Davis is a willful Southern belle who loses fiance Fonda through her selfish and spiteful ways in this pre-Civil War drama. When he becomes ill, she realizes her cruelty and rushes to nurse him back to health. Davis' role won her an Oscar for Best Actress, and certainly provided Scarlett O'Hara with a rival for most memorable female character of all time.
Bette steals the show as the willful heroine. When she pushes too far and is turned on by her social class, her fiance, Henry Fonda, breaks the engagement and goes to work in the North. Torn by regret Bette languishes on the family plantation until disease requires her to open her home to the very people who deserted her earlier. Among them is the ex-fiance and his northern wife. More conflict ensues and Bette becomes more and more distraught. How will she regain her dignity?? I really love this movie. I think Bette won an oscar for her performance, I know she was nominated.