Baby Face Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

Girl bosses her way through corporate America by dating every dude she sees, and somehow, Nietzsche is involved.

🍿 Baby Face: Detailed Plot Synopsis

Life in Erie, Pennsylvania

Lily Powers works in her father’s speakeasy, facing exploitation and abuse. An intellectual client named Adolf Cragg encourages her to seek a better life, guided by Nietzsche’s philosophy of the will to power. This sets the stage for her ambition and determination to escape her circumstances.

The Move to New York

Following her father’s death, Lily and her friend Chico travel to New York City. Lily uses her charm and intelligence to secure a job at a prominent bank. This marks the beginning of her calculated ascent up the corporate ladder, leveraging her relationships with influential men.

Climbing the Corporate Ladder

Lily strategically navigates the bank’s hierarchy, forming relationships with men in positions of power. Her actions lead to dramatic consequences, including broken engagements and personal tragedies for those involved. The film visually depicts her ascent, emphasizing her ruthless ambition.

Paris and New Beginnings?

Following scandal and tragedy, Lily is offered a position in the bank’s Paris branch. There, she encounters Courtland Trenholm, the new bank president. Their relationship leads to further complications and ultimately tests Lily’s values and priorities.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Lily Powers (Barbara Stanwyck): A determined young woman who exploits men to climb the corporate ladder, seeking wealth and power after a life of sexual exploitation.
• Courtland Trenholm (George Brent): The new president of the bank who becomes infatuated with Lily, leading to financial and personal turmoil.
• Ned Stevens (Donald Cook): A banker engaged to Ann, whom Lily seduces, resulting in tragic consequences.
• Adolf Cragg (Alphonse Ethier): An older intellectual who encourages Lily to seize power and control her own destiny, influencing her early actions.
• Chico (Theresa Harris): Lily’s loyal friend and confidante who accompanies her journey from poverty to wealth, offering support and perspective.
• Jimmy McCoy Jr. (John Wayne): A bank sub-manager briefly involved with Lily who recognizes her ambition.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Lily Powers: “I’m working so hard I have to go to bed early every night.” – Lily says this to Jimmy McCoy, a bank sub-manager, when he complains about not seeing her after she starts sleeping with the bank’s president.
• Nick Powers: “You little tramp, you!” – Nick says this to Lily during an argument.
• Lily Powers: “Yeah, I’m a tramp, and who’s to blame? My Father. A swell start you gave me. Ever since I was fourteen, what’s it been? Nothing but men! Dirty rotten men! And you’re lower than any of them. I’ll hate you as long as I live!” – Lily confronts her father, blaming him for her exploitation and mistreatment.
• Adolf Cragg: “Face life as you find it – defiantly and unafraid. Waste no energy yearning for the moon. Crush out all sentiment.” – Cragg imparts Nietzschean philosophy to Lily, encouraging her to be ruthless and self-reliant.

💰Box Office

• Budget: $187,000
• Domestic Gross: N/A
• Worldwide Gross: N/A

💥 Baby Face Reviews

Personal Review

Wow, ‘Baby Face’ is a wild ride! Barbara Stanwyck is incredible as Lily Powers, a woman who knows exactly what she wants and isn’t afraid to get it. I was hooked from the opening scene in that smoky speakeasy. The way she climbs the corporate ladder is shocking and fascinating at the same time. I found myself both rooting for her and judging her—it’s that kind of movie! It really made me think about power, ambition, and what people are willing to do to succeed. I highly recommend it if you’re looking for something edgy and thought-provoking.

