The most extraordinary, trailblazing pioneers are often under-rated throughout their lives, as society can be afraid of the changes they’re striving to make. The late Stella Stevens, who died of complications from Alzheimer’s disease last year at the age of 84, was one such innovator throughout her career. The courageous steps she took in her overall life are highlighted in the new biographical documentary, Stella Stevens: The Last Starlet.
After the passing of the actress, who was one of the last surviving stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age, her son, Golden Globe nominee Andrew Stevens, decided to explore her career from the perspectives of those who admired her. The film also sheds light on her personal struggles, which influenced her development into the outspoken and complex woman she’s remembered for becoming throughout her life.
Stella Stevens: The Last Starlet chronicles the career and personal struggles of the titular movie and television actress. The life of one of the last starlets under the male dominated and misogynistic old Hollywood studio system is fully explored. As Stella Stevens began to phase out of the starlet phase of her career during the evolution of the new Hollywood, she turned her focus more on advocacy for the rights of not only women, but also all races and identities.
The insightful documentary offers an intimate examination into the professional and personal successes and obstacles of one of the last icons of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Narrated in part through Stella Stevens’ own words via actress reenactments, the film chronicles her rise to – and subsequent descent from – stardom from the late 1950s to the mid-2000s.
Accompanying the reenactments of Stella Stevens’ recollections are photos and clips from her movies and television shows, as well as her personal life. Andrew Stevens and the documentary’s editor, Michael Kuge, emphasize the actress’ influence through an emotional interweaving of the reenactments, archived footage from her life and interviews with friends and filmmakers she influenced.
The narrative featured in Stella Stevens: The Last Starlet begins by chronicling how the performer became interested in acting while studying at Memphis State University, much to her family’s disapproval. After marrying – and ultimately divorcing – her son’s father, Noble Herman Stephens, in her late teens at the end of the 1950s, she left their home in Memphis. She decided to move to Los Angeles to pursue her dream of acting.
The film then delves into charming detail about Stella Stevens being discovered while she was modelling, and was offered a contract with 20th Century Fox in 1958. She made her movie debut in the musical Say One for Me, which premiered the following year.
The new biographical feature then explores how the eponymous actress’ first film was followed by multiple sensual roles throughout the 1960s and early ’70s. The reenactments, as well as interviews with several filmmakers and actors, including Quentin Tarantino and Vivica A. Fox, chronicle how the Golden Age star began to feel discontent for the roles she was being cast in.
Stella Stevens, who posed for Playboy in 1960 in order to make money after she first moved to Hollywood, quickly grew wary of the sexy image that the public placed on her. The movie champions her decision to shift the focus of her career to more serious feature films and television series in order to prove her overall talent as an actress.
As the director of Stella Stevens: The Last Starlet, Andrew Stevens also fearlessly explored his mother’s personal relationships. Many of those connections were considered scandalous during her stint as a glamorous icon in the 1960s and ’70s.
The filmmaker recounts how after his mother divorced his father in 1959 and moved to California to pursue her dreams of Hollywood stardom, he didn’t spend much time with her during his childhood. He was left in the custody of his grandparents before his parents began fighting over him during a custody battle.
While Andrew ultimately lived with Stella for several years in L.A., he eventually convinced her to allow him to move back to Memphis during his adolescence. That separation ultimately led to an estrangement in their relationship, which wasn’t mended until years later.
One of the most endearing and touching storylines in Stella Stevens: The Last Starlet is how the actress began to realize and accept her self worth later in her life. After achieving her initial success as a sexy starlet throughout the 1960s and early ’70s, she began to truly embrace her talent. As she started to want to be taken seriously in her craft and overall life, she decided to take on more serious roles that showcased her true acting acting talent.
Stella Stevens also turned to supporting advocacy causes that she felt were vital to improve society’s overall quality of life. The actress helped lead the fight of defending not only women who were being repressed, much like herself, but minorities who were also being inhibited from achieving their goals.
Andrew Stevens crafted an emotionally riveting tribute to his mother with the truthful exploration of her at-times tumultuous career and persona life with Stella Stevens: The Last Starlet. The overall cradle-to-the-grave presentation of the actress’ life makes the feature feel like a standard documentary. However, through Kuge’s masterful editing of the reenactments, footage from her projects and interviews with her friends and filmmakers who admire her make the movie engaging and endearing.
Overall: B+
Stella Stevens: The Last Starlet premiered at this month’s Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival.
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