The Lady Acted
I saw her first in the film, “Baby Face”, where she played Chico to Barbara Stanwyck’s Lily. She was someone that Lily cared for and more than a servant, they were girlfriends who shared a hunger for the lavish lifestyle, secrets, and enjoyed each other’s company. Their chemistry produced a nice mix that I wanted to experience again- in a vehicle with an equal amount of room for them to play in together, like Lorelei and Dorothy in, “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”.
The second time I saw her was in, “Out of the Past”, with Robert Mitchum. She was a source of information that he needed, but a bit cagey and particular about whether or not he should receive it. I noticed the contrast in characters and thought, this person wants viewers to know who she is, so I should find out, and I did.
Baby Face (1933)
Out of the Past (1947)
I came across only one personal quote, sourced from IMDB, that said, “I never felt the chance to rise above the role of maid in Hollywood movies. My color was against me. The fact that I was not, hot, stamped me as either an uppity Negress or relegated me to the eternal role of stooge or servant. I can sing, but so can hundreds of other girls. My ambitions are to be an actress. Hollywood had no parts for me.”
After reading this, I wanted also to hear Harris speak to me herself, so I watched and listened to her. The message left for her viewers throughout time was this… I’ve worked small parts in nearly one hundred films. In them, I acted and cared about my work. Though mostly comprised of maids and servants, I made maid Alma in “I Walked with a Zombie” educated, assertive and have an island accent, different from maid Clementine who has another kind of accent and nature in, “The Flame of New Orleans”. And when in “The Toy Wife,” servant Pick is designed to show a southern speaking girl without formal education, while the woman in “Banjo on my Knee” is well spoken, relates and communicates emotionally with Stanwyck’s character Pearl through song, showing my capability.
Banjo on My Knee (1936)
This beautiful, connective scene was Theresa Harris’ second film with Barbara Stanwyck. The song that Harris is singing while Stanwyck is standing on the dock watching her, is St. Louis Blues. Harris also sings this same song in their first film together, “Baby Face”. I was very impressed by the different manner she chose to make both characters sing the song, proving her talent. And even though Harris doesn’t have a speaking role in her and Stanwyck’s third film together, “The File on Thelma Jordan”, she gave each moment everything she had to offer, as she does more vividly in, “Black Moon”- where she plays a girl who is set to be sacrificed in another non speaking role that exclaims, the lady acted!
Black Moon (1934)
The Toy Wife (1938)
I Walked with a Zombie (1943)
The Flame of New Orleans (1941)
