The Whales of August

Based on the 1980 play by David Berry, this delicate and reflective 1987 drama brings two film legends together onscreen for the first time. Bette Davis and Lillian Gish play widowed sisters who spend their summers together at an island vacation home off the coast of Maine. Sarah (Gish) is the owner, but the more affluent Libby (Davis)—who is blind and has become bitter over the years—pays the upkeep. The siblings coexist uneasily, due to Libby's demanding nature and rudeness, which is perhaps exacerbated by her reliance on Sarah, who dutifully looks after Libby without complaint. The story takes place over a single day at the end of the season and is less about plot (Sarah wants to put in a picture window but the blind Libby insists "We're too old to be considering new things.") than it is about their memories of summers past, the rhythms of retired life, the frailties of age, and the inevitability of mortality. Vincent Price costars as a courtly gentleman who claims to be a Russian aristocrat in exile, Ann Sothern earned an Oscar nomination as a gossipy old friend, and John Ford regular Harry Carey Jr. is an irascible elderly handyman. Lindsay Anderson directs in a low key, bringing out the contrast in the personalities of the sisters through the different acting styles of the stars. This gentle and often touching film was the final screen role for Gish and the second-to-last for Davis and it serves as a beautiful memorial for both actresses. Extras include audio commentary by producer Mike Kaplan, and numerous archival interviews. Recommended. (S. Axmaker)