Barbara Stanwyck

[Ray]

Happy New Year to you too, Ray. You've made this Barbara Stanwyck thread into an amazing history of her films, with wonderful information and photos. You're a walking encyclopedia on Barbara.

All best,

Barbara

Thanks Barbara,

It has been a labour of love, and I never get over the thrill of finding new material, especially those "artistic poses". even after over 65 years of collecting.

I have just finished reading "Sitting Pretty", the biography of Clifton Webb, and like almost everyone, he said that she was a joy to work with. Here they are on and off the set of "Titanic".

[theuofc]

Thanks Barbara,

It has been a labour of love, and I never get over the thrill of finding new material, especially those "artistic poses". even after over 65 years of collecting.

I have just finished reading "Sitting Pretty", the biography of Clifton Webb, and like almost everyone, he said that she was a joy to work with. Here they are on and off the set of "Titanic".

I always liked Clifton Webb on screen. If I had the time, I'd set up a thread for him. He was magic on screen with Barbara.

Cheers,

Barbara

[theuofc]

Hi, Ray,

You probably have this pic, but just in case. I ran across it last night: Barbara and Bob at a dinner in Hollywood, 1943, for Madame Chiang Kai-shek who, among comments on the war, urged movie makers to present a more realistic picture of China and the Chinese (hint! use Chinese actors).

All best,

Barbara


Life, August 1943:

[Ray]

Thanks Barbara, Yes,I did have it, I now have over 300 photo's of the pair of them from the 1930's, '40's, '50's, and 60's.

Surprisingly, I am still finding photo's of them that are new to me, here is the latest, another wedding day photo to add to my collection.

[Ray]

As far as I know, this is the only existing photo of Barbara in her very first film, Broadway Nights.

She was just 20 years old, but easily recognisable on the right hand side of the photo.

It was her only silent film, Sylvia Sidney made her debut in it, and Ann Sothern also appeared, playing a chorus girl

This was filmed in New York in 1927 while she was starring in her first Broadway hit, The Noose, and the only one of her 88 films that I don't have.

[Ray]

As I have mentioned Barbara's first film I thought that I would gradually go through them one by one, giving an honest review of each of them.

With a career that lasted so long there had to be a few stinkers along the way, but there were also some great films which displayed her amazing range and versatility.

Her first talkie, The Locked Door definitely comes under the stinker category, and she was always the first to say, "tbey never should've unlocked the damned thing!"

She later elaborated on that statement by saying, "Nobody trained me for the movies. In the theatre I had to reach the guys in the balcony and my arms and legs were stretched to accomodate the size of the stage. But on a small movie set my voice was shrill and my walk was awkward, I was lost. Who the hell was going to teach me the ropes in this dizzy town?"

It is facinating to watch the stiff awkward newcomer in her first Hollywood film, this was far more Ruby Stevens from Brooklyn, than the glamorous, self assured star that she became. She still had to suffer another stinker before she was rescued by an up and coming director the following year.

[theuofc]

Thanks Barbara, Yes,I did have it, I now have over 300 photo's of the pair of them from the 1930's, '40's, '50's, and 60's.

Surprisingly, I am still finding photo's of them that are new to me, here is the latest, another wedding day photo to add to my collection.

I thought you might have that Life pic of her with Bob, but I hated to let one pass just in case. Over the years, you've lovingly collected thousands and thousands of Barbara photos so they won't be lost with time.


Note: I'm cheered to see two Blu-rays being released: Titanic, region B/2, on the 2nd of April and Strange Love of Martha Ivers, region A/1, on the 29th of May.

Barbara

[Ray]

I don't have Blu-ray, but I do have both of those films on DVD, in fact I have two copies of Martha Ivers because I loved both of the covers, how sad is that!!

If you have blu-ray and don't have either of these films, I would certainly recomend both, they are definitely in my Top 10 of all her films.

As you may have noticed, I have set myself quite a task, I am going to review all of Barbara's 88 films over the next few months.
It will give me an excuse to show off quite a lot of my photo collection.

[Ray]

Barbara's third film Mexicai Rose, (The Girl From Mexico in the UK) was hilariously bad.

The girl from Brooklyn played a wicked Spanish senorita, slinking around with her hands on her hips. This was her first bad girl role, and the first of many occasions when she met a sticky end. It was just 60 minutes long, and it has it's curiosity value, but I would only recommend it to her most devoted fans.

[Ray]

Barbara finally got her big break in Frank Capra's, Ladies of Leisure, although initially she was not his idea of the rather tarnished heroine of his latest project.

Discouraged and withdrawn after two box office flops, she arrived in his office without makeup, plainly attired, and her manner was sullen and uncooperative. When Capra asked her to make a test for him he said that she jumped up and yelled, "Oh hell! You don't want any part of me!", and stormed out of his office. When her husband at that time, Frank Fay heard of the ill fated audition, he persuaded Capra to view a three minute Warners test that she had done from her Broadway smash hit, The Noose. He explained that his wife's negative behaviour was the result of her natural shyness, coupled with professional doldrums. Capra reluctantly viewed the test, determined to hate it, he later confessed that it put a lump in his throat the size of an egg. He insisted that Columbia head Harry Cohn sign her at once for Ladies of Leisure ,beginning a wonderful working partnership that would encompass five films, two of which would be among the milestones of her whole career.

