"I want to go on until they have to shoot me."

One of the most acclaimed (and subsequently overlooked) actresses in cinematic history, Barbara Stanwyck walked onto the silver screen in 1927 and made her last film sixty years later. However, she has never left our hearts.

Born as Ruby Catherine Stevens in 1907 and raised in a tough Brooklyn, New York neighborhood, Stanwyck grew up to face challenges. At the age of four, her mother was thrown from a streetcar by a drunk and killed. After working for a telephone company followed by steady work as a dancer, she changed her name and headed to Hollywood leaving behind her troubled past, save for her street-wise and sassy personality. Stanwyck's career is one of Hollywood's longest and through that time frame she ran the gamut of characters from a stripper with a golden heart and a self-sacrificing mother to an ice-cold femme fatale killer to a wisecracking con artist. Quite honestly, Stanwyck could play any role convincingly. Unlike her contemporaries Katharine Hepburn and Bette Davis, whom she is most often compared, Stanwyck never signed a studio contract (like Cary Grant and Irene Dunne) allowing her freedom to choose each project. This also hurt her career. Though nominated for an Oscar four times, Stanwyck had no studio publicity pushing her chances and thus garnered the title "best actress that never won."

Awards, however, aren't the mark of true talent. Stanwyck is oft forgotten, particularly when comparing her to the larger than life figures of Hepburn and Davis. She played her characters beautifully, filled with emotion while simultaneously reaching the audience. No other actress had or has this true ability. Stanwyck has been accredited of late, ranked as the 11th greatest star in film history by AFI as well as winning an Honorary Oscar in 1982 for "superlative creativity and unique contribution to the art of screen acting."

Honoring Stanwyck's centennial, Warner Home Video has released a six-film set of five discs, packaged as Stanwyck's signature collection. Though other studios have released several of her more popular films recently, Warner Bros. has collected a decent array of her talent. Ranging from 1935 to 1955, 20 years of Stanwyck's work are included, four of which stem from MGM's late years (1949-55). No one picture truly stands out in the set, though Annie Oakley comes close; Stanwyck's performances in each picture prove just how amazing this star really is.

THE FILMS:
Executive Suite (MGM 1954 - 104 minutes)
Stars: William Holden, June Allyson, Barbara Stanwyck, Frederic March, Walter Pidgeon, Shelley Winters, Paul Douglas, Louis Calhern, Dean Jagger, and Nina Foch
Director: Robert Wise
Avery Bullard, President of the Tredway Corporation has died. But he never named a clear successor, so the Board members must choose a replacement. The most likely is Loren Shaw (March), a skilled businessman, but some of the others don't like his calculating ways. But to stop him, they'll have to find someone else they can back. Will it be the engineer Don Walling (Holden)? That will take convincing, they don't trust his youth and idealism. And he isn't even sure he wants the job, he might be happier creating rather than politicking.

Barbara is reunited with William Holden in this landmark film, the original "boardroom drama." In 1939's Golden Boy, Stanwyck insisted that producers keep Holden in the picture after he proved unfitting. The two became life-long friends. Adapted from Cameron Hawley's best-selling novel, it's wonderful story that gave Stanwyck her best screen role in several years, despite the supporting role. The film also has great performances by the Grand Hotel- style cast and earned Nina Foch an Oscar nomination. The film was invited to the prestigious Venice Film Festival, where it earned a special Jury Prize.

Annie Oakley (RKO 1935 - 90 minutes)
Stars: Barbara Stanwyck, Preston Foster, and Melvyn Douglas
Director: George Stevens
Meet Col. Cody, Sitting Bull, and all the two-gun heroes of the plains, in the big show that astonished two continents ... a livid background for the flaming love of Annie Oakley! This film was made over a decade prior to Irving Berlin's hit musical starring Ethel Merman and it truly helped make Stanwyck a great star.

My Reputation (Warner Bros.1946 - 94 minutes)
Stars: Barbara Stanwyck, George Brent, Warner Anderson, and Eve Arden
Director: Curtis Bernhardt
Stanwyck portrays Jessica Drummond, a wealthy suburban housewife, grieving over the loss of her beloved husband, who was killed in battle. Stanwyck's character is a woman suffering unavoidable grief over her loss and overwhelmed with the responsibility of raising her two adolescent sons. Her unhappiness is further complicated by the advice and meddling of her "society friends". A chance meeting with an Army officer on leave (Brent) leads Jessica to find love again, much to this consternation of everyone in her social circle.

This picture was a typical "woman's picture" made famous by such stars as Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. Jessica was a role that would become synonymous with Stanwyck's name, particularly her character Stella Dallas.

East Side, West Side (MGM 1949 - 108 minutes)
Stars: Barbara Stanwyck, James Mason, Van Heflin, Ava Gardner, Cyd Charisse, Nancy Davis (Reagan), and Gale Sondergaard
Director: Mervyn LeRoy
Brandon and Jessie Bourne have been married to each other for many years. A few years ago, Brandon had an extra-martial affair with Isabel Lorrison. Now she has come back to New York intending to start over with the relationship once again. Meanwhile, Jessie is attracted to Mark Dwyer, just arrived from a secret mission in Italy.

Barbara Stanwyck Double Feature:
To Please a Lady (MGM 1950 - 91 minutes)
Stars: Clark Gable, Barbara Stanwyck, Adolph Menjou, and Will Geer
Director: Clarence Brown
Gable stars as a renegade-racing driver whose questionable driving maneuvers during a race end up killing another driver. Stanwyck plays a no-nonsense newspaper reporter out to expose Gable's professional tactics and end his career. Despite their initial opposition to each other, they end up falling in love, which causes unexpected complications for both.

