Baby Face (1933)

Director:

Alfred E. Green

Writers:

Gene Markey (screen play) &
Kathryn Scola (screen play) ...
(more)

Release Date:

December 1933 (UK)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

She climbed the ladder of success - wrong by wrong!

Plot:

A young woman uses her body and her sexuality to help her climb the social ladder, but soon begins to wonder if her new status will ever bring her happiness.

Plot Keywords:

Bank | Speakeasy | New York City | Nietzsche | Greed

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Barbara Stanwyck	...	Lily
George Brent	...	Trenholm
Donald Cook	...	Stevens
Alphonse Ethier	...	Cragg
Henry Kolker	...	Carter
Margaret Lindsay	...	Ann Carter
Arthur Hohl	...	Ed Sipple
John Wayne	...	Jimmy McCoy Jr.
Robert Barrat	...	Nick Powers
Douglass Dumbrille	...	Brody (as Douglas Dumbrille)
Theresa Harris	...	Chico
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joan Barclay	...	Job Seeker (uncredited)
James Bush	...	Paris Bank Clerk (uncredited)
Charles Coleman	...	Hodges - Butler (uncredited)
Heinie Conklin	...	Speakeasy Waiter (uncredited)
Jack Curtis	...	Speakeasy Customer (uncredited)
Frank Darien	...	Paris Bank Agent (uncredited)
Arthur De Kuh	...	Lutza (uncredited)
John Elliott	...	Bank Director (uncredited)
Harry Gribbon	...	Doorman (uncredited)
Grace Hayle	...	Mrs. Hemingway (uncredited)
Maynard Holmes	...	Pratt - Personnel Office (uncredited)
Edward LeSaint	...	Bank Director (uncredited)
Reginald Mason	...	Gault - Bank Director (uncredited)
James Murray	...	Brakeman (uncredited)
Spec O'Donnell	...	Office Boy (uncredited)
Henry Otho	...	Laborer (uncredited)
Nat Pendleton	...	Stolvich - Laborer (uncredited)
Donna Mae Roberts	...	Office Worker (uncredited)
Matty Roubert	...	Newsboy (uncredited)
Cliff Saum	...	Laborer (uncredited)
Charles Sellon	...	Vanderlure - Bank Director (uncredited)
Harry Semels	...	Speakeasy Drunk (uncredited)
Harry Tenbrook	...	Laborer (uncredited)
Edward Van Sloan	...	Jameson - Bank Director (uncredited)
Jacques Vanaire	...	Paris Bank Clerk (uncredited)
Sailor Vincent	...	Laborer (uncredited)
Renee Whitney	...	Office Worker (uncredited)
Josephine Whittell	...	(uncredited)
Harry Wilson	...	Laborer (uncredited)
Toby Wing	...	Office Worker (uncredited)

Directed by
Alfred E. Green

Writing credits
Gene Markey		(screen play) &
Kathryn Scola		(screen play)
Darryl F. Zanuck		(story) (as Mark Canfield)

Produced by
William LeBaron	....	producer
Raymond Griffith	....	producer (uncredited)

Cinematography by
James Van Trees		(photography)

Film Editing by
Howard Bretherton		(edited by)

Art Direction by
Anton Grot

Costume Design by
Orry-Kelly		(gowns)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Fred Fox	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Oliver S. Garretson	....	sound (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Buddy Longworth	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Music Department
Leo F. Forbstein	....	conductor: Vitaphone Orchestra

Production Companies

• Warner Bros (as Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.)

Distributors

• Warner Bros (1933) (USA) (theatrical) (presents) (as Warner Bros. Pictures Inc.)
• Vitaphone Corporation, The (1933) (USA) (theatrical) (presents) (as The Vitaphone Corp.)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1990) (USA) (VHS) (Included in the "Forbidden Hollywood" series)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Turner Entertainment  VHS package design
• Vitaphone Orchestra  orchestra

Also Known As:

Runtime:

71 min | 76 min (restored version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:TV-PG (TV rating) | Norway:16 (1933) | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros

Trivia:

In spring of 1933 this film was submitted to the New York State Board of Censors, who rejected it, demanding a number of cuts and changes. Warner Brothers made these changes prior to the film's release in July 1933. In 2004, a "dupe negative" copy of the film as it existed prior to being censored was located at the Library of Congress. This uncensored version received its public premiere at the London Film Festival in November 2004, more than 70 years after it was made.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Lily reads from Nietzsche's book, Thoughts Out Of Season, the page that's highlighted repeats the same paragraph above, and again below, the highlighted lines.

Quotes:

Lily Powers:What could I do? He's my boss and I have to earn my own living.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Simpsons: Homer vs. the 18th Amendment (#8.18)" (1997)

Soundtrack:

Let Me Call You Sweetheart

Stanwyck Sizzles

Arriving by boxcar in New York City, the shrewd young woman with the BABY FACE begins to methodically canoodle her way to the top floors of power in a great bank.

Barbara Stanwyck is fascinating as the amoral heroine of this influential pre-Code drama. Without a shred of decency or regret, she coolly manipulates the removal or destruction of the men unlucky enough to find themselves in her way. A wonderful actress, Stanwyck has full opportunity here to display her ample talents.

Appearing quite late in the story, George Brent is a welcome addition as the one fellow possibly able to handle Stanwyck; his sophisticated style of acting makes a nice counterpoint to her icy demeanor. Douglas Dumbrille, Donald Cook & Henry Kolker portray a succession of her unfortunate victims.

John Wayne appears for just a few scant seconds as an unsuccessful suitor for Stanwyck's affections. This would be the only time these two performers appeared together on screen.

Movie mavens should recognize Nat Pendleton as a speakeasy customer, and Charles Sellon & Edward Van Sloan as bank executives - all unbilled.

The music heard on the soundtrack throughout the film, perfectly punctuating the plot, is ‘Baby Face' (1926) by Benny Davis & Harry Akst and ‘St. Louis Blues' (1914) by W.C. Handy.

BABY FACE is a prime example of pre-Code naughtiness. In its frank & unapologetic dealing with sex, it is precisely the kind of film which the implementation of the Production Code in 1934 was meant to eliminate.