Star of the Month: Barbara Stanwyck.

So Big (1932). A drama film directed by William A. Wellman. The screenplay by J. Grubb Alexander and Robert Lord is based on the 1924 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same title by Edna Ferber. The film is the second screen adaptation of the Ferber novel, following a 1924 silent version directed by Charles Brabin.

After the death of her mother, Selina Peake and her father move to Chicago, where she enrolls in finishing school. Her father is killed, soon after and Selina's friend Julie Hemple helps her find a job as a schoolteacher. Selina, moves in with the Poole family and tutors their son Roelf.

Selina, eventually marries a farmer and gives birth to a son named Dirk, nicknamed "So Big".

After her husband dies, Selina barely can keep the farm going to pay for Dirk's education, hoping he will become a great architect. Dirk becomes involved with a married woman, who gives him a job as a bond salesman in her husband's firm.

Eventually, he meets and falls in love with artist Dallas O'Mara, but she refuses to marry him because of his lazyness. Roelf, now a famous sculptor, meets Dirk and, learning Selina is his mother, goes to see her. She is very proud of Roelf's success even though her own son had disappointed her.

Bette Davis, cast in the small role of Dallas O'Mara. She filmed So Big! simultaneously with, The Rich Are Always with Us. Following.. The Man Who Played God, it was her second film for Warner Bros., and the first in which she performed with George Brent, who co-starred with her in eleven more films. Davis considered her casting in a Barbara Stanwyck film a sign Jack L. Warner was acknowledging her value to the studio.

The Bitter Tea of General Yen(1932). Megan Davis, a young American, arrives in Shanghai during the Chinese Civil War in order to marry a missionary. She is separated from her fiancee and rescued by General Yen.

At his palace, she defends Mah-Li, Yen's mistress, who is suspected of giving secrets to the enemy. Kind hearted Megan, comes to Mah-Li defense saving her life. Yen knows that Mah-Li will never change, but, for his growing love for Megan, agrees. Mah-Li does betray him, and he is ruined.
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Baby Face (1933). Dramatic film directed by Alfred E. Green, and starring Barbara Stanwyck and George Brent. Based on a story by Darryl F. Zanuck (under the pseudonym Mark Canfield), this Pre-Code film is about a young woman who uses sex to advance her social and financial status. Marketed with tag line, "She had it and made it pay", the film was one of the most notorious films of the Pre-Code era.
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Golden Boy (1939). A black-and-white Columbia Pictures drama film based on the Clifford Odets play of the same name. It features William Holden in his film debut and the role that made him a star: a promising violinist who wants to be a boxer. Barbara Stanwyck plays his love interest.

The producers were initially unhappy with Holden's work, and tried to fire him, but Stanwyck insisted that he play the part. Thirty-nine years later, when Holden and Stanwyck were joint presenters at the 1977 Academy Awards, he interrupted their reading of a nominee list to publicly thank her for saving his career.
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Meet John Doe (1941). A comedy drama film directed and produced by Frank Capra, and starring Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck. The film is about a political campaign created by a newspaper columnist and pursued by a wealthy businessman. It became a box office hit and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Story. Please click here for movie review.

Executive Suite (1954). A Drama film showing the transfer of power in a corporation in trouble. The film stars William Holden, Barbara Stanwyck, Fredric March, and Walter Pidgeon. It was directed by Robert Wise and produced by John Houseman from a screenplay by Ernest Lehman based on the novel of the same name by Cameron Hawley. The cinematography was by George J. Folsey and the costume design by Helen Rose. It is one of the few Hollywood films with no music score. Please click here for movie review.

Pre-Code: The Bitter Tea of General Yen(1933) .

The Bitter Tea of General Yen is a pre-Code 1933 film, directed by Frank Capra based on the novel by Grace Zaring Stone. Cast: Barbara Stanwyck and Nils Asther. The film was the first to play at the Radio City Music Hall upon its opening in January, 1933. Even though the General Yen, is played by a white actor in yellow face, it was one of the first movies ever to deal with interracial attraction.

While Mr. and Mrs. Jackson, missionaries in Shanghai, prepare their home for the wedding of their friends missionary Dr. Robert Strike and Megan Davis. They receive news of the out break of the civil war and they decide to postpone the wedding, so that Strike can rescue the orphans. Megan waits in the car while Bob asks General Yen, a Chinese warlord, to give him a safe passage. Yen, does not support Bob's missionary ideals and gives him a worthless piece of paper. When Megan and Bob reach the burning orphanage, the soldiers steal their car as they are leaving with the children. They reach the train station, but in the confusion, Bob and Megan are both knocked unconscious and are separated. Megan regains consciousness in the private train of Yen where she meets, Mah-Li. They soon arrive at Yen's summer palace, where Jones, Yen's American financial advisor, is waiting to tell Yen that he has the six million dollars, hidden in a boxcar. Yen, who is fascinated by Megan, tells her it is unsafe to send her back to Shanghai. Soon, Megan's own attraction to Yen is revealed to her in a dream.

It becomes obvious that Mah-Li is betraying Yen with Captain Li, one of his soldiers. Yen arrests Mah-Li for being a spy. Megan offers to answer for Mah-Li's actions if her life is spared. Yen knows that Mah-Li will not change, but, for the growing love for Megan, he agrees. Mah-Li does betray him, and he is ruined. Megan's world shatters around her.

Fun Fact:
The sets for this film were reused for Columbia's One Night of Love (1934).

In my opinion excellent performances of both Nils Asther and Barbara Stanwyck. Nils Asther, a matinee idol during silent days, found it difficult to find good roles in talking pictures, because of his exotic looks. But, with BITTER TEA he found the role of a lifetime. His performance as General is very believable. Barbara Stanwyck, also gives a wonderful performance with the emotions of Asther Yen a missionary captive.

Toshia Mori (January 1, 1912 – November 26, 1995), began her film career in silent films. In Mr. Wu (1927) she was credited as Toshia Ichioka. In Streets of Shanghai (1927), she was credited as Toshiye Ichioka. In The Man Without a Face she was also credited as Toshiye Ichioka. Finally, she entered the sound era as Toshia Mori. She played Miss Ling, in The Hatchet Man (1932). In the same year, she played "Butterfly", in the Roar of the Dragon. She maybe best known for her performance in, The Bitter Tea of General Yen (1933), playing a role which was first scheduled for Anna May Wong. She also performed in the films: The Painted Veil (1934), starring Greta Garbo, In Chinatown Squad (1935), Charlie Chan at the Circus (1936), she was credited as Shia Jung. Charlie Chan on Broadway (1937). This time she was credited as Tashia Mori. In Port of Hate (1939). Again, credited as Shia Jung. After her film career ended, she worked as a researcher for Robert Ripley short films, Ripley's Believe It or Not.