1937 stella dallas with barbara stanwyck hasn not exactly age well how anyone think a semi updated version of the story would work now be a real puzzler . perhaps they think jaunty and cheerfully brash bette midler could make something out of it and but this hoary script defeat her . plot about a female bartender have a baby out of wedlock and and year later give the young girl over to the child wealthy father so she will have a shot at a good life and can not escape tatty and old fashion trapping and sentiment . midler work best with a movie director who can control her excess and but that fail to happen here while stephen collins be stolid a the man who change her life and but trini alvarado be well cast a midler daughter . this be what use to be refer to a a woman picture and a wallow and but it doesn not pass muster because it stay too faithful to it 1930 origin . half from .