#55. barbara stanwyck in stella dallas

as the pitiful title character, stanwyck is at first unlikable as the typical gold-digger, spending many nights out with numerous men, with a young daughter at home. however, once young laurel (anne shirley in an oscar nominated performance) begins to blossom into a beautiful, intelligent young woman, stella (who is now beginning to show signs of age), desperately tries to be more present in her daughter's life, leading to embarrassing rejection. the film famously closes on the once beautiful mother, staring into a chapel from the outside (and wearing shabby clothes), watching her daughter marry a wealthy man. heartbreaking. 

*nominated for 1938 best actress oscar;

lost to luise rainer in the good earth

greatest moment: stella, in an attempt to look high society, crashes a tennis tournament at her daughter's country club dressed in an ill-fitting, outlandish nightclub gown, while laurel flees in shame