George Cukor's "Susan and God" fell flat for me. I at least went into it with an open mind, but the film felt very artificial and cloying to me from start to finish; the performances, with the exceptions of Fredric March and Ruth Hussey and Rita Quigley, too slick and superficial for my taste. Rita Hayworth has a small part, as does Gloria DeHaven, but it looked to me they were deliberately made up not to be impressive, so as not to outshine the star, Joan Crawford.
Joan Crawford was badly miscast as Susan, a woman ignoring her family to do her own thing and feed her own ego, under the guise of being "spiritual" or "reborn" or "saved." Anita Loos' script wasn't funny; at the foundation of all good humor is the Truth, and biblical truth was ignored here in favor of new age tenants, "a new way to find God". There are no new ways to God, there is only one way to God, and that's through faith in Jesus Christ.
I don't think Anita understood the difference, judging by this script. Just using the lingo doesn't mean the writer has a clue what is meant by the doctrines underlying the words. Although a great truth was touched upon briefly at the very end of the film, that you need to confront the fact that you are a sinner before you can be saved, this truth wasn't developed far enough for the average moviegoer to understand the deeper meanings involved. So the ending, instead of being moving, seemed forced and unnatural. We never really understand why Susan changes her attitude toward her family by the end. If it was supposed to be God changing her heart, this situation was not well explained through the script or the performances.
I give this film a 6 out of 10 and I'm being generous. Whether it's Rain or Strange Cargo or Susan and God, Joan Crawford playing a spiritual woman goes too much against her grain.
Joan Crawford was badly miscast as Susan, a woman ignoring her family to do her own thing and feed her own ego, under the guise of being "spiritual" or "reborn" or "saved." Anita Loos' script wasn't funny; at the foundation of all good humor is the Truth, and biblical truth was ignored here in favor of new age tenants, "a new way to find God". There are no new ways to God, there is only one way to God, and that's through faith in Jesus Christ.
I don't think Anita understood the difference, judging by this script. Just using the lingo doesn't mean the writer has a clue what is meant by the doctrines underlying the words. Although a great truth was touched upon briefly at the very end of the film, that you need to confront the fact that you are a sinner before you can be saved, this truth wasn't developed far enough for the average moviegoer to understand the deeper meanings involved. So the ending, instead of being moving, seemed forced and unnatural. We never really understand why Susan changes her attitude toward her family by the end. If it was supposed to be God changing her heart, this situation was not well explained through the script or the performances.
I give this film a 6 out of 10 and I'm being generous. Whether it's Rain or Strange Cargo or Susan and God, Joan Crawford playing a spiritual woman goes too much against her grain.