Category Archives: Barbara Stanwyck
Ladies of Leisure (1930)
The 1930 Frank Capra film Ladies of Leisure stars a very young Barbara Stanwyck as tough, independent party girl Kay Arnold. It’s New Year’s Eve in New York, and it may be Prohibition, but that certainly doesn’t stop the booze from flowing at … Continue reading →
Filed under American, Barbara Stanwyck
Tagged as 30s film, based on play, golddiggers
The Gay Sisters (1942)
“Let that be a lesson to you not to go driving around the county deceiving strange men.” After the death of his wife on the Lusitania, wealthy New-Yorker Penn Sutherland Gaylord (Donald Woods) decides to ‘do’ something and goes off … Continue reading →
Filed under American, Barbara Stanwyck
Tagged as based on book, inheritance, orphans, sisters, WWI
Forbidden (1932)
“You’re poison to me. Poison. I wish I’d never met you!” The Frank Capra pre-code film Forbidden examines a love affair between a single career girl and a politician. Yes, the story of the backstreet love affair has been done a million times, but … Continue reading →
Shopworn (1932)
“Your thoughts are just like your kitchen … DIRTY” A very young Barbara Stanwyck shines in Shopworn, a dreary little drama that doesn’t have a great deal to recommend it. The film begins rather abruptly with an accident that claims … Continue reading →
Clash By Night (1952)
“People have funny things swimming around inside them.” In the film Clash By Night Mae Doyle (Barbara Stanwyck) returns home after a ten-year absence to a small coastal fishing town in California. Her brother, Joe, doesn’t ask too many questions–he … Continue reading →
Filed under Barbara Stanwyck, Film Noir, Marilyn Monroe
Tagged as 50s film, Film Noir, miserable marriages
The Strange Loves of Martha Ivers (1946)
“Don’t look back, baby. Don’t ever look back.” Young Martha Ivers shares a terrible secret with her two childhood friends, Sam Masterson and Walter O’Neil concerning the death of her Aunt. Years pass, and Martha (Barbara Stanwyck) is now married … Continue reading →
Filed under Barbara Stanwyck, Film Noir, Lizabeth Scott
Tagged as 40s film, delinquent dames, Film Noir
Crime of Passion (1957)
“I hope all your socks have holes in them.” In the film Crime of Passion, tough, successful career woman Kathy Ferguson (Barbara Stanwyck) abandons her newspaper column and a prestigious new job to marry LA police detective Bill Doyle (Sterling … Continue reading →
Filed under Barbara Stanwyck, Film Noir
Tagged as 50s film, delinquent dames, Film Noir, housewives from hell, miserable marriages
Lady of Burlesque (1943)
“Makes me want to leave the wife.” Dixie Daisy (Barbara Stanwyck) is the hot new number in a burlesque show. As Dixie, Barbara Stanwyck wears a see through sarong and performs the song Take it off the E string, put … Continue reading →
His Brother’s Wife (1936)
“Decent women don’t wreck us.” In this 1936 film, Robert Taylor stars as Chris Claybourne (Robert Taylor), the black sheep of a highly respectable, New York based family. His brother Tom (John Eldredge) is a successful physician, and his father … Continue reading →
Filed under Barbara Stanwyck
Baby Face (1933)
“Yeah, I’m a tramp, and who’s to blame?” The marvelous Barbara Stanwyck stars as gold-digger Lily Powers in the pre-Hayes code film, Baby Face. Lily is raised in a depressingly poor and grimy mill town. Her father runs an unofficial … Continue reading →
Filed under Barbara Stanwyck
Tagged as 30s, ambition, golddiggers, new york, pre-code
