The victim of the Stella Dallas
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | The victim of the Stella Dallas |
| Original title | Stella Dallas |
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| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1925 |
| length | 110 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director | Henry King |
| script | Frances Marion |
| production | Samuel Goldwyn |
| music | Herman Rosen |
| camera | Arthur Edeson |
| cut | Stuart Heisler |
| occupation | |
| |
The Victim of Stella Dallas is a 1925 American silent film melodrama directed by Henry King, starring Ronald Colman in the lead role and Belle Bennett in the title role. The story is based on the novel Stella Dallas by Olive Higgins Prouty .
action
After his father's suicide, Stephen Dallas, a man of the world, leaves his affluent parental home and settles in a small town. Here he marries the simple country beauty Stella Martin, who is of significantly lower social status than him. Soon Stella has a daughter named Laurel, but this does not help the marriage, and ultimately the connection fails, not least because the social origins of both spouses are too different and Stella is unable to adapt to the high standard of her husband. When Stephen Stella catches one day in a precarious situation with the stable master Ed Munn, he leaves home and hearth and returns to New York. From now on his wife has to look after little Laurel all by herself.
Many years have passed. Stella hasn't seen much good since Stephen's departure; As a single mother, she has been exposed to village gossip and the prejudices associated with it. But her upbringing worked wonders for Laurel. The girl has become a pretty young woman, Stella's pride and joy. The mother realizes that she cannot offer her delicate and sensitive daughter what she needs for her advancement and finally accepts Stephen's expressed wish for a divorce. Stephen plans to marry his former fiancée Helen Morrison. Since Helen comes from a "good family" and Stella only wants the best for Laurel, she even agrees that Helen will take over the further education of Laurel until she comes of age. Very reluctantly and with a heavy heart Laurel accepts this sacrifice from her mother. Eventually Stella makes the mistake and marries Ed Munn, who becomes more and more of a drinker in marriage.
More time has passed. Laurel got to know the well-to-do Richard Grosvenor, a charming, young man from the best of company, whose future seems dazzling. Laurel and he want to get married. When the two young people say `` I do '' on the magnificent Morrison estate, Stella is standing outside, now completely shabby, in wind and weather and secretly observing the ceremony from the street. It makes a pitiful picture, but radiates inside. She is happy.
Production notes
The victim of the Stella Dallas ran on November 16, 1925 at the New York Apollo Theater and was seen in Germany in September of the following year. The film was a huge hit with audiences.
Reviews
“Stella Dallas has been advertised as 'the greatest maternal love movie ever made'. But the film's qualities are certainly not primarily due to its sentimental story. Paul Rotha praises the performance and the sensitive drawing of a character and his development over almost a lifetime. "
“The usual tearful scraps, completed with an 'out into the cold, cold snow' ending, but handled with tact and discretion here. A groundbreaking film of its time. "
Individual evidence
Web links
- The victim of Stella Dallas in the Internet Movie Database (English)