Baby Face _1933_ directed by Alfred E

Baby Face (1933) directed by Alfred E. Green She climbed the ladder of success - wrong by wrong! Plot Summary - Lily’s early life Escape to the Big City Ascending the corporate ladder Sent to Paris Trenholm relationship Lily’s decision and reformation Mass Culture in the ’30s  influenced by the political and social themes  Films gain popularity  depression offered window into the rich array of problems, attitudes, and personalities of the day Emerging Themes  Levine:  “escapist” nature of the plots  tension between small town values and big city life irrationality of individual ideals  Motion Picture Production Code   Enforcement of the code A change in ending  Happy, love story versus punishment of evil  Formulaic ending? Barbara Stanwyck Stanwyck’s “characters”  Past roles  Reversal of the “victim”  Novel female role  Parallels with business sphere  Women and the political world  “gender scapegoating” 