Qualcosa che scotta

A classic soaper, beautifully photographed by the late Lucien Ballard, and the absolutely lush musical score by the late Max Steiner elevates this movie to dizzying heights.

Connie Stevens is perfectly cast as the the young naive girl falling in love for the first time. Unfortunately her beau is tragically killed before they can get married leaving her pregnant. Lloyd Nolan and Dorothy McGuire are perfectly cast as her understanding parents, as is faithful stable-boy Troy Donahue who pursues Connie until she finally give her heart to him.

Very typical early 1960s mores abound. Watching this film now is very dated in fact in some parts even laughable; but that doesn't matter. This film is very underrated, and deserves to be on DVD along with the other Delmer Daves films of that era.

It's hard to believe that the only actor alive from this film is Connie Stevens, everyone else has long since passed away.

Literate, corny, beautifully photographed and scored, Susan Slade is pure soap opera elevated to the realm of high art through the brilliance of Delmer Daves' direction. I'd place Daves right up there with Douglas Sirk for his sheer command of the medium; his generous camera setups within a scene (such closeups!), use of color to suggest mood and character, and seamless transitions from scene to scene make his films a model of craftsmanship however one may feel about their content.

It's a mistake to self-righteously judge the story of Susan Slade and Dorothy McGuire's character by today's sensibilities. Part of the fascination of this film is trying to understand the moral standards and social pressures prevailing in 1961. As Dorothy McGuire says near the end of the film, "love is understanding." That's a message that should speak to any time.

Sincere, sometimes campy drama from director Delmer Daves (sort of the stepchild to his more-popular "A Summer Place" and "Parrish") wherein young Susan has a baby out of wedlock and her mother poses as the infant's mother, causing jealousy and friction between the two. Beautifully shot by Lucien Ballard (a great choice for a location-rich film such as this), it moves along at a fast clip and has lots of high drama. Connie Stevens isn't Meryl Streep, and she jumps from different emotions with too practiced a speed, but I loved her acting in the hospital waiting room when she comes clean in front of Mama, and I really bought her romance with scowling Troy Donahue. As the elders, Lloyd Nolan and Dorothy McGuire are exceptional, as is the production design (featuring a gorgeous ocean-front home in Monterey). The infrequent voice-over narration (first by Nolan and then later by Stevens) is an intrusion--who are they talking to?--and there's a silliness inherent in the trappings of the plot that render it dated, but I did find myself thinking about it days afterward. As sudsers go, it's first-rate. ***1/2 from ****

I just wanted to share that when this movie came out--I was living in Brooklyn, New York at the time. This is Connie's birthplace.

Well, she and Troy were on a big p.r. junket and went in person to several movie theatres in the NYC area.

So, she and Troy came out after the showing of the movie and talked and joked. At one point, Connie said, "I'm going to teach Troy how to twist." Everyone applauded this.

It was really cute.

Later on it was always written how much these two hated each other.

I was one of those teeny boppers who just "loved Troy" and melted every time I saw him on the screen.

The movie is outdated and we can all now be cynical and write about the outmoded dialogue, old-fashioned mores, and ridiculous plot devices. But, if that is done, you lose the reason for film in the first place.

This film, which I always enjoy, exhibits for all to see what the early '60s and late '50s were like. How parents were willing to sacrifice everything to save the name and reputation of their young daughter, and how a man who truly loves a woman does not prejudge, but understands, and is willing to understand.

This little movie says all of this to me.

And those gorgeous Northern California locations that are underscored with the Max Steinman music, are a treat to behold.

What a gem!!

I saw this movie when it was first released. It was a "must see" because my cousin and I were such Troy Donahue fans. I felt it was wonderful and would like to see it again - often! However, it is never shown on television and I have been unable to get information regarding purchasing it either on VHS or DVD. Please help! Perhaps it is a bit soap operaish but who cares. It is the kind of thing girls loved in 1961 and now that we are older, we like to remember by watching the same movies we saw back when.