Darlings, This Is One Of The Most Heartrending Scenes In Film History!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                           Now, girls, you know how we talked last week about my having survived "Beaches."  There were tears, but not as many as I expected, and the movie did not traumatize me, by any means.

                            This led to a discussion of Bette's "Beaches" follow up, a 1990 film called "Stella," which was a 1990's retelling of the Olive Higgins Prouty classic, "Stella Dallas."  I remember seeing the film at the time, as I was curious, but there was just too much Bette for her to be "Stella."

                              That is when I went back to the 1937 film, with Barbara Stanwyck.  Oh, my God!  You have to see it!

                                1937 was a great time for tearjerkers, because, in addition to this, was released the movie that is SO upsetting I can hardly bear to mention it--Leo McCarey's "Make Way For Tomorrow."  I defy anyone to watch the final scene, without shedding a tear.

                                 What is  nice, in a way, about the ending of "Stella Dallas" is that the tears come from a place of both sadness, and happiness.  And nobody dies.

                                   You see, Stella Dallas was Stella Martin, from the Wrong Side Of The Tracks.  But she had goals to move up, but not the finesse to pull it off.  She marries wealthy John Boles (Mr. Dallas) and has a daughter, Laurel, whom she nicknames Lollie, played by Anne Shirley, who, like Stanwyck, received an Oscar nomination for her work, here.

                                      Stella was a girl who liked a good time.  But she was no tramp!  She gave Lollie the best she could, but what she discovers along the way is it is her vulgarity, her lack of social niceties, that are standing in Lollie's way.  So, (remember, this was Olive Higgins Prouty, who excelled at this kitsch!!!!!!!!) she makes the sacrifice to have Lollie live with her father and his wife, (Stella and he divorced years ago) Helen, wonderfully played by Barbara O'Neill, just two years before she played Ellen O'Hara, in "Gone With The Wind."  And how nice she looks in then present day clothes!!!!!!!!!!!

                                        The underpinnings break the heart.  Helen understands exactly what Stella is doing, and why.  Lollie, I always thought, came to an understanding.  Which is why, at the start of the scene, Helen asks the butler to leave the curtains open; she knows Stella WILL be out there, somewhere, watching.  It is unclear in my memory if Stella was actually invited, but she would have turned the invite down, not wanting to embarrass her daughter, on her big day!  And, in a scene between Helen and Lollie, just before she walks down the aisle, it is made clear--at least I thought so--that Lollie gets this, too.  Which is why it would have been  nice to have a full facial shot of her turning to the window, beaming, or winking an eye.  But, that might have been over the top.

                                      You better believe Stella is there.  In some ways, she is a more practical version of Fantine.  Things eventually worked out for Fantine, but she did not live to see it, because she turned Cosette over to the first opportunity who came along; Stella had  more, and better, options, and made use of them.  And she never had to resort to being a prostitute.  She was low class, but pure in heart, and work!

                                        The scene--which I will show you--has Stanwyck doing most of the work without a word, but all the emotions are in her face.  This is one of the best displays of internalized acting you will ever see, and it is on this basis that the tears flow more for Stella here, than in "Beaches."

                                           They cut the scene short.  After Stella implores the cop to watch until the groom kisses her, she walks off into the  rain, knowing her daughter will live a great life she will not be included in, but satisfied, like nobody's business, that she accomplished her goal.

                                               The look on Stanwyck's face is exulting, and saves the moment from being ultimately tragic.

                                                 But, let's take a look, dears!!!!!!!!!!!
                                                 I put it up twice.  The second clip will repeat some of what is seen in the first clip, but in the second one, you get the exultation of Stanwyck walking into the rain, which is worth the whole thing!

                                                  Have a good cry, dears!  And let us all try to be as loving as Stella!