As a gamer, I’ve had my fair share of cinematic adventures, but none quite as captivating as Stella Stevens: The Last Starlet. Having grown up with a gaming controller in one hand and a remote control for the family VHS player in the other, I can confidently say that this documentary ranks high on my list of favorite “games.
As a gamer, I’d say:
The frequent filmmaker openly acknowledges that his early years with his mother were far from smooth sailing. Born in Yazoo City, Mississippi, Stevens wed at the tender age of 16 and became a mother six months later to her only child, Andrew. The marriage quickly ended, and when she relocated to Hollywood for an acting career, she took Andrew illegally to California with her. Later, his father and grandfather intervened, taking him away, leading to a contentious custody battle. Consequently, it wasn’t until he turned 16 that Andrew managed to establish a meaningful relationship with his mother.
Stevens quickly landed a contract with 20th Century Fox, where she was shaped into a starlight resembling Marilyn Monroe and Mamie Van Doren. Her sultry persona was further solidified when she graced the cover of Playboy magazine; however, she had unsuccessfully attempted to buy back her nude photos from Hugh Hefner who declined.
She rapidly gained success, particularly through movies like “Li’l Abner,” where she portrayed the captivating character “Appasionata Von Climax,” and the musical “Say One for Me” alongside Bing Crosby. This role earned her a Golden Globe award as the Rising Star of the Year.
In one of the interviews presented here, Stevens humorously remarks that some of his most enjoyable roles have been portraying characters labeled as nymphomaniacs. Some scenes are displayed through archival clips from different talk shows, while others are reenacted with a doppelganger actress (Lindsie Kongsore). Initially, this technique may seem abrupt, but it undeniably gives Stevens’ words more impact. However, the director occasionally overdoes it, such as when he employs an actor to portray a film critic reading a review excerpt unnecessarily.
There are plenty of juicy anecdotes and revelations in the documentary, one of the most priceless being Stevens’ account of co-star Bobby Darin getting a much noticeable erection while they shot a kissing scene. She also reveals that she had no desire to appear with Elvis Presley in Girls! Girls! Girls! and only agreed to do it after she was promised that she would get to play opposite Montgomery Clift in her next film. The Clift project never materialized, and she could never bring herself to watch the Presley one.
It’s known that she had multiple romantic entanglements, such as an affair with the infamous, married-at-the-time Hollywood troubleshooter Sidney Korshak, and a prolonged relationship with actor Skip Ward. Unfortunately for her, Ward was often financially exploitative and unfaithful.
The documentary powerfully argues for Stevens’ remarkable talent, notably her impressive comic abilities, demonstrated throughout various excerpts from her performances, like those from an episode of Bonanza that garnered praise. She matched wits with Jerry Lewis in The Nutty Professor and shone brightly in the traditional comedy How to Save a Marriage and Ruin Your Life alongside Dean Martin, whom she had previously worked with in The Silencers. Her energetic performance in Sam Peckinpah’s 1970 film The Ballad of Cable Hogue earned her critical applause, but the movie itself was unsuccessful. However, when she featured in box office successes such as The Poseidon Adventure, it didn’t significantly boost her career.
In the limelight, I found myself revered by Black communities, largely due to my trailblazing roles in films like “Slaughter” with Jim Brown and “Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold.” Yet, it was directing that truly captivated me. The opportunity finally came knocking in 1989 with an independent film titled “The Ranch,” featuring my son Andrew, who later reciprocated by casting me in his 1991 B-movie masterpiece, “The Terror Within II.” I also embarked on a feminist documentary project, “The American Heroine,” but unfortunately, it never saw the light of day.
Apart from snippets of her acting work on screen and television, this documentary also features captivating home videos, personal photos, and thoughtful comments from different individuals such as film historians Leonard Maltin and Courtney Joyner. However, what really stands out is Tarantino’s contribution, who, as expected, provides the most engaging part with his heartfelt enthusiasm for Stevens’ performances, reminiscent of a devoted fan. (At the festival, Andrew revealed that he essentially gave Tarantino control over the presentation of The Last Starlet.)
Despite Stevens’ film career on the big screen eventually waning, she remained steadfast in her work and continued to appear in numerous direct-to-video films and TV shows until her last role in a production titled Megaconda in 2010. As Tarantino remarks, “If being an actress means working, she certainly did. She worked extensively.
Her last days were filled with sadness, as she fought against Alzheimer’s disease until her passing at 84 in 2023. This was disappointing for her son and numerous fans, as she was overlooked in the Academy Awards’ annual “In Memoriam” segment and never received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Correcting this omission would be appropriate, particularly if the book Stella Stevens: The Last Starlet gains widespread recognition.
Read More
Sorry. No data so far.
2024-11-19 04:54