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Barbara-stanwyck Quote by Robert Wagner

“Spending time around her house, I came across a cache of 16mm movies in her basement. It turned out that Barbara [Stanwyck] had a lot of her own movies, and I convinced her to spend some time watching them with me. I ran the projector. She had prints of Union Pacific, Ball of Fire, and Baby Face…” quote by Robert Wagner
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““Spending time around her house, I came across a cache of 16mm movies in her basement. It turned out that Barbara [Stanwyck] had a lot of her own movies, and I convinced her to spend some time watching them with me. I ran the projector. She had prints of Union Pacific, Ball of Fire, and Baby Face, among others. She didn't particularly like watching them, but she did enjoy reminiscing about their production: how she got the part, what the location was like, that sort of thing. She liked people with humor and always spoke highly of Gary Cooper, Joel McCrea, and Frank Capra. Oddly enough, she wasn't crazy about Preston Sturges; she seemed to feel that he expended all his charm and humor for his movies and that there wasn't anything left for his actors. In broad outline, all this sounds a little bit like the scene in Sunset Boulevard where Gloria Swanson sits with William Holden and watches a scene from Queen Kelly, rhapsodizing about her own face. But Barbara couldn't have cared less about how she looked; as I watched her films with her, it was clear that, for her, the movies were a job she loved, as well as a social occasion for a woman who was otherwise something of a loner.””

Robert Wagner

About This Quote

She valued movies as both work and social connection, sharing production stories rather than personal fame.

In simple terms: Films were a job and social occasion for her.

Key Takeaway

Appreciate work and social aspects of shared hobbies.

Themes

career nostalgia social interaction loneliness film appreciation

Mood

reflective nostalgic

Type

anecdotal observational

When to use this quote

  • movie nights
  • film clubs
  • creative professions
  • loner gatherings

Key Concepts

storytelling personal connection industry insight

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do shared professional interests deepen relationships?
  • What role does nostalgia play in bonding?
A Different Perspective

She may have been reluctant to discuss personal feelings, focusing on professional aspects.

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