In 1973, movie icons Bette Davis and Mae West met for the first time at a private party in West Hollywood. Wes Wheadon, a bartender at the event, had the good instinct to tape record the conversation between the film legends on a cheap cassette recorder (the recording was later restored to acceptable—if not pristine—audio quality). Wheadon directs When Bette Met Mae, an amusing film in which lookalike actors playing Davis, West, and their respective escorts mime to the old tape. Davis, not surprisingly, dominated the conversation in recalling her various career and romantic misadventures in a grandly dramatic style fueled by more than a few sips of alcohol (at one point, Wheadon was ordered by the party's host to water down Davis's drinks). West, who never drank alcohol (much to Davis's surprise) offered a straightforward but cogent recollection of her taboo-busting endeavors on Broadway and her efforts to retain screen credit for her Hollywood output. Along the way, the film takes breaks to provide background information and classic clips of both women, most notably Davis teaching Jack Paar and Jonathan Winters how to imitate her iconic cigarette-smoking style. Fans of both stars will enjoy this distinctive and entertaining celebration of old Hollywood. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)
When Bette Met Mae
(2016) 63 min. DVD: $14.95. MVD Entertainment Group (avail. from most distributors). Volume 31, Issue 3
When Bette Met Mae
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: