Stella Dallas (United Artists, 1937) (1937)

PUBLICITY Samuel Goldwyn^s ^^Stella Dallas’^ Due With Barbara Stanwyck in Title Role Strong Cast Headed by John Boles Includes Anne Shirley Alan Hale, Barbara O’Neil and Tim Holt John Boles and Barbara Stanwyck in “Stella Dallas,’* 11—One-Col. Scene (Mat .10; Cut .25) Barbara Stanwyck Chosen from Among 48 Tests for ‘Dallas’ (ADVANCE FEATURE) When Samuel Goldwyn assem¬ bled the cast for the production of “Stella Dallas,” which is the at¬ traction at the • _• • • Theatre be¬ ginning . . . his choice for the title role of “Stella Dallas” was only made after viewing numerous candidates for the coveted role. Forty-eight different screen tests were made, which included actresses famous in Hollywood and New York, as well as unknowns from stock companies throughout the country. Not only does the entire story revolve around and depend on the characterization of “Stella Dallas,” but the role is one of the most difficult to play, showing tlie woman’s moral fiber and character gradually breaking down as the plot unfolds. The screen tests were made in an unusual manner, being equiv¬ alent to “shorts” in length. Gold¬ wyn instructed Director King Vidor to test the various candi¬ dates in four different phases of the screen play. Then the film was edited into what corresponded to a regular “short” subject, and Mr. Goldwyn and his executive staff spent five hours in the pro¬ jection room reviewing each dif¬ ferent “short.” Miss Stanwyck’s interpretation won her the role, and those who have seen her portrayal of the poignant and tensely dramatic theme agree that she reaches supreme heighs of histrionic ex¬ pression. (ADVANCE READER) The Samuel Goldwyn production of “Stella Dallas,” with Bar¬ bara Stanwyck in the title role, the next attraction at the ... . Theatre, beginning- . . . ., is a tense drama of a mother who sac¬ rifices her own right to happiness for the sake of her daughter. It gives Miss Stanwyck the strongest role in her entire career and one which was coveted by every leading actress in Holly¬ wood. "■ Co-starred with Miss Stanwyck is John Boles with a distin¬ guished sup¬ porting cast, including Anne Shirley, Alan Hale, Barbara O’Neil, A 1 Shean of the famous team of Gallagher and Shean and Tim Holt, son of Jack Holt. “Stella Dal¬ las” is with¬ out doubt one of the most Barbara Stanwyck in “Stella Dallas,” 13 — Thumbnail (Mat .10; Cut .25) poignant and gripping stories ever to be filmed. It was originally a best-selling novel by Olive Hig¬ gins Prouty, later a success on the Broadway stage and as a silent picture produced by Goldwyn twelve years ago, scored a sensa¬ tional hit. It brought to attention such stars as Constance Bennett, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., who played his first adult role in the production, Lois Moran and Alice Joyce. Ronald Colman, whose picture career had just started, leaped to box-office prominence, and Belle Bennett, in the characterization of the mother, was catapulted from obscurity into the star class by her performance. In the new sound version Mr. Goldwyn has utilized every facility of his tremendous production re¬ sources in the creation of what is regarded as one of the more im¬ portant pictures of the current season. Two of filmland’s finest writers, Sarah Mason and Victor Heerman, prepared the script, and the direction was in the hands of King Vidor, who made “Street Scene” for Mr. Goldwyn as well as a succession of other smash hits. “Stella Dallas” is released through United Artists. TH€ STORY W HEN his father, faced with financial ruin, commits suicide, Stephen Dallas decides to start again in a distant city. Even Helen Dales, the girl who loves him, cannot induce him to stay. He secures employment in a textile mill in Milhampton, Mass., and eventually becomes assistant to the owner, Mr. Lieber. He reads of Helen Dale’s marriage to Cornelius Morrison and consoles him¬ self with the companionship of Stella Martin, the pretty daughter of a mill hand. Despite their social inequality he marries her. Within a year she has a baby and although she worships the child, Stephen is acutely conscious of her essential vulgarity and coarseness, and resents her friendship for Ed Munn, a race track tout. Stephen progresses in his business and is transferred to New York. He only comes home occasionally and then to see his daughter. Years pass and Stephen and Stella are permanently separated. Laurel goes to school near Boston and visits her father period¬ ically. Meanwhile Stephen again meets Helen, who is now a widow, and the spark of their love is rekindled. Her mother’s boisterous conduct with Ed Munn makes it difficult for Laurel to keep her young friends and when she visits Mrs. Morrison on her summer vacation and tells of the fine times she has, her mother is fearful that Stephen and Mrs. Morrison are planning to wean Laurel away from her. She refuses to give Stephen his freedom when he asks for it, and attempts to provide better surroundings and companionship by taking Laurel to a fash¬ ionable resort. Here Laurel meets Dick Grosvenor who is imme¬ diately attracted to her. His folks are anxious to meet Mrs. Dallas and Stella prepares for the introductions that evening, while Laurel and Dick go off for the