Jeopardy (MGM 1953- 69 minutes)
Stars: Barbara Stanwyck, Barry Sullivan, and Ralph Meeker
Director: John Sturges
The Stilwins are on vacation to an isolated beach in Mexico. Walking on a deserted jetty, Doug Stilwin gets his leg trapped under one of the logs. All attempts to move the log are futile and Helen Stilwin takes the car to get help. However, an escaped criminal kidnaps her. Will she be able to return to her husband before he drowns? The Stilwins are on vacation to an isolated beach in Mexico. Walking on a deserted jetty, Doug Stilwin gets his leg trapped under one of the logs. All attempts to move the log are futile and Helen Stilwin takes the car to get help. However, an escaped criminal kidnaps her. Will she be able to return to her husband before he drowns?

SOUND + VISION:
Each film has been beautifully restored both visually and audibly, as one expects from Warner Home Video releases. Each picture is presented in 1.33:1 aspect ratio with clear and precise imagery. My Reputation is particularly lovely, the lighting finally clear and appreciated. The sound is presented in Dolby 1.0, each feature equipped with captions in English and French and Spanish subtitles.

PACKAGING/ LAYOUT:
After releasing their last few signature collections with small snap-cases, Warner Bros. has returned to packaging each film for individual release, thankfully. Like the Errol Flynn Signature Collection Volume 2, the new box set format consists of a silver embossed bust photograph of Stanwyck set against a black background, her signature largely printed in silver script. The set's backside has the usual thumbnails of each film poster with adjacent film summaries. The movie's themselves are packaged individually in black snap-cases, save for the double feature of To Please a Lady and Jeopardy, which are both on one disc.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
Like many of the signature collections, a decent amount of bonus materials have been gathered for this release, though not quite as many as previous releases.

Executive Suite

• Commentary by Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone - An unlikely candidate for a film's commentary, Stone does a wonderful job of discussing the film's production and it's director Robert Wise. Having Stone participate helps demonstrate the film's importance.
• Out for Fun (9:24) - This production is a typical Steve Smith narrated short about overworked gentlemen enjoying time away from the office.
• Billy Boy (6:04) - A very funny cartoon, this Tex Avery production deals with a farmer who is initially delighted to get a baby goat, but soon turns to apprehension when he discovers that it eats literally anything (including, at one point, the animation artwork).
• Theatrical Trailer (3:09)

Annie Oakley

• Main Street Follies (21:16) - This short stars Hal LeRoy as a dancer who frustrates his old boss when hired by his biggest competitor. LeRoy's dancing is worth the watch.
• Into Your Dance (7:09) - This classic cartoon contains some use of black face but the rest is quite entertaining. It is best remembered for Porky Pig's voice coming from the dog on screen.

My Reputation

• Jan Savitt and His Band (10:07) - In this Melody Masters short, Jan Savitt and his orchestra play background music for several singers while acrobats perform for the camera.
• Daffy Doodles (7:08) - A typical Warner Bros. cartoon, Daffy Duck is a mad cartoon with an unsatisfied urge to paint mustaches on everything. Porky Pig is the officer that finally tries to nab him.
• Audio-only bonus (30:01) - 7/7/1947 Screen Guild Playhouse production of My Reputation on the radio. Shortened and concise, Alexis Smith takes on Stanwyck's role strongly.
• Audio-only bonus: 4/21/1947 (1:00:01) - Lux Radio Theater radio presentation with Stanwyck and Brent recreating their roles impressively. This was also Stanwyck's first radio presentation after a European holiday.
• Theatrical Trailer (1:16)

East Side, West Side

• Stuff for Stuff (10:39) - This Passing Parade short was made to support free trade amongst nations, beginning with the Egyptians up to the modern day Marshall Plan.
• Counterfeit Cat (7:04) - In this funny MGM cartoon, a cat steals a dog headpiece in order to fool the tough Spike.
• Theatrical Trailer (2:26)

To Please a Lady/ Jeopardy

• To Please a Lady Theatrical Trailer (2:01)
• Audio-only bonus (48:31) - 3/15/1954 Lux Radio presentation of the film done in a typically exciting presentation starring Stanwyck in her film role.
• Jeopardy Theatrical Trailer (2:50)

FINAL THOUGHTS:
Barbara Stanwyck is truly one of the finest actresses to ever grace the silver screen. When asked which five American-born actresses are the true best, many historians answer Lillian Gish, Katharine Hepburn, Bette Davis, Meryl Streep, and Stanwyck. Out of the five ladies, Stanwyck is the most approachable, the most versatile, and the one who truly reached her audiences by emoting. Any Stanwyck or film fan will appreciate this set, wonderfully composed and consisting of some of Stanwyck's greatest co-stars. Of these Executive Suite is most dramatic and star-studded, Annie Oakley the most riveting. Though the films aren't necessarily her best remembered or most favored, Stanwyck shines in each picture. More importantly is the availability of the movies to film fans. The issue of Stanwyck's films is most exciting and this set does a decent job of demonstrating her amazing ability.

OVERALL MOVIE COLLECTION SCORE: B+
OVERALL SOUND + VISION SCORE: A
BOX SET PACKAGING/ LAYOUT SCORE: A-
OVERALL SPECIAL FEATURES SCORE: B
OVERALL DVD SET SCORE: B+ (Worth owning for the sheer presence of Stanwyck)