![Screen Goddess Collection: Barbara Stanwyck [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51WVLQrUM6L.jpg)
Six films starring the iconic screen actress Barbara Stanwyck. In the classic film noir 'Double Indemnity' (1943), insurance salesman Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) calls at the house of femme fatale Phyllis Dietrichson (Stanwyck) in order to renew her husband's insurance policy. An immediate attraction sparks between the two, and gradually Phyllis seduces Walter into conspiring with her to murder her husband, now provided with a double indemnity insurance clause. The murder is carried out as planned, but the couple then find themselves growing increasingly suspicious of each other as they get closer to collecting the money. When Walter's boss, relentless investigator Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson), starts to look into the policy, Walter and Phyllis' steely resolve begins to falter. In 'The Bitter Tea of General Yen' (1932), set during the Chinese Civil War, American missionary Megan Davis (Stanwyck) is working in Shanghai when she is kidnapped by Chinese warlord General Yen (Nils Asther). Yen falls in love with Megan, but believes that she does not return his affections. However, as they spend time together the missionary comes to care for her captor. In 'The Miracle Woman' (1931) was an early hit for director Frank Capra, and stars Stanwyck as a preacher's daughter who loses her faith when her father is is fired from his church. Taking up with an unscrupulous conman, she starts performing fake miracles for cash, but when she meets a trusting blind man, her faith in God is restored. In 'The Lady Eve' (1941), Henry Fonda stars as Charles Pike, the heir to the Pike Ale empire. Following a year spent looking for rare snakes, Charles is heading for New York aboard the S.S. Southern Queen. But with everyone on board the ship aware of his inheritance, he is hounded by a group of single women looking for a suitable, eligible bachelor. Also after his inheritance are Colonel Harry Harrington (Charles Coburn) and his partner, a pair of conmen and card sharks with a secret weapon - the Colonel's daughter, Jean (Stanwyck). In 'All I Desire' (1953), Stanwyck plays Naomi Murdoch, a woman who abandons her family to pursue a career on the stage. Ten years later, Naomi's daughter invites her back to their small town to see the school's new play, and her arrival causes a storm of controversy. Finally, in 'Golden Boy' (1939), violinist Joe Bonaparte (William Holden) wants to be a boxer, against his father's wishes, but after a few bouts in the ring he begins to have second thoughts. His girlfriend Lorna (Stanwyck) tries to encourage him top continue, but when gangster Eddie Fuseli (Joseph Calleia) wants to buy a piece of Joe from his corrupt manager, Lorna begins to have second thoughts too.
F**E
Wonderful collection. Stanwyck
Wonderful collection. Stanwyck, in my opinion, one of the greatest, woefully underrated, actor of the period. I had never seen Preston Sturges' Lady Eve before. A cracking film!
A**R
Good old fasioned drama
Just great to relax and watch a collection of classic films; good storyline, great actors and no foul language!
L**U
Great box set - have watched multiple times
These films were a revelation - Stanwyck is just fantastic and the films don't age half as much as, for instance, Bette Davis vehicles. A must for anyone who only knows her from Double Indemnity.
S**R
Barbara, femme fatale and much more
GRAB THIS COLLECTION BEFORE IT IS SOLD OUT!! This is an excellent collection of some of the best Barbara Stanwyck films. It amply showcases the acting prowess of her,whether it is comedy,family drama,cine noir. She was the best among her equals.DOUBLE INDEMNITY directed by the legendary Billy Wilder is the finest and quintessential cine noir and who could be better in playing femme fatale than Barbara Stanwyck? She plays a calculating woman,plots to kill or rather get her husband killed so that she can collect the insurance money. That she does with the insurance agent(Fred MacMurray)who sells the insurance policy to her husband.THE LADY EVE, another legendary film, a romantic screwball comedy with Henry Fonda,directed and written by Hollywood legend Preston Sturges. A story of a card sharp who fleeces rich passengers on a transatlantic cruiser in collusion with a companion(the inimitable Charles Coburn),falls in love with a rich heir whom they wanted to fleece. Look forward to snappy,witty dialogues to realise the genius of Preston Sturges. Some of the finest witty barbs from the golden age of Hollywood!THE BITTER TEA OF GENERAL YEN. This is the most interesting and least known film of the lot. It was one of the very few commercial flop the director Frank Capra had. Nevertheless, it is a great film. Set in China during '30s of the last century,where Ms.Stanwyck plays an American missionary. The film, in essence is an excellent study of the confrontation of two value systems viz.the Chinese and the Western. The film has much more relevane now that China is surging ahead to the superpower status and the West is at loss to understand the inscrutable China and the Chinese.ALL I DESIRE is a family melodrama directed by Douglas Sirk. An ambitious mother leaves the family to pursue her theatrical career. After the success a decade or so pass by and she comes back to the family hoping for some kind of reconciliation. Ms.Stanwyck plays the role of the mother with finesse.THE MIRACLE WOMAN is another Frank Capra film.Although the film is from the thirties of the last century,it is still relevant in our times. It deals with the theme of con artists exploiting people in the name of religion and spirituality.GOLDEN BOY directed by Rouben Mamoulian is a story of a young prize boxer(played by twentyish something William Holden, a great pleasure to watch him in this film,)falling in love with a woman of the world played Barbara Stanwyck. I think, this is the first major film of William Holden and commercially successful too.
M**A
I really recommend this little collection of films
I really recommend this little collection of films, the quality and transfers are superb.you wont be disappointed if you are a mad fan of Barbara Stanwyc as I am.Also the price is great.
J**M
Excellent viewing.
This box set made an excellent gift for my mum. Truly classic films. Three generation of our family have enjoyed watching them.
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