Baby Face (1933) – Classic Pre-Code Drama with Barbara Stanwyck & John Wayne 🎬

🌟 Baby Face (1933) is a bold and unforgettable pre-Code Hollywood classic starring the fierce and magnetic Barbara Stanwyck alongside a young John Wayne in a brief but memorable role. Directed by Alfred E. Green, this powerful drama explores themes of ambition, survival, and the female pursuit of power in a male-dominated world. <br /><br />📜 Plot Summary <br />Lily Powers (Barbara Stanwyck) is a working-class woman living in Erie, Pennsylvania, who is exploited by her abusive father. After a tragedy frees her from his grip, Lily—encouraged by Nietzschean philosophy and an older friend—heads to New York City to climb the corporate ladder using her beauty and wit. She begins working at Gotham Trust, quickly rising through the ranks by seducing men in powerful positions. <br /><br />Unlike most films of the era, Baby Face unapologetically portrays a woman who takes control of her own fate, using the very tools that society criticizes her for. Lily is not a victim—she is a calculated, empowered survivor. Along the way, she interacts with a variety of men, some who help her and others who fall because of her. Amidst the scandal and drama, she eventually finds herself in a position of real power—both professionally and emotionally. <br /><br />John Wayne plays Jimmy McCoy Jr., a clean-cut young man she briefly encounters in her meteoric rise, highlighting the kinds of relationships and morals Lily must choose between. <br /><br />This film shocked audiences in 1933 with its raw themes and suggestive content, pushing the boundaries of what Hollywood could show before the Hays Code began its strict enforcement. <br /><br />👥 Main Cast <br />⭐ Barbara Stanwyck as Lily Powers <br /><br />🎩 George Brent as Courtland Trenholm <br /><br />🧑‍💼 Donald Cook as Ned Stevens <br /><br />🧔‍♂️ Alphonse Ethier as Ed Sipple <br /><br />👨 Henry Kolker as J.P. Carter <br /><br />🧑‍🏫 Theresa Harris as Chico <br /><br />🤠 John Wayne as Jimmy McCoy Jr. <br /><br />🧓 Douglass Dumbrille as Brody