humphrey Bogart in a supporting role as a horse trainer. Bette plays a 23 yr. old whose father died and mother lives far away and is never around. She lives it up with huge parties and going everywhere. She doesn't worry about anything and let's things wait to happen in years ahead. That all changes with a blink when she enjoys everything and does things she was putting to the side like love. With all that she experiences things she wishes she only had done before. The bottom line - she falls in love and experiences the real meaning of happiness to simply enjoy life. You'll love her performance and the others in the cast too because they all have a place there not just there like in other films for no reason. "Dark Victory" makes all of us want to triumph over life and this film.