FEATURE
THE CLACKAMAS PRINT
Febraury 7,1990
'Stella* gets 'triple tissue rating* for the 90's remake
The character of Stella Dal­
las is nothing new to Hollywood
or its long-time fans. Who could
forget the story of the working
class woman who married an
upper-class executive to make
her dream to become aristocrati­
cally cultured come true, only
soon to realize that the marriage
was a mistake. Stella then “sac­
rifices everything, including
motherhood, so her daughter can
live the good life.”
In 1925, Belle Bennett played
Stella in the first Tinsel Town
adaptation of Olive H. Prouty’s
novel in which Douglas Fairbanks
also starred. Then in 1937 Bar­
bara Stanwyck made the charac­
ter of Stella Dallas unforgettable
which was produced by movie
mogul Samuel Goldwyn, directed
by King Vidor, and nominated
for two Academy Awards.
Fifty-three years later, Hol­
lywood has made an updated ver­
sion of this classic three-Kleencx
rated story simply called “Stella”
produced by Samuel Goldwyn,
Jr., directed by John Erman, and
daughter. Alvarado finally gets her
chance to play kind of two roles in
one: a Bronx-type street-smart kid
and a Manhattan upper-class debu­
tante, both of which she is very
convincing, and most important,
likable.
The ever-popular John
Goodman (Always, TV’s Rose-
anne) plays Midler’s
best friend from her
A Reel View
childhood and of the
by
same mold, Ed
Munn, who, when not
Roseann Wentworth
supporting a bottle
or at the dog track, is
Stella’s number one
starring none other than Bette
Midler.
The 1990 tale is basically the
same with the few major excep­
tions: Steven Dallas, played by
Stephen Collins, is a kidney doc­
tor, not an executive; Stella and
Steve do have an affair, but never
get married; and Midler’s Stella
never wanted
to be refined
into the blue-
blooded mold
in which Dal­
las was born.
Even
though Dallas
does offer to wed Stella, she boldly
refuses his hand, including any
kind of financial or moral sup­
port.
Stella must swallow her pride
many times throughout the film
and allow Dr. Dallas into her life
and home, a selfless sacrifice for
her daughter, although it’s em­
barrassing and at times even
humiliating.
Trini Alvarado (Satisfaction)
plays Jenny, Stella’s and Dallas’
male emotional supporter.
Goodman, who is becoming fa­
mous for his supporting role per­
formances, once again proves he
is king with his work with Midler.
Although most of the time he is
semi-incoherent and needing
proper hygienic attention, his love
and admiration for Stella is ever
present.
Midler gives the classic role
the wit, energy, and believability
demanded by audiences of the
1990s. She’s not afraid to play
Stella to the rock-bottom edge,
and her emotional delivery be­
tween utter love and the deepest
pain can’t help but be moving.
Midler’s charismatic ways are also
intrepidly apparent in Stella; even
Midler’s Mondo-Beyondo style
is unmistakable in select scenes.
One of the most heart­
wrenching scenes is where Stella
visits Dallas’ new steady, Janice
(Marsha Mason), at her posh
office in Manhattan to discuss
Jenny’s future in Manhattan
versus Boston, where Jenny and
Stella have always lived. Although
Mason’s role doesn’t have much
plot strength, she does portray it
her best and becomes surpris­
ingly likable.
Although nationally rated
with the triple-tissue seal, Stella
lets the audience peer into the
life of a charismatic and brave
woman in today’s society going
through one of the best classic
story lines. In spite of mediocre
directing, Midler and Alvarado
give admirable performances.
ELC hosts art show, auction
Disneyland
On-Campus
Interviews
February
20 & 21
Please see your
student placement center
for more information
and sign-ups.
At the ELC nest boxes, animal sculptures, and photos aré on
display for the ELC art show through Feb. 17.
Photo by Lane Scheideman
From now until February 17
the John Inskeep Environmental
Learning Center will be holding
an art show in the Lakeside Hall
on the ELC grounds.
