Barbara Stanwyck in MEET JOHN DOE
I've been watching Ruby Stevens - aka Barbara Stanwyck - since childhood. She's been one of my favorite actresses for a long time.
"WOW!", that's what I said the first time I saw DOUBLE INDEMNITY ( 1944 ). This was the first Barbara Stanwyck film I ever saw. It was also one of the first black and white movies I ever watched, and it made a big impression on me.
Let me tell you something else, Ms. Stanwyck is one of the greatest actresses this country has ever produced!
If you ever get a chance to watch some of her films, do so!
She was able to make every character she played unique, even when they were similar on paper. She also made each character genuinely human.
Jennifer Jason Leigh narrated a short video salute to Ms. Stanwyck for TURNER CLASSIC MOVIES, and I agree with everything she said. Below are a few quotes from it.....
"She could bring sympathy to the most ruthless and the nastiest of characters"
"She was often playing two emotional registers at once, slightly teasing us with her witty persona and then showing us the cracks in the facade"
"She's hilarious and brilliant, and she makes it look so damn easy"
If anyone deserves to portray Ms. Stanwyck in a bio pic, it's Ms. Leigh.
FYI: Jennifer Jason Leigh is also one of the best actresses this country has ever produced.
Below is a very short list of some of my favorite Barbara Stanwyck movies.
SHOPWORN ( 1932 ).....
She looks so young in this film, and so adorable.
I don't think it was ever released on legit VHS.
You can find SHOPWORN in a five movie set called COLUMBIA PICTURES PRE-CODE COLLECTION ( region one DVD by TCM / SONY ).
NOTE: This may be the CUT version. I don't think the uncut version still exists.
LADY EVE ( 1941 ).....
Usually movies like this, do not appeal to me, but I'll watch almost anything with Ms. Stanwyck in it.
Henry Fonda also stars in this film.
A VHS was released by MCA / UNIVERSAL. I don't know if any other companies released it.
A region one DVD was released by CRITERION
It was also released as part of a seven movie collection called PRESTON STURGES: THE FILMMAKER COLLECTION ( by UNIVERSAL - region one DVD ).
LADIES OF LEISURE ( 1930 ).....
I think this is a fun flick, and she looks really cute.
I don't know if a legit VHS was ever released, but I did own a very bad quality bootleg.
LADIES OF LEISURE was released as part of a five movie set called FRANK CAPRA: THE EARLY COLLECTION ( region one DVD by TCM / SONY ).
You can also get this as an MOD-DVD by SONY.
This movie aired on GET TV. So, you can try recording it onto a DVD-R.
NO MAN OF HER OWN ( 1950 ).....
This is one of my all time favorite Barbara Stanwyck movies.
You know her character is doing the wrong thing, but you still find yourself rooting for her.
Do NOT confuse this film with the Clark Gable and Carole Lombard movie of the same name!
I've been told that this movie was released on legit VHS, but I've never seen one.
NO MAN OF HER OWN was finally released on legit region one DVD by OLIVE FILMS.
TEN CENTS A DANCE ( 1931 ).....
As a kid, I remember listening to this song on a radio show about record collecting. The hosts also mentioned the movie. I finally saw the film on bootleg VHS a few months later.
FYI: There are at least three or four other movies based on songs that I know of.
I don't know if this was ever released on legit VHS.
However, it is part of a five movie set called COLUMBIA PICTURES PRE-CODE COLLECTION ( region one DVD by TCM / SONY ).
NOTE: This may be the CUT version. I don't think the uncut version still exists.
THE NIGHT WALKER ( 1964 ).....
I think this may have been her last theatrical film.
It's a spooky thriller written by Robert Bloch ( 1917 – 1994 ).
THE NIGHT WALKER was directed by William Castle ( 1914 – 1977 ).
UNIVERSAL released a legit VHS in the United States, but it's hard to find.
This movie has NOT been released on legit region one DVD!... What-the-fuck!... You'll have to hunt for a grey-market disc.
A few more of her movies are, MEET JOHN DOE, BALL OF FIRE, STRANGE LOVE OF MARTHA IVERS, and CLASH BY NIGHT.
No comments:
Post a Comment