Stella Dallas

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Stella Dallas

1937,

1h 51m,

Drama

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Watchlist

82%

11 Reviews

Tomatometer

82%

1,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

82%

Tomatometer

11 Reviews

82%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

When Stella Martin (Barbara Stanwyck), a working class woman, meets and marries the wealthy Stephen Dallas (John Boles), they quickly have a daughter named Laurel (Anne Shirley). Stella and Stephen struggle to stay happy as their class differences become a problem; when they finally separate, Laurel is caught in the middle of the divorce. Soon, Lauren becomes the center of Stella's life. Stella tries to be a good mother, but realizes that her daughter can flourish quite well without her.

Scott Tobias

The Dissolve

Jan 8, 2014

4.5/5

Stella Dallas itself-sentimental without question, building to an act of heartbreaking selflessness-earns the copious tears it jerks, embodying the "weepie" in every respect, yet more complicated and more flush with genuine emotion.

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Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

Oct 2, 2024

5/10

It's a melodrama that boasts a splendid performance by Barbara Stanwyck, but unfortunately it doesn't shake off a contrived plot that often undermines the inconsistencies of its social issue about class, motherhood and divorce. [Full review in Spanish]

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Josh Larsen

LarsenOnFilm

Jul 6, 2022

3.5/4

Barbara Stanwyck flings her voice around like a lasso.

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Loren King

Newport This Week (RI)

May 7, 2020

The mother of all sacrificial mother movies, "Stella Dallas," should have earned an Oscar for Barbara Stanwyck in 1937 for what is arguably her finest performance.

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Ann Ross

Maclean's Magazine

Sep 26, 2019

Barbara Stanwyck, always at home in a part that calls for tough yet tender handling, is excellent as Stella, and Ann Shirley is surprisingly good as the daughter, Laurel.

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Oct 13, 2014

B-

Barbara Stanwyck gives a sensational brassy performance as the ambitious poor girl trying to make a better life for herself by marrying above her class.

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Hermione G

Jan 30, 2019

Barbara Stanwyck's Stella is the heart and soul of the film. The film works because of her. An interesting look at what it means to be a mother.

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Harry W

Jul 19, 2018

Barbara Stanwyck in one of her signature roles as a woman aspiring for a better station in life and, unable to obtain it for herself, sacrifices everything for her daughter. One of the all-time weepies, the great character actor Alan Hale is convincingly pivotal in the difficult role as the "uncle" in the tale. This story of motherly saintliness might lean into the unbelievable side, but woman have embraced it as one of their own since it first came out.

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Ron M

Feb 14, 2018

A radical masterpiece about the dangers of idolatry in marriage, and how the pressures of a conformist society can destroy an individual. Decades of critics have missed the real point, distracted by excellent performances and direction.

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Draco G

Jan 15, 2018

1001 movies to see before you die. Sad film about people wanting to belong, but can't give things up.

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King Vidor

Director

Barbara Stanwyck

Stella Dallas

John Boles

Stephen Dallas

Anne Shirley

Laurel Dallas

Barbara O'Neil

Helen Morrison

Alan Hale

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Synopsis

When Stella Martin (Barbara Stanwyck), a working class woman, meets and marries the wealthy Stephen Dallas (John Boles), they quickly have a daughter named Laurel (Anne Shirley). Stella and Stephen struggle to stay happy as their class differences become a problem; when they finally separate, Laurel is caught in the middle of the divorce. Soon, Lauren becomes the center of Stella's life. Stella tries to be a good mother, but realizes that her daughter can flourish quite well without her.

Director: King Vidor
Producer: Samuel Goldwyn
Screenwriter: Joe Bigelow, Harry Wagstaff Gribble, Victor Heerman, Sarah Y. Mason, Gertrude Purcell, Olive Higgins Prouty
Distributor: United Artists
Production Co: Samuel Goldwyn Company
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 5, 1937, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 5, 2017
Runtime: 1h 51m

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