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Stella Dallas (1937 film)
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Wikipedia article
'Stella Dallas' is a 1937 American drama film based on the 1923 Olive Higgins Prouty novel of the same name. It was directed by King Vidor, and stars Barbara Stanwyck, John Boles, and Anne Shirley. The film was nominated for two Academy Awards which were for Best Actress in a Leading Role and Best Actress in a Supporting Role.
This was the second feature film adaptation of the novel. The first was the 1925 silent film version titled 'Stella Dallas', while it was also remade in 1990 as 'Stella'. In February 2020, the film was shown at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival, as part of a retrospective dedicated to King Vidor's career.
Plot
Stella Martin, the daughter of a mill worker, Charlie, in a post-World War I Massachusetts factory town, is determined to better herself. She sets her sights on mill executive Stephen Dallas and catches him at an emotionally vulnerable time. Stephen's father killed himself after losing his fortune. Penniless, Stephen disappeared from high society, intending to marry his fiance, Helen Morrison, once he was financially able to support her. However, just as he reaches his goal, he reads in the newspaper the announcement of her wedding. So he marries Stella.
A year later, their daughter, Laurel, is born. To Stella's great surprise, she discovers she has a strong maternal instinct. Even when she is out dancing and partying, she cannot help but think about her child. As Laurel grows up, Stella's ambition and scheming to rise socially is redirected to her daughter.
Stephen dotes on Laurel as well, but she is the only bond between husband and wife. He tries to help Stella become more refined, but without success. He also strongly disapproves of her continuing friendship with the vulgar Ed Munn. Finally, when Stephen receives a promotion that requires him to move to New York, Stella tells him he can go without her or Laurel; they separate, but remain married. Laurel stays with her mother, but visits her father periodically.
Years later, Stephen runs into Helen, now a wealthy widow with three sons. They renew their acquaintance. Laurel is invited to stay at Helen's mansion; she gets along very well with Helen and her sons. Stephen asks Stella for a divorce, but she turns him down.
Stella takes Laurel to a fancy resort, where Laurel meets Richard Grosvenor III, and they fall in love. However, when Stella makes her first appearance after recovering from an illness, she becomes the target of derision for her vulgarity, though she herself is unaware of it. Embarrassed for her mother, Laurel insists they leave at once without telling her why. On the train back, Stella overhears the truth.
Stella goes to talk with Helen. After learning that Helen and Stephen would marry if they could, she agrees to a divorce and asks that Laurel go live with them. Helen realizes the reason for the request and agrees.
When Laurel learns of the arrangement, she refuses to put up with it and returns home. However, Stella has been notified by a telegram and is ready for her. Stella pretends that she wants Laurel off her hands so she can marry Ed Munn and travel to South America. Laurel runs crying back to her father.
Later, Laurel and Richard get married. Stella watches them exchange their wedding vows from the city street through a window. Her presence goes unnoticed in the darkness and among the other curious bystanders. She then slips away in the rain, alone but triumphant in having arranged her daughter's happiness.
Cast
* Barbara Stanwyck as Stella (Martin) Dallas
* John Boles as Stephen Dallas
* Anne Shirley as Laurel Dallas
* Barbara O'Neil as Helen (Morrison) Dallas
* Alan Hale as Ed Munn
* Marjorie Main as Mrs. Martin, Stella's mother
* Tim Holt as Richard Grosvenor III
* George Walcott as Charlie Martin
* Lillian Yarbo as Gladys (uncredited)
Production
Tim Holt, the son of Jack Holt, had his first proper part in a film with 'Stella Dallas'. He played the same role that was performed by another film star's son, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., in the 1925 version.
Reception and accolades
At the 1938 Academy Awards, Barbara Stanwyck was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role and Anne Shirley was nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.
Stella Dallas was nominated for the American Film Institute's 2003 list AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains. It is considered one of Stanwyck's signature roles.Roger Ebert [https://www.rogerebert.com/features/on-barbara-stanwyck Utterly Modern: The Charisma of Barbara Stanwyck]
The film holds an 89% approval rate at Rotten Tomatoes.Rotten Tomatoes [https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/stella_dallas Stella Dallas (1937)] The ending and performances were praised by Classic Film Guide.[http://www.classicfilmguide.com/indexa84f.html Stella Dallas (1937)] 'Time Out' also praised Stanwyck and said that "[she] keeps open the cleft between weepy pathos and mocking defiance to the very end."[https://www.timeout.com/movies/stella-dallas Stella Dallas] TV Guide gave the film 4 out of 5 stars and praised the lead, saying that "Stanwyck emanated frustration channeled into maternal martyrdom, but without an ounce of self-pity."[https://www.tvguide.com/movies/stella-dallas/review/118881/ Stella Dallas - Movie Reviews] In its original review, 'Variety' also praised the film, but pointed out some inconsistencies, such as the fact that the mother and daughter are both wearing clothes made by Stanwyck's character, but the daughter is always dressed in good taste, while the mother isn't.[https://variety.com/1936/film/reviews/stella-dallas-2-1117795193/ Stella Dallas - Variety] 'Maclean's' was also critical of how exaggerated the outfits worn by Stella were, but praised the story for being relevant for any decade and concluded that "the picture is handled with honesty, restraint and feeling."[https://archive.macleans.ca/article/1937/10/1/shots-and-angles Shots and Angles | October 1, 1937]
'Newport This Week' mentioned that "[the film] should have earned an Oscar for Barbara Stanwyck in 1937 for what is arguably her finest performance."[https://www.newportthisweek.com/articles/remember-these-movie-mamas-on-mothers-day/] Remember These Movie Mamas on Mothers Day 'The Dissolve' was also impressed with the lead's performance, and mentioned that, unlike many other melodramas of the era, "'Stella Dallas' earns the copious tears it jerks".[http://thedissolve.com/reviews/449-stella-dallas/ Stella Dallas / The Dissolve]
References
Further reading
* Williams, Linda. "'Something Else besides a Mother': 'Stella Dallas' and the Maternal Melodrama," 'Cinema Journal' Vol. 24, No. 1 (Autumn, 1984), pp. 227 [https://www.jstor.org/stable/1225306 in JSTOR]
* Stevenson, Diane. "Three Versions of 'Stella Dallas'" for Jeffrey Crouse (editor), 'Film International', Issue 54, Volume, 9. Number 6 (2011), pp. 3040.
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