1937 – Anne Shirley
Stella Dallas
One of the things that Hollywood seems to have a talent for is casting the perfect people in their movies, and this was certainly the case when it came to Stella Dallas. Anne Shirley played the sweet young daughter of the crass and tawdry Stella. She had that fresh-faced young girl, right at the age where she is becoming a woman, enhanced by expert hair and makeup to help sell the illusion of age.
And there was also a bit of emotional complexity to the role of Laurel Dallas that was rather unique. The story arc of her character was not conventional. She had a strange relationship with her mother, a parent who she loved, and yet by whom she was embarrassed at the same time. And when she began spending time with her father and his new love interest, she began to learn just what kind of a woman Stella was. Shirley deftly portrayed Laurel’s guilt over enjoying that easy and privileged existence, rather than the constant chaos of being in her mother’s orbit.
There were several scenes where Shirley’s acting stood out as exceptional. There was the pivotal scene in the train where the girl and her mother overhear the gossipers making fun of Stella, and feeling sorry for the sweet Laurel for having to live with her. And there was the scene where Stella actively drives Laurel away into the arms of another mother who can give her a life free of a stained reputation. It was heartbreaking to see Laurel’s realization that she had to leave the mother she loved in order to find happiness in a new home.
Like I said, it was a complex character, but it was a smart script that gave us two wonderfully written parts for two fantastic actresses. She was like an eager little ingénue, who looked completely at ease in front of the camera. She was not afraid to put her emotions out where they could be seen, and young though she was, she was able to hold her own along-side a powerhouse like Barbara Stanwyck. I found myself wondering what else she has done. She was only 4 years old when she started acting and was 18 when she played Laurel Dallas. And she made her final film appearance when she was only 26. The article I read didn’t state why she stopped acting, but it too bad she did, because she was very talented.