| Starring Miss Barbara Stanwyck: Stella Dallas(cont.) |
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| Alan Hale, Barbara Stanwyck |
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| Stella Dallas 1937. United Artists |
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| Barbara Stanwyck, Anne Shirley |
| Stella Dallas is a film full of incredibly touching moments, all beautifully handled by the cast. Nevertheless, It is Stanwyck's film from beginning to end. Her characterization of Stella is complete. She turned herself over willingly to designer Omar Kiam, who rebuilt her completely, padding everything down and including her legs. Rather than rely on wigs most of the time, she had her own hair styled in the frizzled, blowzy look necessary and even allowed cotton to be stuffed into cheeks when necessary. All of this helped her turn in an incredibly believable performance. |
| {New York Times}: *Miss Stanwyck's portrayal is as courageous as it is fine. Ignoring the flattery of make-up man and camera, she plays Stella as Mrs. Prouty drew her -- coarse, cheap, common, given to sleazy dresses, to undulations in her walk, to fatty degeneration of the profile. And yet magnificent as a mother.* [ New York Herald Tribune]: * Miss Stanwyck's Stella is more restrained and credible than Belle Bennett"s in the silent version. She gives an underlying strength to a weak, fatuous woman that makes the portrayal vividly sympathetic and lends needed motivation to the tale. It is her best acting in years* Other reviews followed suit. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences seemed to agree because when the nominations for 1937 were announced, Barbara's name was among them, along with Irene Dunne ( |
| (The Awful truth) , Greta Garbo (Camille), Janet Gaynor (A star is born),and Luise Rainer ( The good earth) Further admiration for the film was shown by the Academy's nomination of Anne Shirley in the supporting actress category Although the competition was tough, Standwyck was the favorite with the press and she was optimistic about her chances to win. |
| She attended the ceremonies at the Biltmore Hotel on March 10, 1938 with Robert Taylor. Disappointment came early in the evening when Anne Shirley lost to Alice Brady ( for Old Chicago) This was followed by Luise Rainer's triumph fot "The Good earth" . Rainer had won the year before for "The great Ziegfeld" and was so sure she wouldn't win again that she hadn't even shown up for the ceremony. Stanwyck was heartbroken and regretted the loss for years,commenting:" My life's blood was in that picture. I should have won" |
| Barbara Stanwyck,( The wedding scene at the end) |
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