Baby Face 1933

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Baby Face is a 1933 American pre-Code dramatic film directed by Alfred E. Green, starring Barbara Stanwyck as Lily Powers, and featuring George Brent. Based on a story by Darryl F. Zanuck (under the pseudonym Mark Canfield), this Pre-Code Hollywood film is about an attractive young woman who advances her social and financial status. Twenty-seven year old John Wayne plays a supporting role as one of Powers' lovers.

Lily Powers works for her mean father, Nick, in a speakeasy during Prohibition. Since the age of 14, her father has had her sleep with many of his customers. The only man she trusts is Cragg, a cobbler who admires Friedrich Nietzsche and advises her to aspire to greater things. Lily's father is killed when his still explodes. Cragg tells Lily to move to a big city and use her power over men. She and her African-American co-worker and friend Chico hop a freight train to New York City, but are discovered by a railroad worker who threatens to have them thrown in jail. She says, "Wait ... can't we talk this over?" It is strongly implied that she has sex with him to change his mind.

In New York, Lily goes inside the Gotham Trust building. She seduces the personnel worker to land a job. Her progress, sleeping her way to the top, is shown in a recurring metaphor.

In the filing department, Lily begins an affair with Jimmy McCoy Jr., who recommends her for promotion to his boss, Brody. She quickly seduces Brody and is transferred to the mortgage department. Brody and Lily are caught in flagrante delicto by a rising young executive, Ned Stevens. Brody is fired, but Lily claims Brody forced himself on her. Ned believes her, and gives her a position in his accounting department.

Although Ned is engaged to Ann Carter, the daughter of First Vice President J. P. Carter, Lily quickly seduces him. When Ann calls to say she will be visiting, Lily arranges to have Ann see her embracing Ned. Ann runs crying to her father, who tells him to fire Lily. Ned refuses, so J.P. goes to see Lily himself. Lily claims she had no idea Ned was engaged and that he was her first boyfriend. She seduces J.P., and he installs her in a lavish apartment, with Chico as her maid. Ned, pining for Lily, tracks her down on Christmas Day, but she spurns him. He later returns to her apartment to ask her to marry him, but finds J.P. there. He shoots and kills J.P. and then himself.

Courtland Trenholm, the grandson of Gotham Trust's founder, is elected bank president to handle the resulting scandal. The board of directors, learning that Lily has agreed to sell her diary to the press, summons her to a meeting. She tells them she is a victim of circumstance who merely wants to make an honest living. The board offers her $15,000 to withhold her diary, but Courtland, seizing on her claim that she simply wants to restart her life, instead offers her a position at the bank's Paris office. She reluctantly accepts.

When Courtland travels to Paris on business some time later, he is surprised and impressed to find Lily not only still working there but promoted to head of the travel bureau. He soon falls under her spell and marries her. Unlike her previous conquests, Courtland sees she is scheming and self-centered, but admires her spirit nonetheless. While on their honeymoon, he is called back to New York. The bank has failed due to mismanagement, which the board falsely pins on Courtland. He is indicted, and tells Lily he must raise a million dollars to finance his defense. He asks her to cash in the bonds, stocks and other valuables he gave her, but she refuses and books tickets back to Paris.

While waiting for the ship to leave, she changes her mind and rushes back to their apartment. When she arrives, she discovers Courtland has shot himself. On the way to the hospital, the attendant assures her that he has a good chance of survival. Lily drops her briefcase, spilling money and jewels on the floor. When the attendant points this out, she tearfully tells him she does not care. Courtland opens his eyes, sees Lily, and smiles at her.

Some time later, at a meeting of the bank's board of directors, one of them announces that the Trenholms have moved to Pittsburgh, where Courtland works at a steel mill.

Run Time: 75 Minutes

FAQ

Item details: Such is the nature of many films from this era that video and audio quality can be variable, reflecting the rarity of these titles. The best available sources for sound and picture quality are used wherever possible though are not ‘restored’ and are not in high definition. Please click on the listing images to enlarge screenshots from the title for a better idea of picture quality. Items are supplied on a colour printed DVD in a clear plastic wallet sleeve and not in a full size case, no additional artwork is supplied.

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