Baby Face (1933)

A young woman, sexually exploited all her life, decides to turn the tables and exploit the hapless men at a big city bank - by gleefully sleeping her way to the top.

Director:

Alfred E. Green

Writers:

Gene Markey (screen play), Kathryn Scola (screen play)

Stars:

Barbara Stanwyck, George Brent, Donald Cook

1 win.

Cast

Complete credited 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

Storyline

Lilly (Baby Face) sleeps her way from basement speakeasy bartender, literally floor by floor, to the top floor of a New York office building. Bank sub-manager Jimmy McCoy finds her a job in the bank only to be cast aside as she hooks up with the bank's president. When he complains of not seeing her she says: "I'm working so hard I have to go to bed early every night."

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Plot Keywords:

cult film | national film registry | looking out a window | black american | african american | 

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Taglines:

She had "IT" and made "IT" pay!

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

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.

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Goofs

After Mr. Carter stays the night, Lily gets out of a car. There is a reflection of faces on the window of the car as it pulls away.

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Quotes

Stevens: [Lily seen putting on lipstick after her boss is reprimanded and fired for having followed her into the Ladies Rest Room] Young woman! We have no place here for a girl of your sort. You're through, tonight.
Lily Powers: Why, Mr. Stevens, it wasn't my fault. He followed me in there. What could I do? He's my boss and I have to earn my living. Oh, I'm so ashamed. It's the first time anything like that has ever happened to me.
[Starts to cry]
Stevens: Well, I'll think it over. Report tomorrow as usual.

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Alternate Versions

The Bowdlerized release version also has a final scene tacked on, which tells how the heroine learned to be content with a more modest lifestyle. This scene is happily removed from the restored version.

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Connections

Featured in Women He's Undressed (2015)

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Soundtracks

What Will I Do Without You?
(uncredited)
Music by Lewis E. Gensler

User Reviews

Exploit Men to the Fullest

During 1933 this film had many cuts taken from it because it was very over the top for the story content and the fact that Lily Powers,(Barbara Stanwyck) would do anything to obtain great wealth and power. Lily's father had forced his daughter into prostitution at the age of 14 and she grew up in a steel mill of a town with very poor people and her father ran a speakeasy which brought into his home all kinds of male characters who had their eye on Lily. As the story progresses, Lily meets up with man after man and eventually finds a guy who has everything and is a playboy bank president It is great to see a very young John Wayne, (Jimmy McCoy Jr.) who was only 25 when this picture was produced and Jimmy did not even get to first base with Lily, not even for lunch. A very young George Brent, (Coutland Trenholm) stars along with Barbara Stanwyck and both gave outstanding performances. This is a great film from 1933 which was produced by Darryl F. Zanuck and was locked up in a fault for many years and just recently is being shown on the silver screen. This film is rather mild compared to what we view on the Hollywood screens today, but in 1933 it was very naughty to watch this type of film. Enjoy

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

17 November 1933 (France)

Also Known As:

Baby Face

Filming Locations:

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

Box Office

Budget:

$187,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

71 min 76 min (restored) 76 min (uncut)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1