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Baby Face follows Lily Powers (Barbara Stanwyck), a young woman determined to "get anything she wants in the world". The film follows her journey from her father's speakeasy in Pennsylvania to the upper echelons of the Gotham Trust bank; a journey she achieves specifically by sleeping with different men. From the hiring employee at the bank to the vice-president, and others in between.
Released during the Pre-Code era, Baby Face is one of the most notable examples of what the Hays Code fought against, like "inference of sex perversion". The above is the advice given to her by a friend, after seeing her grow up being pimped by her own father, and constantly harassed by his clients. This sets her eventual move to New York City, where we see the lengths she's willing to go to achieve her goals.
From a historical and contextual point of view, it's really interesting to see a film's attempt to push the boundaries set by the system, and Stanwyck revels in the role. She manages to build a compelling character that even if you don't condone her actions, you understand where she's coming from and the reasons for what she's doing what she does. The supporting cast is effective, but this is Stanwyck's show all the way.
I still think they wrapped things in too neat a bow in the end. The whole last act felt too conveniently played for Lily. In the version I saw, things ended a bit too well for Lily, and I think I would've preferred a bleaker ending. As much as I like to see a woman flip the tables on the male-centric manipulation of the times, that doesn't make her actions any better and I feel like the way things unfolded, there was little to no consequence to it all.
Grade:
BABY FACE
(1933, Green)
A film from the 1930s
(1933, Green)
A film from the 1930s
"A woman, young, beautiful, like you, can get anything she wants in the world. Because you have power over men! But you must use men! Not let them use you."
Baby Face follows Lily Powers (Barbara Stanwyck), a young woman determined to "get anything she wants in the world". The film follows her journey from her father's speakeasy in Pennsylvania to the upper echelons of the Gotham Trust bank; a journey she achieves specifically by sleeping with different men. From the hiring employee at the bank to the vice-president, and others in between.
Released during the Pre-Code era, Baby Face is one of the most notable examples of what the Hays Code fought against, like "inference of sex perversion". The above is the advice given to her by a friend, after seeing her grow up being pimped by her own father, and constantly harassed by his clients. This sets her eventual move to New York City, where we see the lengths she's willing to go to achieve her goals.
From a historical and contextual point of view, it's really interesting to see a film's attempt to push the boundaries set by the system, and Stanwyck revels in the role. She manages to build a compelling character that even if you don't condone her actions, you understand where she's coming from and the reasons for what she's doing what she does. The supporting cast is effective, but this is Stanwyck's show all the way.
I still think they wrapped things in too neat a bow in the end. The whole last act felt too conveniently played for Lily. In the version I saw, things ended a bit too well for Lily, and I think I would've preferred a bleaker ending. As much as I like to see a woman flip the tables on the male-centric manipulation of the times, that doesn't make her actions any better and I feel like the way things unfolded, there was little to no consequence to it all.
Grade: