This Stanwick picture came up on late night BBC2, and I'm not too proud to admit that I was one of those who had been unaware of its existence. Not having a TV guide at hand, I logged onto IMDb to check the details - and failed to find it first time around. Reason? I only bothered checking the movies for the 1930s, so convinced was I that this film could not possibly have been made in the context of a 1940s Hollywood. How wrong I was!
Barbara Stanwyck shows a different - and wholly more enjoyable side - than one might usually ascribe to her screen performances. Her talent in this film showcases a breadth of performance art, if it is somewhat lacking on depth.
Just about every review of this picture has a line or two about Stanwyck's legs. They have been described as "...the primary attraction..." Yes, at 36 years old, I have to admit that her legs really are show stoppers, only adding to the fact that this motion picture is a Stanwyck vehicle. The same review mentions her "...sparkling eyes, world-weary intonations and exaggerated movements..." and I would add that she comes across rather Dietrich-like. Stanwyck always had a rather porcelain, fragile-feminine on-screen presence, however, even in her most robust parts. This tends to give her a rather artificial screen appearance, even at her finest acting moments. She never quite gets beyond what of course in reality she is doing: acting for the American mass audience (including many G.I.s no doubt around the world, since this was released after the USA entered the WWII.)
Another review mentions the similarities to "The Blue Angel", and it really is worth a comparison of these two pictures - especially the treatment of two lead female parts - even if the earlier "The Blue Angel" is by far the more commanding work. For a different reason, the film stands comparison to "Stage Door" but the Stanwyck picture looses out in the dialogue department - "Stage Door" - a much earlier film - crackles with dialogue, whereas this picture goes for the more visual approach to see just what it can pass by the Hayes Production code censors, it seems.
It really is this last point that made me convinced that this picture was 1930s Hollwood output, rather than from 1943. The censors must have been asleep during this picture, as I can't think of a picture from the same era, (despite Jane Russell), that gets away with showing so much girlie flesh. (Unfortunately, since the print was so poor, it also had the image quality of a 1930s release.)
In all, a fairly important, very interesting, under-viewed and useful picture for film historians and media students especially, even if, in the end, the work has little to offer by way of redeeming features. A good one to examine in the light of the studio system and the Production Code, also a great discussion starter for film students. For those considering the development of the soap opera genre, again this film is one of many that should be studied. When looking a film which, in this case, is well over sixty-years old, questions of social treatment and cultural context arise. With the overt sex-industry context of this film, the obvious question is: "How would Hollywood have had done it today?" My answer, "Without question, with a lot less taste, and with a far inferior end result.
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A note - primarily to myself - about the Princess Nervina prima donna character. I have a hunch I know who the character may have been based upon, but I really need to read the book and do more research first. If I find any connections, I'll update this review accordingly or start a thread in the forum section.
Barbara Stanwyck shows a different - and wholly more enjoyable side - than one might usually ascribe to her screen performances. Her talent in this film showcases a breadth of performance art, if it is somewhat lacking on depth.
Just about every review of this picture has a line or two about Stanwyck's legs. They have been described as "...the primary attraction..." Yes, at 36 years old, I have to admit that her legs really are show stoppers, only adding to the fact that this motion picture is a Stanwyck vehicle. The same review mentions her "...sparkling eyes, world-weary intonations and exaggerated movements..." and I would add that she comes across rather Dietrich-like. Stanwyck always had a rather porcelain, fragile-feminine on-screen presence, however, even in her most robust parts. This tends to give her a rather artificial screen appearance, even at her finest acting moments. She never quite gets beyond what of course in reality she is doing: acting for the American mass audience (including many G.I.s no doubt around the world, since this was released after the USA entered the WWII.)
Another review mentions the similarities to "The Blue Angel", and it really is worth a comparison of these two pictures - especially the treatment of two lead female parts - even if the earlier "The Blue Angel" is by far the more commanding work. For a different reason, the film stands comparison to "Stage Door" but the Stanwyck picture looses out in the dialogue department - "Stage Door" - a much earlier film - crackles with dialogue, whereas this picture goes for the more visual approach to see just what it can pass by the Hayes Production code censors, it seems.
It really is this last point that made me convinced that this picture was 1930s Hollwood output, rather than from 1943. The censors must have been asleep during this picture, as I can't think of a picture from the same era, (despite Jane Russell), that gets away with showing so much girlie flesh. (Unfortunately, since the print was so poor, it also had the image quality of a 1930s release.)
In all, a fairly important, very interesting, under-viewed and useful picture for film historians and media students especially, even if, in the end, the work has little to offer by way of redeeming features. A good one to examine in the light of the studio system and the Production Code, also a great discussion starter for film students. For those considering the development of the soap opera genre, again this film is one of many that should be studied. When looking a film which, in this case, is well over sixty-years old, questions of social treatment and cultural context arise. With the overt sex-industry context of this film, the obvious question is: "How would Hollywood have had done it today?" My answer, "Without question, with a lot less taste, and with a far inferior end result.
---
A note - primarily to myself - about the Princess Nervina prima donna character. I have a hunch I know who the character may have been based upon, but I really need to read the book and do more research first. If I find any connections, I'll update this review accordingly or start a thread in the forum section.