SUSAN AND GOD
US, 1940, 117 minutes, Black and white.
Joan Crawford, Fredric March, Ruth Hussey, John Carroll, Rita Hayworth, Nigel Bruce, Bruce Cabot, Rita Quigley, Rose Hobart, Constance Collier, Gloria de Haven, Marjorie Main.
Directed by George Cukor.
Susan and God is an adaptation of a very popular '30s play by Rachel Crothers. It was a star vehicle on Broadway for Gertrude Lawrence. This adaptation for the screen by Anita Loos (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes) is an entertaining blend of the serious and the satiric. It is about a very self-centred affluent woman who alleges that she has found God but uses God as a weapon against others, as a means of deceiving herself and seeing herself as righteous. It is an effective parody on people discovering God (and is still relevant many decades later).
Joan Crawford gives one of her best performances as Susan - playing in type but also playing against type as the flighty religion-possessed woman interfering with other people's lives, ignoring her own and being forced to face reality. Fredric March is his usual sturdy self as the alienated and alcoholic husband. The supporting cast is strong and includes Ruth Hussey as Charlotte, an early Rita Hayworth performance (with touches of rumba glamour) and John Carroll. Support comes from Nigel Bruce and Constance Collier playing according to type. There is also an effective supporting performance from Marjorie Main - especially in the sequence where she calls Susan by her first name. Amongst the youngsters there is an appearance by a very young Gloria de Haven.
The film has the MGM gloss, is a slight opening out of a stage bound play - and is directed with finesse by George Cukor.
1. The title, audience expectations? Susan and her finding religion - what kind of religion, what kind of God? The critique of this kind of religiosity?
2. MGM production values, the strong cast, black and white photography, affluent American society, the musical score?
3. The focus on Susan - audience expectations, the focus on Barrie and his relationship with her, the coterie of friends, Susan's flamboyant appearance? Her continued chatter, her glamour, Paris, Millicent and England, the Movement, finding religion? Her incessant talking and her friends' reaction? Their shielding her from Barrie? Her comments on Irene and Michael and their relationship, her comments on Leonora and Clyde and their relationship? Her interfering? Her wanting to speak the truth, the guidance of God? The confrontation with Barrie and Blossom? Her interfering, her wanting a divorce? Her not facing religion in her own life? The confrontation with Barrie, the truce and her promise to go to the house in the country for the summer? Blossom's response? Playing the lady of the manor, criticising the house, wanting everybody to call her Susan, her abstemious principles, her moments of silence? The distance between herself and Blossom? The presumption that Barrie would go drinking? The phone contacts with Millicent? The changing summer, her relaxing a little, watching Blossom and the young man, taking over Blossom's dress, make-up etc. Watching the blossoming of her daughter? Her relenting a little towards Barrie? The visit of Millicent and the religious youngsters? Her plan to be away for Blossom's birthday? Her looking at Charlotte and realising that she loved Barrie? Trying to engineer the two of them to be together? Her relenting - but her decision to go to Newport? The train, the train passing and her decision to go home? Barrie's absence? Her hostility towards Charlotte? Her having to face the truth about herself, her daughter, the talk with Barrie, appreciation of Charlotte? The reconciliation? Barrie's stern words about her religiosity? Her self-centredness - and facing some of the truth about herself? A basis for hope for the future?
4. Barrie, the newsreel theatre, his drinking, going to the club, the clash with Hutchie? His trying to find Susan? The friends fobbing him off? His love for his daughter - yet the absence from her life? His drinking, the confrontation of the group? Confronting Susan and her religiosity? Persuading her for the truce? His walk to the village - and then his returning without drinking, meeting Blossom, going fishing? The renewal of his love for his daughter, his love for Susan? Vigour? Horse-riding, activity, the foal for Blossom's birthday? The visit of Millicent, the singing? His hopes for a family? Susan's going to Newport, his clash? Going out drinking, finding Charlotte, her looking after him? The return? His speaking the truth to Susan? The possibility of a reconciliation?
5. Blossom, plain, at school, neglected by her parents? Wanting a reconciliation? The hopes for the summer, her continually backing out? Her fear for her father's drinking, going fishing, riding, her making eyes at the young man, her mother taking her in tow, transformation, the party, the young man's pin? Preparations for the birthday? Her upset with her mother and father? The hopes for the reconciliation?
6. Irene and Michael, their relationship, the secrecy, Irene and her haughtiness, Michael and his loneliness? Susan's interference, Irene upset, Michael leading Susan on and mocking her? The break-up? Irene's return, clash with Susan, admitting she was right, Michael's marriage?
7. Hutchie, his place in the club, the older man with the young wife, eyeing his wife jealously, antagonism towards Clyde? His resentment towards Susan? The separation from his wife?
8. Leonora, her glamour, rehearsing with Clyde, their long friendship? Clyde in love? Going along with the crowd, Susan's interference, Clyde admitting the truth? Leonora bored? Her decision to leave - and the hopes that she would meet Clyde again?
9. Charlotte, in love with Barrie, her common sense? Her trying to protect Susan? Her place in the group, friendship with Barrie, riding? Looking after him, the confrontation with Susan, her walking out to let them regain their marriage?
10. Millicent, the haughty Englishwoman, her visit, the grande dame? The young people in tow, the religious songs, phone calls for Susan - and the showy religiosity in New England?
11. Paige as the prim secretary, arranging things, proper? Her change of heart at the end?
12. Mary and Pat, caretakers, Pat trying to say Susan's name, Mary finding it easy and laying it on?
13. The youngsters, Blossom's friends, adolescent crushes, clashes?
14. A picture of American society in the '30s? Relationships, wealth? The place of religion in American society - formal, private? The showier styles of religion and interfering in God's name?
