Barbara Stanwyck always kept herself in great shape, except in this movie. Does anyone know if she pregnant when it was filmed?
shareI don't think so.I've heard she has to gain weight for this role.Anyway,she was fantastic.
shareshe was as brilliant as usual, her natural talent made her perform with such an exceptional shine. Thanks.
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Barbara believed in getting to the hearts of her roles. For Stella Dallas she wore padding so she could play the rough, out of shape Stella who jiggled without her corset. She also bleached her hair for the first time because Stella was always fiddling with her hair and Babs thought a wig would look phony
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In her fine book on Barbara Stanwyck, author Ella Smith gives a great analysis of all of Stanwyck's work. Barbara indeed wore padding for "Stella". Her performance as Stella Dallas should have won her the Academy Award...it is one of the finest pieces of acting ever put on the Screen. She was incredible!
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Ms. Stanwyck did both as she transitioned through the role and time. Putting on extra weight and using padding in her latter stages. This progressed during the filming. Look how slim she is in the earlist sequences to the time when she was in her super floozy gig towards the end of the picture.
The one (1) thing that we could never figure out is Stella's fashion sense. She would make sure that her daughter was fashionably dressed (for mid 1930's standards). For herself though would present the image a lamp post leaner. In a scene at Christmas when Mr. Dallas shows up she quickly changes a cheap looking outfit into a more classic fashion in minutes and looks far better. Some sequences are like watching WHAT NOT TO WEAR in reverse. This is especially so at the Country Club vacation that Laurel and Stella takes. Laurel is appropriately dressed for the setting, Stella comes out all Bangles and Beads. All we would need is Bob Hope singing in the backround.
Because Stella has no breeding. Coming from a low background, she never had the chance, the opportunity to dress what she wanted to dress... until she married Mr. Dallas, who's loaded. Because of her poor breeding, she does not know when she's being rude or rowdy to other people (much to their annoyance) and that during the country club scene, she probably got carried away with herself that she wanted to wear everything.... as in EVERYTHING... to make her look good, only to lead to embarassment. Having a soft spot for her daughter, she has no choice but to make sacrifices for her child... showing another side of Stella --- the mother in her.
Stanwyck said she liked the role very much (her favorite actually) because it is the most challenging. She had to play two characters --- the low and ungrateful Stella, and the warm and loving Stella. A role worth the Academy Awards if in my opinion.
We believe she was nominated and also Anne Shirley. We can tell you enjoyed the film as much as we did. Would like to see the silent version if it still exists.
shareMy opinion also....
She must have felt so bad not winning the Oscar. I think she so deserved it for her role in Stella Dallas...
Actually, there is the part in the film where she is making the daughter's birthday dress and wants to add MORE and the daughter wants it plain. And there is the part where the daughter tells her she doesn't want a fur coat. She alters her own dress when Mr. Dallas shows up because she KNOWS that he believes that LESS IS MORE (like the daughter) and there is a part of her that wants him to think well of her. But, when left to her own devices, she can't help being drawn to tacky baubles and garish ensembles. She can't help herself. She has no sense of style or good taste (and why would she - her mother is Marjorie Main for goodness sakes). She knows, deep down in her heart, that her daughter is right, but (probably due to her deprived upbringing), she can't stop thinking that MORE is better.
Just like so many people in real life.
babybates; Just picked up the film on sale at www.oldies.com.
shareHer outfits reminded me of Davis' in "Whatever Happened To Baby Jane ?" ... the bows, the 'look' etc. IIRC, this movie was made during the era in which 'Baby Jane' supposedly grew up in and became famous.
shareIronman54; Right and they had that same cheapo tackiness! The best was at the Country Club Resort. All the bangles, beads and clanking bracelets! A 'Flee Market' of accessories in high heels!
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My understanding was that she gained weight for the part. She was known for being a very dedicated actress and I could see her doing what she felt she needed to for a role. I saw this movie when I was a teenager and I was really moved by her performance. There are many that say it is over the top but most performances in older movies need to be considered in relation to what was popular at the time. Many movies were originated as stage plays at that time as now we usually have movies written as screen plays. There is a different feel to them. I myself love movies of every era and the old black and white tearjerkers like Stella Dallas have a special place in my heart. I can't see just blowing them off because what we have now is totally different.
"Mr Corleone is a man who insists on hearing bad news at once."
As they always say---"They don't make movies like they used to". Today's stuff is mostly CRAP!
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