Chico (Theresa Harris) and Lily (Barbara Stanwyck) in Baby Face make a cute couple. Lily works with Chico in her father's sordid speakeasy amidst the factories of Erie. Her father has been pimping her out to the beery customers since she was 14. Her only friend is an old man who gives her Nietzsche books of all things! Lily keeps Chico from getting fired by facing down her angry father. When she won't sleep with the guy under whose protection the father runs the speakeasy, her father threatens to kill her. Chico appears to set fire to the man's still and comes in to tell him about it, so that he runs out and is killed when it explodes. Chico says to Lily, "can I do something for you honey?"
They hop a boxcar to New York and Lily sleeps with the railroad goon so he'll let Chico go, and in New York Lily gets into the banking business by sleeping her way in and up; she uses men according to the garbled movie-version of Nietzsche put forth by the old man. All along, Chico is by her side, and if any man suggests getting rid of her, Lily rears up in angry protectiveness.
The way Chico calls Lily "Honey," the way they banter and walk in tandem, their easy familiarity together despite Chico having to play the role of maid (yes, it's the 1930s after all; on Christmas day when the maid outfit comes off, they speak to each other as equals and old friends), the way Lily is protective of Chico: it's a nice addition to an already compelling story.
No comments:
Post a Comment