After the success of The Letter (1940). actor James Stephenson was promoted to star for his next picture, "Shining Victory." Actor Irving Rapper was promoted to director on the project. According to Bette Davis in her biography 'Mother Goddam,' "I disguised myself as a nurse and appeared on the set as an extra. Rapper didn't recognize me for the first few takes. I had a ball. Imagine daring to do this today!"
The working title of the film was "Winged Victory," but this was changed when it was learned that Moss Hart was writing a morale-boosting World War II play with that title. Hart's play was later filmed with the title Winged Victory (1944).
James Stephenson, as the brilliant but stubborn researcher, had appeared with Bette Davis three times prior to this: The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939), The Old Maid (1939) and as her humiliated friend and attorney in The Letter (1940), which earned him an Oscar® nomination. Shining Victory (1941) was one of his few lead roles; there likely would have been more for this British stage-trained actor, but he died suddenly of a heart attack in July 1941, less than two months after the release of this film.
Bette Davis took on a very brief role as a nurse to give her friend Irving Rapper a career boost. And he returned the favor to his friend Bette by directing her in four more films, including one of her best performances and the picture many consider Rapper's finest work, Now, Voyager (1942).
The original play upon which this film is based, "Jupiter Laughs," opened on Broadway in New York City, New York, USA at the Biltmore Theatre, 261 W. 47th St. on 9 September 1940, but ran for only 24 performances until 28 September. The leads were played by Alexander Knox and Jessica Tandy.