Publisher's Synopsis
Collection of six films starring Barbara Stanwyck. 'The Miracle Woman' (1931), directed by Frank Capra, sees Stanwyck as Florence Fallon, the daughter of a priest who loses her faith in God. She teams up with con artist Bob Hornsby (Sam Hardy) and together they earn money by performing fake miracles. However, when a blind man (David Manners) claims Florence saved his life, she begins to believe again and, as a result, no longer wishes to continue the act with Hornsby. Unhappy with this, Hornsby becomes determined to protect his business. 'The Bitter Tea of General Yen' (1933), also directed by Capra, is set during the Chinese Civil War. American missionary Megan Davis (Stanwyck) working in Shanghai is kidnapped by Chinese warlord General Yen (Nils Asther). Yen falls in love with Megan, but believes that she does not return his affections. However, as they spend time together the missionary comes to care for her captor. In 'Golden Boy' (1939) violinist Joe Bonaparte (William Holden) wants to be a boxer, against his father's wishes, but after a few bouts in the ring he begins to have second thoughts. His girlfriend, Lorna (Stanwyck), tries to encourage him to continue, but when gangster Eddie Fuseli (Joseph Calleia) wants to buy a piece of Joe from his corrupt manager, Lorna begins to have second thoughts too. In 'The Lady Eve' (1941) Charles Pike (Henry Fonda), the heir to the Pike Ale empire, is heading for New York aboard the S.S. Southern Queen following a year spent looking for rare snakes. But with everyone on board the ship aware of his inheritance, he is hounded by a group of single women looking for a suitable, eligible bachelor. Also after his inheritance are Colonel Harry Harrington (Charles Coburn) and his partner, a pair of conmen and card sharks with a secret weapon - the Colonel's daughter, Jean (Stanwyck). 'Double Indemnity' (1943) is the classic adaptation of James M. Cain's hardboiled noir novel by director Billy Wilder and writer Raymond Chandler. Insurance salesman Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) calls at the house of femme fatale Phyllis Dietrichson (Stanwyck) in order to renew her husband's insurance policy. An immediate attraction sparks between the two, and gradually Phyllis seduces Walter into conspiring with her to murder her husband, now provided with a double indemnity insurance clause. The murder is carried out as planned, but the couple then find themselves growing increasingly suspicious of each other as they get closer to collecting the money. When Walter's boss, relentless investigator Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson), starts to look into the policy, Walter and Phyllis' steely resolve begins to falter. Finally, in 'All I Desire' (1953), Naomi Murdock (Stanwyck) returns to the hometown she deserted to follow her acting career, leaving a husband and daughter behind. Now a successful star in her field, she receives an invitation from her daughter to attend her school play (her ex-husband is the school head) but, not having been back since leaving, it's a hard decision to make. She accepts and, predictably, is the target of much small town ire and tattling as a result. More complications arise with the appearance of a former lover.