"A woman is beautiful when she's loved, and only then."
Mr. Skeffington is a 1944 drama film based on Elizabeth von Arnim's novel of the same name, directed by Vincent Sherman and starring Bette Davis and Claude Rains, both of whom received Academy Award nominations for their roles.
The story begins in 1914. Beautiful Fanny Trellis (Davis) has many admirers, but she also has an extravagant, dishonest brother, Trippy (Richard Waring), who embezzles funds from his boss, Job Skeffington (Rains). Job attempts to confront Trippy, but is instantly smitten by Fanny. In order to save Trippy's skin and facilitate a comfortable life for herself, Fanny marries Job. Job is initially devoted, but Fanny is shallow and faithless. The film follows their marriage as the years pass...
Tropes:
- Character Title: The title is in reference to Job Skeffington, Trippy's boss and Fanny's husband.
- Daddy's Girl: Job's daughter adores him.
- Green-Eyed Monster: Vain Fanny does not deal well with her daughter's own youth and beauty.
- Happy Marriage Charade: Initially, anyway. Job only realises later in the marriage that Fanny doesn't love him.
- I Just Want to Be Beautiful: This is all Fanny cares about. She does not grow old gracefully after recovering from her illness.
- Meaningful Name: Job is exceptionally long-suffering.
- Nice Guy: It takes Job a long time to stop being this, and even then he remains endlessly polite to his adulterous, uncaring wife.
- George, Fanny's cousin, is something of an example, he clearly sees Fanny's treatment of Job as cruel and spiteful, and is the one who pursues her to reconcile with him at the end.
- Older Than They Look: Fanny initially maintains most of her looks as she ages, but it gets averted.after she gets ill and infected.
- Parental Neglect: Fanny is so self-absorbed that she just doesn't care about her daughter.
- Rich Bitch - Fanny.
- Sexless Marriage: Fanny and Job end up in separate rooms quite quickly.
- Sexy Secretary: Job takes solace in his secretaries after his wife exiles him from the marital bed.Job: You mustn't be too harsh on my secretaries. They were always very understanding when I came to the office after a hard day at home.
- True Beauty Is on the Inside: What Job is always trying to tell Fanny.