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Fans of classic Hollywood cinema”
  • “Viewers interested in pre-Code films”
  • “Admirers of Barbara Stanwyck’s performances”
  • “Those fascinated by stories of ambition and social climbing”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Suggestive sexual content”
  • “Themes of exploitation and abuse”
  • “Mature themes and situations”
  • “Suicide”

Professional Reviews

• Variety: “Stanwyck sizzles as Lily, a woman determined to climb the corporate ladder. The pre-code elements make it a fascinating glimpse into a bygone era of filmmaking. It’s a morality tale dressed in diamonds and furs, a must-see for classic film buffs.
• The New York Times: “A daring and provocative film for its time, ‘Baby Face’ explores the dark side of ambition. Stanwyck’s performance is magnetic, making Lily both ruthless and vulnerable. Its frank portrayal of sexuality and power dynamics challenged the norms of 1930s cinema.
• Sight & Sound: “Baby Face is an essential pre-code drama. The raw sexuality, the amoral characters, and the exploration of social mobility make it a truly unique piece of cinema history. See this to understand how far the industry has come.

Audience Reactions

Stanwyck’s performance is mesmerizing and makes the movie a classic.: Viewers praise Stanwyck’s portrayal of a complex, amoral woman and the film’s bold exploration of sexuality and ambition.

The movie is a daring and shocking representation of the era.: Moviegoers appreciated the pre-code era, saying how the film broke the standard rules for the time it was made.

Overall Consensus: ‘Baby Face’ is a scandalous pre-code classic, praised for Barbara Stanwyck’s unforgettable performance and its fearless examination of female ambition and sexuality.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “The film was controversial for its frank depiction of female sexuality and ambition, leading to censorship and cuts in some regions.”
• “The Library of Congress discovered an uncensored version of the film in 2004, featuring scenes that were originally deemed too explicit for audiences in 1933. This version restores some of the film’s original intent and impact.”
• “John Wayne appears in a minor role early in his career, marking a rare instance where he and Barbara Stanwyck shared the screen.”
• “The movie makes use of Nietzsche’s philosophy of ‘will to power,’ as preached to Lily by Adolf Cragg, to justify her ruthless ambition.”
• “The film is notable for its portrayal of a black character, Chico, as a close friend and confidante of the protagonist, which was unusual for the time.”

🖥️ How to Watch Baby Face?

Currently, “Baby Face” (1933) may be available for streaming via rental or purchase on platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Vudu. Availability may vary depending on your region. Check your local listings for broadcast schedules on classic movie channels like Turner Classic Movies (TCM).

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed Baby Face, you might like these similar films:

• Red-Headed Woman (1932): A pre-Code film featuring a woman who uses her sexuality to climb the social ladder. It offers a similar, yet perhaps even more morally ambiguous, character study.
• Waterloo Bridge (1931): Another Barbara Stanwyck Pre-Code film, with Stanwyck playing a dancer who becomes a prostitute.
• I’m No Angel (1933): A pre-Code movie with Mae West, where the female lead navigates a man’s world using her charm and wit, similar to ‘Baby Face’.
• Showgirls (1995): A modern film that explores similar themes of ambition, exploitation, and female agency in a harsh, competitive environment, though in a different setting and with a more explicit approach.

🛒 Baby Face Related Products

• Forbidden Hollywood: The Pre-Code Era (Baby Face, Red-Headed Woman, Waterloo Bridge): This digital collection features ‘Baby Face’ along with other scandalous pre-code films that pushed boundaries. Perfect for fans of classic cinema and early feminist characters.
• Barbara Stanwyck: The Signature Collection, Vol. 1 (Double Indemnity, Stella Dallas, and more): A must-have collection for Stanwyck fans, showcasing her versatility and talent in iconic roles. Volume 1 includes many of her most popular movies.
• Vintage Movie Poster – Baby Face (Reprint): A high-quality reprint of the original movie poster, perfect for decorating a home theater or adding to a collection. A great conversation starter and a stylish piece of film history.
• Vintage Hollywood Glamour: Barbara Stanwyck Mug: Show your love for a Hollywood icon with this high quality movie mug. Perfect for at home use.

🎧 Soundtrack

Baby Face features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Baby Face” – performed by Harry Akst
• “St. Louis Blues” – performed by W.C. Handy

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

Baby Face Sings A Song (Happy Death Day 2 U Scary Horror Parody)

Ever wondered what would happen if ‘Baby Face’ was a horror movie anthem? This parody is both catchy and creepy, and I can’t stop listening to it!

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