Jeanine Basinger

"In many ways, it is the definitive woman's film of all time, with a deeply touching performance by Bette Davis...."

Jeanine Basinger
A Woman's View: How Hollywood Spoke to Women 1930-1960 (1993), p. 438-39

[I don't think Basinger discusses Davis's acting much more specifically, though she does I believe discuss the character more--in any event, when I have more time, I need to review all of what Basinger wrote.]