Released in 1930, Ladies of Leisure became Columbia's greatest box office success to date. With Barbara, Capra discovered an actress of rare honesty and sensitivity. "Stanwyck doesn't act a scene," he has said, "she lives it. Her best work is the result, not of timing and rehearsing, but of pure feminine reaction." He also discovered that his new actress had a peculiar problem, her natural approach to a scene resulted in her giving everything on the first take, after which both her energy and honesty flagged. To combat this, he took to rehearsing the other actors without her, taking her aside for a brief coaching conference before she went on camera, and then capturing her performance at it's most natural and spontaneous. "She remembered everything I said," he recalled later, "and she never blew a line." As a result of Capra's care and sensitivity in working with Barbara, she turned in a performance that still looks fresh and exciting 82 years later. Capra said that the only reason that she wasn't nominated for a Best Actress Oscar was that Columbia was a very minor studio at that time. It would all change just a couple of years later when It Happened One Night swept the Oscar board.
Nevertheless, Ladies of Leisure made Barbara an important new star, and it also made Frank Capra a lifelong friend and admirer.

In the film she played a good time girl who's life is changed when she meets a wealthy artist who wants to capture her unique beauty on canvas., They fall in love, but his snobbish parents don't think that she is good enough for him, there are trials and tribulations before they are finally reconciled.

She is vibrant and full of life from her first appearance, and alternately touching as well as very funny in her scenes with Ralph Graves, her leading man.

[theuofc]

As far as I know, this is the only existing photo of Barbara in her very first film, Broadway Nights.

She was just 20 years old, but easily recognisable on the right hand side of the photo.

It was her only silent film, Sylvia Sidney made her debut in it, and Ann Sothern also appeared, playing a chorus girl

This was filmed in New York in 1927 while she was starring in her first Broadway hit, The Noose, and the only one of her 88 films that I don't have.

Love that Louise Brooks' style haircut. I wish there were more pics of BROADWAY NIGHTS, not to mention the film itself!

[theuofc]

For any members near Nashville, Tenn.- U.S., here's your chance to see Barbara's CLASH BY NIGHT (1952) on the big screen at the historic Belcourt Theatre: 21-22 January.

Barbara

[Ray]

Love that Louise Brooks' style haircut. I wish there were more pics of BROADWAY NIGHTS, not to mention the film itself!

Yes, it does look facinating, I don't know how big her role was in the film, maybe that was her only scene.

It doesn't seem possible, but Barbara died of congestive heart failure 22 years today, 20th January 1990.

It was the night of the Golden Globes, and both Angela Lansbury and Audrey Hepburn paid tribute to her at that event, as did Dorothy Lamour on CNN News, sadly, Audrey was to die on the same date just three years later. Both of their tributes can be seen on YouTube.

Barbara's death was reported on all of the UK news channels the following day, and Barry Norman paid his own tribute to her on the BBC's Film Night.

The BBC also had a weeks season of her films. How times have changed, I can't remember them even doing that for Paul Newman and Liz Taylor.

[Ray]

[QUOTE=theuofc;2053264]For any members near Nashville, Tenn.- U.S., here's your chance to see Barbara's CLASH BY NIGHT (1952) on the big screen at the historic Belcourt Theatre: 21-22 January.

Barbara[/QUOTE

I would certainly recommend Clash By Night to anyone who has never seen it. It was also the first time that Marilyn Monroe received above the title billing.

Coincidentally, I found this great off set photo today of Barbara with the twin babies who took turns playing her daughter in the film. It is a sobering though to realise those girls will celebrate their 60th birthday this year.

[Ray]

After her big success in Ladies of Leisure, Barbara starred in her first film for Warner Brothers, Illicit.

The theme was very daring for 1931, Barbara's character lives with her boy friend James Rennie, who wants to marry her.
She prefers their unconventional life style as she feels that marriage kills love, but rather than lose him she reluctantly accepts his proposal. As she predicted, after two years they are in a rut, and find relief by socializing with rowdy friends like Joan Blondell, who's character rejoices in the name of "Duckie". Their marriage is in further danger when the slick and smooth Ricardo Cortez sets his sights on our heroine. Needless to say, virtue triumphs in the end.

Barbara earned $35,000 for this film, and earned excellent reviews. Her leading man James Rennie was rather bland, and soon became a character actor, probably best remembered along with Lee Patrick, as the couple who befriend Bette Davis on the boat in Now Voyager.

Illicitt caused quite a storm, so not surprisingly Warners remade it just two years later, entitled Ex Lady, and starring a promising young lady named Bette Davis.

