''Stella'' is a 1950 American

black comedy Black comedy, also known as dark comedy, morbid humor, or gallows humor, is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally considered serious or painful to disc ...

film directed by

Claude Binyon Claude Binyon (October 17, 1905 Chicago, Illinois – February 14, 1978 Glendale, California) was a screenwriter and director. His genres were comedy, musicals, and romances. As a Chicago-based journalist for the ''Examiner'' newspaper, he be ...

and starring

Ann Sheridan Clara Lou "Ann" Sheridan (February 21, 1915 – January 21, 1967) was an American actress and singer. She is best known for her roles in the films ''San Quentin'' (1937) with Humphrey Bogart, ''Angels with Dirty Faces'' (1938) with James Cagney ...

Victor Mature Victor John Mature (January 29, 1913 – August 4, 1999) was an American stage, film, and television actor who was a leading man in Hollywood during the 1940s and 1950s. His best known film roles include '' One Million B.C.'' (1940), '' My Darli ...

and Leif Erickson.

Plot

When a relative dies in an accident, family members worry that they will be suspected of murder, so they bury the body, but that does not solve anything.

Cast

as Stella Bevans *

as Jeff DeMarco * Leif Erickson as Fred Anderson Jr. *

David Wayne David Wayne (born Wayne James McMeekan, January 30, 1914 – February 9, 1995) was an American stage and screen actor with a career spanning over 50 years. Early life and career Wayne was born in Traverse City, Michigan, the son of Helen M ...

as Carl Granger * Randy Stuart as Claire *

Marion Marshall Marion Marshall (June 8, 1929 – September 24, 2018) was an American actress. Career Marshall's first film appearances were in the 20th Century Fox films '' Gentleman's Agreement'' and ''Daisy Kenyon'' in 1947 (although they were both uncredi ...

as Mary *

Frank Fontaine Frank Fontaine (April 19, 1920 – August 4, 1978) was an American stage, radio, film and television comedian, singer and actor. Early years and personal life Born and raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Fontaine came from a family of entertai ...

as Don * Evelyn Varden as Flora * Lea Penman as Mrs. Calhoun * Joyce MacKenzie as Peggy Denny *

Hobart Cavanaugh Hobart Cavanaugh (September 22, 1886 – April 26, 1950 ) was an American character actor in films and on stage. Biography He was born in Virginia City, Nevada on September 22, 1886. Cavanaugh attended the University of California. He worked in ...

as Tim Gross

Production

The novel '' Family Skeleton'' by Doris Miles Disney was published in 1949. ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' described the book as "half humorous... not a mystery, hardly even a murder novel, and certainly not the light farce suggested by the publisher's grinning skull symbol." Hero Jeff di Marco later appeared in Disney's ''Straw Man'' in 1951. The film was known as ''Stella and the City Man''. Susan Hayward was meant to play the title role but refused and was put on suspension. Ann Sheridan replaced her. Filming started in March 1950. ''Stella'' was

's last film; he knew he did not have long to live and collapsed twice on set, but was determined to see it through.

Critical reception

'' wrote "With a good cast, including David Wayne and Ann Sheridan; dialogue which is generally bright and often quite satirical, Mr. Binyon has put together a surprisingly funny show."

References

External links

* * 1950 films 1950s black comedy films American black comedy films Films based on American novels Films directed by Claude Binyon Films scored by Cyril J. Mockridge 20th Century Fox films Films produced by Sol C. Siegel 1950 comedy-drama films American black-and-white films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films {{1950s-comedy-film-stub