The displayed art work in­
cludes nature photographs, ani­
mal sculptures and nest boxes.
Equal Opportunity Employer
“These are the most intricate
bird houses you’ve ever seen,”
stated the Director of the ELC
Jerry Herrmann.
The artists include Michael
Wilhelm of Dynamic Light Pho­
tography Images of Oregon Wild­
life, Dean Edwards Jr. of Wood-
crafters Wildlife Sculptors, and
Richard Clark who created the
nest boxes.
The Haggart Astronomical
Observatory will also be open to
the public for celestial viewing,
weather permitting. Call the ELC
for viewing times at extension 351.
Herrmann is also expecting a
new eagle to arrive at the ELC to
join the other birds of prey that
are being taken care of by the
ELC.
“Hopefully it will be here in a
month,” said Herrmann.
There are two requirements
that must be taken care of before
the eagle can be delivered.
First, a new facility must be
constructed to house the eagle and
then’the Washington Park Zoo,
where the eagle will be coming
from, must have a new eagle to
replace the one going to the ELC.
Coming up on Saturday,
March 3 the ELC will be holding
a benefit auction at the Milwaukie
Elks Club.
Page 3
Writers1 Club
members read
in Metro area
by R. W. Jagodnik Jr.
Staff Writer
“The CCC Writers’ Club is a
group of energetic Clackamas
writers,” says Me-Lissa Cartales,
president of the CCC Writers’ Club.
“Not many people here on
campus have heard of us, since we
haven’t had very much visibility,”
Cartales commented.
Although the club was formed
two years ago, the membership
has remained low. During the Fall
term, the regular attendance at
the club’s meeting gathered be­
tween four to six members.
“The membership is on the
rise,” Allen Widerburg, CCC
Writers’ Club’s faculty advisor, said
referring to the waning regular
attendance. Since the beginning
of Winter term, membership has
increased by eight members.
Widerburg attends all sched­
uled CCC Writers’ Club meetings
and announces various writing
contest possibilities so that mem­
bers are informed of submission
deadlines. Other regular happen­
ings in the weekly meetings are
readings by members of their work.
“It is fun to hear the variety of
subject matter and writing styles
that we hear in weekly meetings.
Members seem to enjoy hearing
each other’s writing and enjoy
having an opportunity to com­
ment,” Widerburg said.
“Last year the club held a
successful writing contest and
another one is planned this year,”
Widerburg mentioned about the
upcoming writing contest which
deadlines February 23. This is just
one of the events taking place this
year for the Writers’ Club.
Last term the club sponsored
an outing to the Blue Heron Cafe
in Portland, where attending
members read and listened to
poetry from other writers in the
Metro area. The club members
also attended a reading of W. B.
Yeats’ poetry by Keith Scales, a
Portland actor, at Powell’s Books
in Portland. Plans are being made
to attend Delilah’s Cafe’s opeh
microphone readings where, again,
members will be able to read their
work to a Metro audience.
The Writers’ Club meeting
are held every Tuesday at 12:30 to
1:30 inCC116.
NOT FOR THOSE WHO
THINK ALIKE,
BUT FOR THOSE WHO
LIKE TO THINK.
ATKINSON
MEMORIAL CHURCH
Sixth & John Adams, Oregon City
Tt>e Reverend Mr. Richard K. Bellingham, Minister
COMING
FEBRUARY 11
DEDICATION OF CHOIR ROBES
"WITH SIGHT SOUND
AND MEMORY"
11:00 AM
Publlc Services
9:30 AM
Adult Forum
9:30 AM
Attended Nursery
9:30 AM
Church School
(except Aug. 1-Sep.15)
centimeters
16 (M)
49.25
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17
38.62
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18(B)
28.86
0.54
0.60
19
16.19
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0.73
20
8.29
-0.81
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3.44
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0.49
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