The film Baby Face (1933) is contextualised within the depression, and in particular the US aspect of it. It is within the depression era US women are liberated and yet, paradoxically must get ahead by any means in a man's world, and abandon all prescribed morals. As such morality becomes open to interpretation and revision.
Such revision of morality as the film suggests, culminates in death and destruction. Accordingly the abolition of conventional morality is blamed for what in fact was caused by the implosion of a laissez faire capitalist system. Indeed, as Baby Face illustrates,the true immorality is the corrupt and avaricious bankers run by white middle class men who flaunt their wealth via superficiality and material commodities. Of course Powers (Barbara Stanwyck) is just one of those prize commodities of Courtland Tenholm (George Brent).
Such withholding of wealth from the poor, caused the deprivation of Lily Powers who was subjected to abuse by her father at his speakeasy. This has caused her to be vulnerable to a follower of the revered German philosopher, Nietzcher. This man, a humble artisan, utilises the vulnerable Powers as a protégé of Neitchian thought.
In this respect, Nietcher is put on trial as the primary cause of immorality, greed and corruption. This is, it could be argued , a mis-guided notion of Nietche's theories. The survival interpretation of Neitchian thought is a Darwinian concept, which likewise is often mis-guided as an excuse for raw capitalism to exist as a moral concept.
Therefore Baby Face illustrates Hollywood's endeavours to blame women via Neitcher for the dysfunction of a capitalist system which culminated in the 'depression' and eventually war. This begs the question as to the liberty pre-code era Hollywood afforded as suggested in The Celluloid Closset,(1995) when in fact it was the Tinstle Town moguls who shaped the viewers' concept of morality and immorality.
For example in Baby Face the moguls have approved the idea that immoral methods of survival are associated with Powers' blonde hair. As such blonde haired women have gained a questionable reputation by association.
In reference to the acting, Stanwyck gives a first rate performance as a hard boiled survivor of a man's world. Other cast members also perform well, particularly the fantastic Therasa Harris, albeit in a black stereotypical role of servant.
Such revision of morality as the film suggests, culminates in death and destruction. Accordingly the abolition of conventional morality is blamed for what in fact was caused by the implosion of a laissez faire capitalist system. Indeed, as Baby Face illustrates,the true immorality is the corrupt and avaricious bankers run by white middle class men who flaunt their wealth via superficiality and material commodities. Of course Powers (Barbara Stanwyck) is just one of those prize commodities of Courtland Tenholm (George Brent).
Such withholding of wealth from the poor, caused the deprivation of Lily Powers who was subjected to abuse by her father at his speakeasy. This has caused her to be vulnerable to a follower of the revered German philosopher, Nietzcher. This man, a humble artisan, utilises the vulnerable Powers as a protégé of Neitchian thought.
In this respect, Nietcher is put on trial as the primary cause of immorality, greed and corruption. This is, it could be argued , a mis-guided notion of Nietche's theories. The survival interpretation of Neitchian thought is a Darwinian concept, which likewise is often mis-guided as an excuse for raw capitalism to exist as a moral concept.
Therefore Baby Face illustrates Hollywood's endeavours to blame women via Neitcher for the dysfunction of a capitalist system which culminated in the 'depression' and eventually war. This begs the question as to the liberty pre-code era Hollywood afforded as suggested in The Celluloid Closset,(1995) when in fact it was the Tinstle Town moguls who shaped the viewers' concept of morality and immorality.
For example in Baby Face the moguls have approved the idea that immoral methods of survival are associated with Powers' blonde hair. As such blonde haired women have gained a questionable reputation by association.
In reference to the acting, Stanwyck gives a first rate performance as a hard boiled survivor of a man's world. Other cast members also perform well, particularly the fantastic Therasa Harris, albeit in a black stereotypical role of servant.