[Ray]

Here is another scene from Illicit, Ricardo Cortez is the other man in her life, and far more charismatic than Mr Rennie.

This was the first of three films that he and Barbara worked together.

[Ray]

For her next film, Barbara returned to Columbia for a film that was originally called Roseland, then Anybody's Girl, before they settled on the title of Ten Cents a Dance. This was the seventh, and last film directed by actor Lionel Barrymore. Unfortunately he was suffering from crippling arthritis that was eventually to confine himto a wheelchair. He was taking medication that caused him to fall asleep during the shooting, and as Barbara commented, "As a performer, you just had to try harder."

She played a dance hall hostess who knew how to handle a tough customer. "What's a guy got to do to dance with you gals?" asked one obnoxious customer, to which our heroine snarled, "All ya need is a ticket and some courage." This was typical of Barbara in these films of the early 1930's, always ready with a crack, and showing that she knew how to handle any man.

Her vunerablility occasionally surfaced, which is how she makes the mistake of marrying a weakling clerk (Monroe Owsley).
He embezzles money from his boss, Ricardo Cortez who just happened to be a customer at the dance hall, and has fallen in love with Barbara, incidentally this is the only time that she ever played a character called Barbara.
She realizes that she is married to a total loser, but borrows the money so that she can save him from jail and tells him that she wants a divorce, knowing that his boss is waiting for her.

[Ray]

Barbara was back at Warners for the first of five films with director William A. (Wild Bill) Wellman. In Night Nurse, she is ably supported by Joan Blondell as her wise cracking fellow probationer. As a young inexperienced nurse, she has a hectic few hours dealing with a drug addicted doctor, a drunken mother, a murderous chauffer, and a plot to kill two young children for their inheritance. James Cagney was originally cast to play the chauffer, but after his success in Public Enemy, the producers decided that he was now a too important a name for such a minor part. So they cast another up and coming young actor in this small but showy role.

The first time that I ever heard Barbara as herself was in 1964 on a popular Sunday afternoon radio show, Movie-Go-Round.
Every week former actor Ben Lyon would phone up a star in Hollywood to reminice about the good old days. He had plenty to talk about with Barbara as he was her leading man in Night Nurse, playing a friendly bootlegger.

Barbara said that she would never forget the day a tall dark young man walked onto the set dressed in a chauffers uniform, and all the girls in the company practically fainted. They were both impressed with his manners, and how professional he was, but Barbara commented on the fact that he was very quiet, and only spoke when spoken to, and unlike them, didn't even have a chair with his name on.

She also recalled how when it opened at the Strand Theatre on 48th Street that the posters headlined the star names, Barbara Stanwyck and Clark Gable in Night Nurse. She also remembered a few days later after the newcomer got all the best reviews, that the posters added another name to the credits - with CLARK GABLE!

I guess that the posters shown here must have been designed long before the film was released because his name is nowhere to be seen, although he gets fourth billing on the film credits.

Barbara said that she had the great pleasure of working with Gable again 20 years later when he was known as "The King", adding, "and deservedly so, Ben". They co starred in MGM's To Please a Lady, and she said that his quiet manner was exactly the same, "it hadn't changed a bit in all those years."

[Ray]

Barbara was back at Columbia for her fourth and last film of 1931, and for me it was the best of them all. In her second film with Frank Capra she played Florence Fallon, a young women bitter at the hypocrisy of her late minister father's congregation.

Not long after her fathers death, she is persuaded by a crook (Sam Hardy) to become an evangelist. David Manners play a young blind aviator who is saved from suicide when he hears her inspirational sermon on the radio. Eventually he attend one of her sermons and she even persuades him to join her in a lions cage. Although the ruthless crook tries to come between them, she realises the error of her ways and after some very dramatic events they look forward to a happy future together.

There are some very touching scenes between Barbara and David Manners who are perfectly teamed. One of the best sequences is an intimate birthday party shared by the young couple in which he tries to express his feelings for her through a ventriloquist's dummy.

[Ray]

Barbara's first film of 1932 was Forbidden, and her third with Frank Capra at Columbia.

It almost didn't happen, after Warners agreed to pay her $50,000 a picture, she asked Columbia's Harry Cohn to match that figure, he refused, and with an unusual show of temperament she refused to report for work. Cohn took her to court, although he won the suit he eventually agreed to meet her asking price.

Forbidden is pure soap, and with a plot rather similar to Back Street. Barbara plays a librarian who has an affair, and baby with a married politician, Adolphe Menjou. She gives up the child when he assures her that it will have a good home, and eventually marries newspaperman, Ralph Bellamy. Her husband find out about her early affair with Menjou who is now a District Attorney and threatens to discredit him. To save her former lover, she shoots her husband and goes to jail, she is reunited with Menjou on his deathbed, and it is a bittersweet ending.

Although only 25 years old, Barbara was totally convincing as the white haired old lady in the last scenes, and in fact looked very similar to how she looked in her last scene of The Thorn Birds, 50 years later.