In the '30s, musicals glorifying rich people dominated Hollywood; "Stella Dallas" turned that genre on its head. Stella Martin (Barbara Stanwyck) comes from the working class and is as unrefined as can be. She decides to get out of that life by marrying very wealthy Stephen Dallas (John Boles). They have a daughter, Laurel (Anne Shirley), but then Stella and Stephen begin to drift apart from each other. As Stella refuses to adapt to the rich lifestyle, she decides to sacrifice everything so that Laurel may live a better life.
Watching the movie, I can see why producer Samuel Goldwyn cried when he saw it. The top-notch acting from all the cast members, and the excellent use of cinematography, make this a movie meriting all forms of accolades. It is a perfect movie in every way, shape and form. Above all, it shows what a great actress Barbara Stanwyck was. Few movies have ever been as great as "Stella Dallas".
Watching the movie, I can see why producer Samuel Goldwyn cried when he saw it. The top-notch acting from all the cast members, and the excellent use of cinematography, make this a movie meriting all forms of accolades. It is a perfect movie in every way, shape and form. Above all, it shows what a great actress Barbara Stanwyck was. Few movies have ever been as great as "Stella Dallas".