loloandpete Review of Susan and God

Susan and God (1940)

Promising elements don't add up to a satisfactory whole

[6/10 · 6 May 2021]

Helmed by the famous "women's director" George Cukor, who won an academy award for his brilliant work on My Fair Lady, and with a starry cast including Joan Crawford, Fredric March, Ruth Hussey, Rita Hayworth and Nigel Bruce, the elements would appear to be lined up for a classic film but sadly, such is not the case. Firstly, it's a game of two halfs in that we are introduced to a society set in Act 1, most of whom we don't see again when the action changes in Act 2. The plot, in brief features Crawford as the titular Susan who comes back from her travels having discovered religion. She proceeds to inflict this new found faith on her friends, in an over zealous manner creating havoc in her wake. But she seems estranged from her husband (March) , who has turned to alcoholism and matters are further complicated by the fact they have a teenage daughter. The problem with Crawford in this film is that it is very difficult to side with her as her character is such a self absorbed and affected one and when you add the religious zealotry to the package, plain irritating! She does go on a journey of self discovery but it feels too little too late. March, as her husband is irritating in another way, having given himself up to self pitying dipsomania. I imagine you are supposed to be rooting for them as a couple you want to see back together, but it feels like a toxic relationship and you ultimately feel disappointed that March doesn't end up with Ruth Hussey's character who has unselfishly loved him and held a torch for him for years. Hussey is one of the good things about this movie and so too is Nigel Bruce's jealous older husband to a much younger wife (a glamorous turn from Rita Hayworth). Bruce Cabot also adds a memorably masculine performance. When the action is transported to Crawford and March's summer House in the second half of the film, Aldrich Bowker and Marjorie Main are lovely to watch as a sweet and sour, respectively, married couple who serve as housekeepers. The comic mileage the latter gets out of simply using the name Susan, is impressive. Some good moments but an ultimately disappointing whole.