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As much as I love Barbara Stanwyck, I’m surprised to be disappointed by her first of four Oscar-nominated performances. Stanwyck plays the title character in Stella Dallas, a woman from a poor family who ingratiates herself to a wealthier man (John Boles) and marries him. They pop out a kid, and suddenly she’s flirting with other, even wealthier men to climb up the social hierarchy. Stella’s not a nice woman, but the film seems to expect that we’ll still be on her side as long as she’s trying to provide a better life for her daughter. This may have worked for 1930s audiences, but it doesn’t work in the 2020s. John Boles is really likable in this movie, so when she treats him like crap, we hate her for it.
Stella’s a bit more likable in the second half of the movie, after she and Boles are estranged and their nearly grown-up daughter is played by Anne Shirley. At first I thought the daughter was doomed to follow in the footsteps of Mildred Pierce‘s daughter. Fortunately, Shirley’s character isn’t a spoiled brat — she’s a sweet, grateful young lady who doesn’t want to leave her mother, even though living with her father could give her a better entrance to ‘fine society’. Stella even goes so far as to lie to Shirley — telling her she’s marrying a handsy drunk (Alan Hale) and moving to South America — just to push Shirley out of the nest and into her father’s mansion. Heartbroken, Shirley takes the bait and returns to her father… for her own good?
I try to watch movies under the social and historical context in which they were made, but Stella Dallas is a hard one for me. Class warfare plays out much differently today than it did ninety years ago. Succumbing to it apparently made for a poignant ending back then. Today, Stella’s sacrifice is overshadowed by her shallowness and infidelity.
Directed by King Vidor. With Barbara O’Neil, Marjorie Main, George Walcott, and Tim Holt.
Oscar Nominations: Best Actress (Stanwyck), Best Supporting Actress (Shirley)