Directed by King Vidor
Screenplay by Sarah Y. Mason and Victor Heerman & Joe Bigelow
"Dramatization" by Harry Wagstaff Gribble and Gertrude Purcell
Based on the novel by Olive Higgins Prouty
Stars: Barbara Stanwyck, Anna Shirley, John Boles, Alan Hale, Barbara O'Neil, Marjorie Main, George Walcott, and Tim Holt
There are endless thoughts going through my head during the day. I was thinking about the movie, Camp when one of the characters said that they wanted to be like Stella Dallas. I needed to find out who she is.
Taking place in Massachusetts, a headstrong, independent woman, Stella (Stanwyck) marries Stephen Dallas (Boles). Stephen wants to have a traditional wife that stays home and be obedient. Stella doesn't want that. She wants to have her fun. When Stephen is called away for business in NYC, their marriage deteriorates. Now, Stella wants to provide everything she can for her daughter, Laurel (Shirley).
I had an epiphany while I was watching the movie. There is this inherent aversion of sentimentality. The style of acting does not click with me. When characters go, "Oh, my look at this. Mother? Father?" I cannot handle it. I am checked out. I was checked out of this movie. I did not care what happened. I was bored.
Was Barbara Stanwyck being fabulous? Yes. I applaud her for that. She got a Best Actress Oscar nomination for good measure. Other than that, I cannot deal with sentimentality. I had the same problems with Gone with the Wind or Terms of Endearment. I hated those movies with over-the-top sentimentality.
Rating: 3/10
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