Suzy

In my mind "Suzy" is one of the best performances by Jean Harlow, who is in virtually every scene, and who manages to underplay her role as America's sex goddess. She isn't helped by the ridiculous Irish accent of Franchot Tone nor the so-called French aviation ace played by Cary Grant with his normal British accent. Not withstanding the problems with the accents, Grant is as delightful as he always was in these 30s comedies, although this particular film is a mix of comedy, romance, and drama. Perhaps this is the only real problem with the film – in an attempt to be comedy, romance, and drama the writers give short shift to each of the elements. The comedy isn't all that funny, the drama doesn't keep you on the edge of your seat, and the romance won't win your heart. But what this film does deliver is a great performance from Harlow in one of her last films.

Watching Suzy it's hard to believe that a year later Jean Harlow would be no more. She seems so witty and so bright in her performance as this American showgirl on the other side of the pond before World War I.

In the title role of Suzy, Harlow is down and out and about to be evicted from her not so palatial digs in London. She's not quite willing to go the casting couch route for a part. But things are becoming desperate. She meets young inventor Franchot Tone and they fall in love and marry. But they also discover a nest of German spies and the femme fatale of the nest, Benita Hume, shoots Tone and casts blame on Harlow. Jean flees to Paris where she gets involved with playboy aviator Cary Grant and then they marry. Wouldn't you know it Tone turns up alive and as it were he and Grant are friends.

I know I could be describing a comedy and Suzy does have its funny moments, but instead it's a well done drama with Harlow front and center in a typical part for her, a good natured dame who's learned life's answers from bitter experience. Her two leading men are clearly in support of her.

Franchot Tone did a few films at MGM with Harlow, but this was Cary Grant's one and only pairing with Jean. He was just leaving his original studio of Paramount to freelance and this might have been his first film with MGM. Notice the billing with Grant clearly number three as it was Harlow and Tone's home studio. Twelve year later Grant and Tone would be together in Every Girl Should Be Married with poor Jean dead eleven years and Grant clearly with the star billing.

Suzy received an Oscar nomination for Best Song which was won by Jerome Kern's The Way You Look Tonight from Swing Time. Jean sings Did I Remember with her voice dubbed on screen and Cary does an obbligato which gained some immortality in That's Entertainment. I have a recording of it by Dick Powell. Highly unusual because it's not a song introduced by Powell nor is it from a Warner Brothers film. So I'm guessing Powell must have liked the song to insist Decca record him doing it. It's a nice ballad by Walter Donaldson and Harold Adamson.

I won't give away the ending, but bear in mind those words from The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance about when the legend becomes fact. A legend gets protected in Suzy.

Both on screen in the story and in the cinema legend of Jean Harlow, Suzy is a great example of the actress in a role tailor made for her talents.

In London, sexy blonde American chorus girl Jean Harlow (as Suzy Trent) has trouble finding work and paying the rent. Producers balk when Ms. Harlow refuses to trade sexual favors. Hoping to change her fortunes, Harlow resolves to marry a wealthy Count and walks into a moving Rolls Royce. Charming Irish inhabitant Franchot Tone (as Terry Moore) turns out not to be the vehicle's owner, but offers Harlow a place to live, with no strings attached. He's a promising inventor and seems devoted, so they tie the knot. Neither know it, but Mr. Tone's workplace ("Schmidt & Co") is, apparently, a front for German spies. After a frightening incident, Harlow relocates to Paris. The Great War (WW I) breaks out and French playboy pilot Cary Grant (as Andre Charville) joins the cast...

There is more care in having Harlow look attractive than authentically from the year 1914, and the automobile she walks into looks like a 1930s model. You'll also have to check your brain at the door a couple of times during the plot. Harlow gets two A-list leading men, as well as good support from stalwart Lewis Stone and duplicitous Benita Hume. The dubbed song "Did I Remember?" became a contemporary hit. Recalling her memorable "Dinner at Eight" (1933) exchange with Marie Dressler, Harlow is given the comic line, "Been reading a book," and disrobes early in the running time. Reportedly, the popular box office star wanted to move away from the sexpot roles and "Suzy" appears to be a compromise. Harlow is so vivacious and appealing in this neatly-produced melodrama; it's difficult to believe she would soon pass away, from kidney disease. MGM and director George Fitzmaurice showcase their star well.

****** Suzy (6/26/36) George Fitzmaurice ~ Jean Harlow, Franchot Tone, Cary Grant, Lewis Stone

This was a decent film. Though this is not the best film that any of the actors ever did. The plot is fairly predictable but it is okay.

Franchot Tone's fake accent was amusing and seemed to come and go. While I much prefer Jean Harlow in comedy she does well enough with drama. Cary Grant was okay but why they cast him as a Frenchman I'll never know.

My main gripe with the film was using 1930's clothes for a film that was supposed to take place during World War I. While it is not that obvious with the men's clothing, but the women's clothing really stands out. Not having period clothing really takes away from the film. You would think that a wardrobe person or the producers or director or someone would have caught how out of place the clothing is.

I greatly enjoyed this--the second of seven films from my 'Jean Harlow: The 100th Anniversary Collection' put out by Warner Archives, unfortunately not with anything in the way of DVD extras (except for a cool, unadvertised set of postcards), and only three of the films were remastered. So it was as if they were perhaps celebrating her, say, 99th birthday and not going all-out like they could and should have, since she DID single-handedly save the studio from bankruptcy three years prior.

I like the way filmmakers back then didn't care if a French actor was playing an Irish inventor and an English actor was portraying a French pilot. THESE days, there'd be sheer, unadulterated hell to pay.

It was a really strange mix of genres, to get absolutely everybody into the seats. I could just see the pitch at the board meeting now: '1914 period piece romantic-comedy mixed with wartime spy thriller and musical'. But Harlow knocked it out of the ballpark, just like she always did. Supertrooper right to the very end.