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Title:
Susan Lenox
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Photos
Cast
| Complete credited cast: | |||
| Greta Garbo | ... | ||
| Clark Gable | ... |
Rodney Spencer
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| Jean Hersholt | ... |
Karl Ohlin
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John Miljan | ... |
Burlingham
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| Alan Hale | ... |
Jeb Mondstrum
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Hale Hamilton | ... |
Mike Kelly
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Hilda Vaughn | ... |
Mrs. Astrid Ohlin
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Russell Simpson | ... |
Doctor
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Cecil Cunningham | ... |
Madame Panoramia aka Pansy
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Ian Keith | ... |
Robert Lane
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Storyline
Susan, an orphan, lives the life of Cinderella with rustic relatives. She escapes one stormy night when the fiance her relatives chose tries to force his attentions. Rodney, an architecht, is the prince who rescues her, but he has to take a trip and the wicked relatives catch up with her again. Her next rescuer is a tatooed lady in a circus who can't save her from the circus manager. Rodney shows up and dismisses her as a fallen woman. Susan moves up in the world to the penthouse of a politician who can offer a construction contract to Rodney. Rodney says no and flees to the jungle with Susan in pursuit. Written by Dale O'Connor <daleoc@interaccess.com>
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents »Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
10 October 1931 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Rising to Fame See more »Filming Locations:
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USABox Office
Budget:
$572,638 (estimated)Company Credits
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Sound System)Color:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1Did You Know?
Trivia
This film marked the only teaming of Greta Garbo and Clark Gable, when she was an established star and he a promising young actor whom the studio had just signed. Reportedly, they did not get along well, Garbo considering Gable vulgar and he seeing her as stuck-up and remote. See more »Soundtracks
"Romance in Eb, Op.44 No.1"Written by Anton Rubinstein
Played as background music during Mike's party
See more »
This film could be summarized as 'just another Garbo redemption yarn'... well, it is and it isn't. If you're familiar with the Garbo films (silents & talkies), you'll find yourself knowing the script before it happens onscreen, so, yes, indeed, Garbo will fall first then unwillingly rise from the gutter, sit on top of the world, then fall again, willingly or not. Some have written very intelligent lines on the subject (Mick Lasalle in 'Complicated Women' for instance) so I won't ad lib on this.
But this particular film adds another element: its photography. Splendid throughout all of Susan's cahotic life, the images crafted by Bill Daniels are simply amazing and on par with any Sternberg film - yes, that good. I can't remember precisely at the moment but the film was almost entirely redone before being released, either by R.Z. Leonard or by somebody else and R.Z. kept the credit...
Whatever. If script-wise quite predictable, this film should be seen if only for the sake of its images. Also, Garbo gives a performance worthy of the one she had in Grand Hotel - glimpses of eternity perhaps.
Too bad the big guys think this one's not worth more than a crappy VHS - photography on this level IS art... And Garbo's face eludes all possible descriptions.