Review of Stella Dallas (1937) by Shari L — 21 Jul 2007

Unfairly passed off as typical Hollywood sentimentality, however, few Hollywood films from the era have hit me as squarely and unflinchingly in the emotional gut as this one. It is the story of a relationship that never should have happened and the daughter that gets stuck in the middle.

Stella and Stephen are on completely different planets (they even articulate as much to each other as they stroll down the sidewalk) yet they somehow think that once they are together their differences will reconcile themselves.

Of course, things are never as good as those naive days before the marriage. Vidor, a master of vignettes, fills each moment with fascinating (and subtle) mise-en-scene - the most amazing of which is the scene after the swanky dinner, when "Stephen's heart" is pleading with Stella (via the mirror's reflection).

The whole film is heart-wrenching drama hidden behind a facade of smiles and niceties. And, of course, there's also Barbara Stanwyck.