Baby Face reviews
Review by on 27 Sep 2008
The formidable Barbara Stanwyck plays the beautiful and tough Lily Powers aka Baby Face in this Warner production from 1933. Upon the death of her abusive father she finally takes the advice of a local cobbler (who reads Nietzsche) and escapes the bleak steel town in which she grew up. Penniless, but determined she goes to New York together with her maid. Having arrived in the city, she uses her considerable charm in more ways than one and soon finds a job in a bank. And then she proceeds to seduce her way to, if not the heart, then the wallet of one of the bank’s top executives. Great drama follows and she has to pack her bags and up sticks to Paris. While there she re-encounters Courtland Trenholm (George Brent) who becomes both her downfall and her salvation.
Although the film does not shy away from gritty realism nor risqué innuendoes, it does not hold up well when scrutinised. Most of the male characters are reduced to mere clichés who on one hand are simply too weak to resist Lily’s persuasive powers (hence the pun on the name) and on the other take advantage of her. The psychological portrait of Lily herself is unconvincing and underdeveloped, but thanks to Barbara Stanwyck’s intelligent performance and screen presence, one surrenders. It is hard to imagine anybody watching who does not get sucked in and hopes for the happy ending that thankfully ensues.
Charlotte Hansen, Festival Daily
The formidable Barbara Stanwyck plays the beautiful and tough Lily Powers aka Baby Face in this Warner production from 1933. Upon the death of her abusive father she finally takes the advice of a local cobbler (who reads Nietzsche) and escapes the bleak steel town in which she grew up. Penniless, but determined she goes to New York together with her maid. Having arrived in the city, she uses her considerable charm in more ways than one and soon finds a job in a bank. And then she proceeds to seduce her way to, if not the heart, then the wallet of one of the bank’s top executives. Great drama follows and she has to pack her bags and up sticks to Paris. While there she re-encounters Courtland Trenholm (George Brent) who becomes both her downfall and her salvation. Although the film does not shy away from gritty realism nor risqué innuendoes, it does not hold up well when scrutinised. Most of the male characters are reduced to mere clichés who on one hand are simply too weak to resist Lily’s persuasive powers (hence the pun on the name) and on the other take advantage of her. The psychological portrait of Lily herself is unconvincing and underdeveloped, but thanks to Barbara Stanwyck’s intelligent performance and screen presence, one surrenders. It is hard to imagine anybody watching who does not get sucked in and hopes for the happy ending that thankfully ensues.
Charlotte Hansen, Festival Daily
Film details
Baby Face
CELEBRATING WARNER BROS.
Director: Alfred E Green
Actor: Barbara Stanwyck
Actor: George Brent
Actor: John Wayne
Actor: Barbara Stanwyck
Actor: George Brent
Actor: John Wayne
USA, 1933.
75 mins. English.
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