Turner Classic Movies is playing four
pre-code Barbara Stanwyck movies. I wasn't aware of that until
they were halfway through, so I wasn't able to get “Ten
Cents a Dance.” I've set my machine to tape “Forbidden,”
at least. I was first aware of Stanwyck as the matriarch on “Big
Valley” (1965-1969), which also had Lee Majors (“Six
Million Dollar Man” 1974-1978) and Linda Evans (“Dynasty”
1981-1989) on it. Upon Stanwyck's passing away in 1990, the Boston
Phoenix did a review of her many films and I was like “Wow! She
was a pretty accomplished actress!” so I've tried to catch flicks
of hers whenever I can. She definitely plays the world-weary bad
girls quite well. Picture
of Stanwyck.
Update: Just finished watching "Forbidden" and I apologize to the Stanwyck fans out there, she may indeed have played a world-weary bad girl in films like "Lady of Burlesque" and she certainly appeared to adopt that persona in "Ten Cents a Dance," but she played a very different character in "Forbidden." Nope, Stanwyck was just dang good at her craft and was an excellent actress.
Update: Just finished watching "Forbidden" and I apologize to the Stanwyck fans out there, she may indeed have played a world-weary bad girl in films like "Lady of Burlesque" and she certainly appeared to adopt that persona in "Ten Cents a Dance," but she played a very different character in "Forbidden." Nope, Stanwyck was just dang good at her craft and was an excellent actress.
2 comments:
I saw "Shopworn" and "Ten Cents a Dance" last night. Stanwyck is so real, so modern, so riveting that you only see her when she is in a scene. Compared to her, her men are like cardboard and no match for her and the others' acting seems dated. It's like, she doesn't need anyone, she is fully self-reliant. I really like her in these pre-code movies.
And the comments on her as an actress among actors is that she was always a complete professional. She was always polite and considerate towards the cast and crews. She never allowed stardom to get to her head.
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