Susan and God (1940)

Director:

George Cukor

Writers:

Rachel Crothers (play)
Anita Loos (screenplay)

Release Date:

7 June 1940 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Comedy

Tagline:

Saint...or Screwball?

Plot:

Susan Trexel is a wealthy socialite, who while vacationing in Europe undergoes a religious transformation...

Plot Keywords:

Socialite | Marriage | Transformation | Horseback Riding | Honesty

Cast

Joan Crawford	...	Susan Trexel
Fredric March	...	Barrie Trexel
Ruth Hussey	...	Charlotte
John Carroll	...	Clyde Rochester
Rita Hayworth	...	Leonora Stubbs
Nigel Bruce	...	Hutchins Stubbs
Bruce Cabot	...	Michael O'Hara
Rose Hobart	...	Irene Burroughs
Constance Collier	...	Lady Millicent Wigstaff
Rita Quigley	...	Blossom Trexel
Gloria DeHaven	...	Enid
Richard Crane	...	Bob Kent (as Richard O. Crane)
Norma Mitchell	...	Hazel Paige
Marjorie Main	...	Mary Maloney
Aldrich Bowker	...	Patrick Maloney

Also Known As:

The Gay Mrs. Trexel (UK)

Runtime:

117 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Germany:12 | USA:Approved (PCA #6246) | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden - 301 N. Baldwin Avenue, Arcadia, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The play originally opened on 10 April 1937 in Princeton, New Jersey, and moved to New York City, New York on 7 October 1937 where it ran for 288 performances. Gertrude Lawrence played the role of Susan.

Quotes:

Mary Maloney: Gazing around the dark, gloomy entryway of the house. "Look at this hallway, frighten Dracula."

Movie Connections:

Featured in Hollywood: Style Center of the World (1940)

Soundtrack:

Goodnight, Sweetheart

A hilarious Joan Crawford performance -- who knew?

Having just watched the amazing A WOMAN'S FACE, ran across this comment thread and I am so glad to see this title has fervent admirers. I am definitely one. Watched it many years ago and was absolutely floored by Joan's performance in this, as atypical for her as A WOMAN'S FACE but in a completely different direction, high comedy. It is one of the all-time greatest comedic performances in my book, and yet remains tragically obscure, in both her and Cukor's filmographies. Of course, it is so over-the-top that it runs the risk of being pigeonholed as just another campy Joan Crawford display, and yet if you cast out your preconceptions about her you will see a multi-layered characterization that is at once absurd yet never condescending, expertly timed delivery that seems totally effortless. I simply cannot wait for a DVD of this!