Stella Dallas

Stella Dallas follows a woman from a working-class background who marries Stephen Dallas, a man from a more privileged family. The social gap between them soon strains the marriage, and the couple separate, leaving Stella to raise their daughter Laurel largely on her own. As Laurel grows, Stella becomes determined to secure a better future for her, even when that ambition demands difficult personal choices about the girl's upbringing and where she truly belongs.

King Vidor directed the film, which sits between Hallelujah (1929) and The Citadel (1938) in a career that also includes The Big Parade (1925), Duel in the Sun (1946) and War and Peace (1956). Adapted for the screen by Victor Heerman and Sarah Y. Mason from Olive Higgins Prouty's novel, the production was made by Samuel Goldwyn Productions and released through United Artists. Barbara Stanwyck plays Stella, with John Boles as Stephen, Anne Shirley as Laurel, and supporting turns from Barbara O'Neil, Alan Hale and Marjorie Main among a credited cast of 28.

The film runs 106 minutes and belongs to the drama and romance genres. On IMDb the title holds a film critics' rating of 6.9 out of 10 based on 10 reviews, while on TMDB it has a rating of 6.8 out of 10 from 101 votes, indicating broadly comparable responses from critics and audiences.