A Taste Of Evil (1971)

If you're a Stanny fanny you could do worse than watching her give us A Taste Of Evil in this 1971 thriller from the ABC Movie Of The Week cannon, produced by Aaron Spelling. Not many TV movies start with the rape of a young girl but leave it to Barbara Stanwyck to notch up the evil even further as the cold matriarch Miriam Jennings. Barbara Parkins, Roddy MacDowell, William Windom and Arthur O'Connell join in the fun; yea, it's not that scary or thrilling but Stanwyck makes it fun.

Watch it now on YouTube

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Titanic (1953)

Titanic (1953) is dated drama but phenomenal spectacle - the iceberg hit is black and white, matter-of-fact and very well-done - with yet another captivating performance by Barbara Stanwyck. Clifton Webb, Thelma Ritter (as Molly Brown) and baby Robert Wagner with Audrey Dalton (the latter two playing Leonardo diCaprio and Kate Winslet, respectively) are enthusiastic and solid - ably aiding Stanwyck in tugging at our heartstrings. Director Jean Negulesco has fashioned a good old-fashioned yarn from history but then haven't all cinematic versions of this story been created from yarn?

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...Baby Face (1933) - 6 Lines about 2 Versions

Baby Face is a rather shocking (even today) look at Lily Power's climb out of the sewer in which she was born; rather than using a ladder and manhole though she uses a bed. Barbara Stanwyck is wonderful as the femme and shows much courage to have even agreed to take the part (as does a heavily made-up John Wayne in a small yet pivotal role). Nothing is left to the imagination (in the pre-release version) when Stanwyck eyes a man up and down and closes the door to a room. The honesty is compelling, forthright and, frankly, refreshing - although the ending does seem out-of-character. The theatrical version is less of everything: shock, courage, and interest. Stanwyck's sex-capades are watered down (scenes are cut after the couple eye each other, Baby Face does not berate her father for turning her into a whore at 14) and an additional feel-real-good ending has been tacked on - all to appease the Motion Picture Code so certainly, watch the film as the filmmakers intended.