Bette Davis Begged William Wyler To Come Out Of Retirement For One Last Film

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Speaking to Johnny Carson on a 1982 episode of “The Tonight Show,” Davis discussed how she loves to work, but is no longer eager to get out of bed early in the morning. That lack of enthusiasm was something she shared with Wyler, a man who seemingly needed convincing to get up early in his late career. “I begged William Wyler to make another film with me,” she said. “Oh, for so many years after he retired. And he said, ‘I’ve had every morning of my life getting up at six o’clock, I will never do it again.'”

There seem to be no significant slumps or gaps in Wyler’s résumé, so Davis seems to be alluding to a film that wasn’t made. Davis’ three films with Wyler came out in 1938, 1940 (“The Letter”), and 1941 (“The Little Foxes”). When Wyler retired in 1970, he was 68 and Davis was 62. She offers no description of the unmade film she had in mind, but did go on to discuss the way time changed her process.

“It doesn’t bother you when you’re working very hard to accomplish a goal, but it isn’t the same thrill. I have to admit that. But I hope, still, that it’s good. I haven’t just sort of sat back and said, ‘Well, people have great respect for you, and it doesn’t really much matter what you do.’ That would never be for me.”

Neither Davis nor Wyler, it seems, cared to rest on their laurels. 

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