If you are a regular reader, you know that Turner Classic Movies is one of my favorite TV channels. TCM showcases great movies from all eras, and it has given me a real appreciation of some terrific stars who, while I knew who they were, I wasn't all that familiar with much of their body of work. Foremost among such stars has been Barbara Stanwyck. Seeing her in such movies as "Sorry, Wrong Number", "The Lady Eve", "Ball of Fire", and, of course, the fabulous "Double Indemnity", well, this is a great actress at work.
Anyway, this past weekend, thanks to TCM and our DVR, I watched the 26 year old Stanwyck in the movie "Baby Face". This movie was made in 1933, prior to Hollywood's self-imposed "production code" that limited what types of portrayals could be made in regard to sexual content and other issues regarding morality (who should be the judge of such "morality" is a whole other issue).
"Baby Face" concerns a young girl, Lily Powers, played by Stanwyck, who leads a terrible life in an industrial town, working in her father's illegal speakeasy. Not only does she have to serve booze to a bunch of rowdy drunks, her father pimps her out to influential men to help pay the bills and keep the place open.
When her father is killed in an accident, Lily leaves town, heads for New York, and vows to make a better life for herself, and she uses her, shall we say, feminine charms to get what she wants. This alternate poster for the movie gives you and idea of the story line:
How her rise to power and position within the bank for which she works is depicted makes for some great movie making, although it does settle for an ending that is close to being a cop-out.
What can I say, Stanwyck is gorgeous, devious, and very sexy in this movie.
"Baby Face" doesn't often show up on TCM, but it is well worth seeing if you ever get the chance.
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