TV and Movies

[Oznell]

"Summer Under the Stars" has done well by her this year, with well-aired classics of hers, including "Ball of Fire",  "Christmas in Connecticut",  "Baby Face",  "Double Indemnity",  "Clash by Night" (one of her greatest),  "Executive Suite",  et al.

Stanwyck fans also love her in her lesser-known films, like the moody mystery, "Cry Wolf"--

Monday, 4:30 a.m. Eastern--  "Cry Wolf".    Barbara Stanwyck, Errol Flynn, Richard Basehart, Geraldine Brooks, Jerome Cowan.

Young widow Stanwyck visits her late husband's family estate, headed by his enigmatic scientist-uncle (Flynn).  The family were unaware that the nephew had married, and Barbara is received warily by a skeptical Flynn.  But Flynn's mercurial neice (Geraldine Brooks) accepts her, and Barbara moves into the mansion while matters of inheritance are investigated... 

Terrific mystery vehicle for Stanwyck, who gets to secretly explore her new environment, harboring suspicions of her own.  She's adventurous, and nobody's fool.  Flynn is interestingly remote, charming, enigmatic, by turn.

At times, he isn't THAT remote--

   

Interesting young noir performers like Geraldine Brooks and adorable Richard Basehart were getting their first exposure in post-War films like "Cry Wolf"--  Brooks had that skittish, slightly neurotic quality that made her perfect for roles like this.

But it's Barbara who makes this the most fun, who skillfully rides the twists and turns of the movie, and makes it well worth recording at that absurdly early hour of 4:30 a.m. Eastern.  

[kaydee50]

My favorite of this group after Double Indemnity of course is Baby Face.  Pre-code and a terrific BS.

Ball of Fire is a close third mainly because I enjoyed Cooper in a comedy.

[yellowBeetle]

Love everything with Barbara Stanwyck...my DVR is set to record them all!!!

One that might be overlooked but is definitely worth watching is the 1931 pre-Code crime drama "Night Nurse" with wonderful performances by Stanwyck and Joan Blondell. And Clark Gable is memorable in a supporting role where he plays a vicious thug. The story is over-the-top melodrama...but seeing a very young Stanwyck and Blondell and Gable makes this a must-see, imo!!!

[TexasMom1]

"Ball of Fire" is one of my favorite, must-see movies! Of course, who doesn't love Gary Cooper and his fellow Professors? Barbara does a wonderful job in the nightclub scene at the beginning! Watch it! You will love it! 

[deepwaterdotter]

@TexasMom1   I agree.  After hearing "Drum Boogie" I hear myself humming the melody for the rest of the day.

[just bee]

She was fabulous.

[Witchy Woman]

@Oznell 

Love her in anything!  

Double Indemnity is delicious...the way he calls her "baby" all the time!  

Phyllis : "I loved you, Walter, and I hated him. But I wasn't going to do anything about it until I met you. You planned the whole thing. I only wanted him dead."

[twinsister]

Eecutive Suite is one of my favorites!

[Oznell]

@yellowBeetle ,  you have very discerning taste--  love "Night Nurse" also, for the same reasons you do!

My one quibble with TCM is that they show the tried-and-true, well-trod Stanwyck territory again and again, while giving short shrift to gems that, were audiences exposed to them more, would get the notice they deserve.   Like "Night Nurse",  "Clash by Night", (although that's catching up in airings),  "Remember the Night", "Crime of Passion", and to a lesser extent, "Cry Wolf",  among others.

Not all of them were "great films" in the usual sense, but many contain "great" Stanwyck performances, with that distinctive authenticity that only she can bring....

@twinsister ,  she had a small role in "Executive Suite", but made the absolute most of it, and is a highlight of the movie, no doubt!

@just bee ,  wonderful photos, my goodness.

[yellowBeetle]

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@Oznell wrote:

@yellowBeetle ,  you have very discerning taste--  love "Night Nurse" also, for the same reasons you do!

My one quibble with TCM is that they show the tried-and-true, well-trod Stanwyck territory again and again, while giving short shrift to gems that, were audiences exposed to them more, would get the notice they deserve.   Like "Night Nurse",  "Clash by Night", (although that's catching up in airings),  "Remember the Night", "Crime of Passion", and to a lesser extent, "Cry Wolf",  among others.

Not all of them were "great films" in the usual sense, but many contain "great" Stanwyck performances, with that distinctive authenticity that only she can bring....

@twinsister ,  she had a small role in "Executive Suite", but made the absolute most of it, and is a highlight of the movie, no doubt!

@just bee ,  wonderful photos, my goodness.

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@Oznell 

Thank you so much for the lovely compliment!!! And I totally agree about TCM not showing many of Stanwyck's lesser-known movies nearly enough. While I never get tired of seeing favorites like "Double Indemnity", "Stella Dallas", "Baby Face", "Christmas in Connecticut", etc., it would be so nice if ones like those you mentioned were shown more often. How she never won an Oscar is beyond me!!!