afternoon. When she returns Laurel is humiliated to find that her mother is an object of ridicule in the community. Heartbroken Laurel insists that they return home. That night on the train Stella Dallas overhears a conversation that reveals the truth about her¬ self. She goes to Helen and offers to divorce Stephen so that he and Helen can make a home for Laurel. When Laurel learns after her father’s marriage that she is to live with them, she tells her father she would never consider leav¬ ing her mother. When she is told it is her mother’s idea. Laurel realizes that Stella is deliberately sacrificing herself, and nothing can keep her from going back to her. Stella, however, makes a final sacrifice and finding Ed Munn, who is no-w a drunken bum, she gives him money and brings him to the house. When Laurel comes in she greets her daughter airily wearing her most flamboyant outfit. In the morning she is gone. The note she leaves for Laurel tells her that she is going to marry Ed Mvmn and go to South America. As Laurel’s wedding day arrives the only cloud to dim her happiness is that she hasn’t heard from her mother. The house is filled with flowers and wedding guests, congratulating Laurel and Dick Grosvenor, the bridegroom. Outside in the rain, a drab figure peers into the brilliantly lighted room. It is Stella Dallas. “Little Women” and “The Mag¬ nificent Obsession.” “Stella Dallas,” in its 1925 ver¬ sion, brought to fame Belle Ben¬ nett, Ronald Colman, Alice Joyce, Lois Moran, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., and many others. It was one of the biggest smash hits of the screen at that time. The current sound version will benefit by the tremendous strides in production which have been made during the past twelve years and advance reports indicate that “Stella Dallas” will establish a new high for entertainment values during the 1937-38 season. It is released through United Artists. THE BEGINNING OF ROMANCE Barbara Stanwyck, mill girl, and John Boles, socialite, find that love knows no distinction, in this scene from Samuel Goldwyn’s dramatic pro¬ duction, “Stella Dallas,” coming to the .... Theatre, 6 —Two-Col. Scene (Mat .20; Cut .50) Barbara Stanwyck Enacts Drama Not Included in Movie Script Star’s Gameness Saves Anne Shirley and Averts Near Tragedy While Shooting “Stella Dallas” (ADVANCE Barbara Stanwyck narrowly es¬ caped serious injury during the filming of “Stella Dallas,” the Samuel Goldwyn production to be shown at the .... Theatre begin¬ ning . . . ., when her favorite rid¬ ing horse, “Buck,” stumbled into a gopher-hole, threw her and fell heavily across her body. Although her legs were severely bruised and her right arm badly wrenched. Miss Stanwyck refused to remain in bed and reported for work on the “Stella Dallas” set. However, following her return to work, she again became in¬ volved in a near-tragedy and de¬ spite her hampered condition, be¬ cause of her bruises, was the means of saving Anne Shirley, co¬ actress with her in “Stella Dallas,” from another mishap. The fall from the horse occurred on Miss Stanwyck’s San Fer¬ nando Valley ranch when she, and her guests, Robert Taylor and Marion and Zeppo Marx, were riding the mountain trails. Taylor and Mr. and Mrs. Marx were shocked at the possible seri¬ ous injury to _Miss Stanwyck and called a physician who bandaged her bruises and recommended re- rnaining in bed. But the star in¬ sisted on returning to work. As chances would have it, the schedule of “Stella Dallas” that day called for Miss Stanwyck to run alongside a train on location at the Santa Fe station in down¬ town Los Angeles. Limping and FEATURE) carrying a cane, the star discarded them for the work before the camera, despite her pain. In the scene she is supposed to be holding onto Anne Shirley’s hand as the latter leaves on the train, running alongside to say a long last farewell, very tearfully. The tears came easy because Miss Stanwyck’s efforts at running hurt so much, but as the train started a sudden jerk almost threw Anne off the steps. Running rapidly. Miss Stanwyck was able to, hold the younger girl on the steps un^l a porter was able to assist Miss“**^ Shirley to safety. Incidentally, this little off stage drama in which Barbara Stanwyck saves Anne Shirley from mishap is somewhat paralleled on the screen inasmuch as Miss Stanwyck, who portrays the mother, “Stella Dal¬ las,” sacrifices herself to insure the happiness of her daughter, who is played by Anne Shirley. “Stella Dallas” is an intensely dramatic glorification of mother love from the pen of Olive Higgins Prouty. The screen play was writ¬ ten by Sarah Mason and Victor Heerman. King Vidor directed. The cast is an unusually strong one with John Boles co-starred opposite Miss Stanwyck. Other members of the cast in addition to Anne Shirley are Alan Hale, Bar¬ bara O’Neil, A1 Shean of the famous team of Gallagher and Shean, and Tim Holt. It is re¬ leased through United Artists. POIGNANT DRAMA IN "STELLA DALLAS' Realization that she is standing in the way of her daughter’s happiness inspires Barbara Stanwyck to a magnificent sacrifice in this poignant scene with Anne Shirley in the Samuel Goldwyn production, “Stella Dallas,” now showing at the .... Theatre, 5—Two-Col. Scene (Mat .20; Cut .50)