Miss Susie Slagle's is a 1946 American drama film directed by John Berry. It was based on the popular novel by Augusta Tucker. The film was Berry's directorial debut and first starring role for Joan Caulfield.[1]
Plot
A nursing student falls in love with a young medical intern in 1910 Baltimore, but their lives start to fall apart when he catches a deadly disease.
Augusta Tucker's novel was published in 1939. Paramount paid $20,000 for the film rights.[2] The novel became a best seller.[3] A sequel came out in 1942, The Man Miss Susie Loved.[4]
Development
In 1939 Martin Berkley was assigned to write the script.[5] John Cromwell was assigned to direct under the supervision of Arthur Hornblow.[6]
In January 1941 Paramount announced Jean Arthur would star and Sam Wood would produce and direct with Lorraine Nobel writing a script.[7]Jack Oakie was to play the comic male lead.[8] In May 1941 Irene Dunne was named as lead.[9] In June 1941 filming was postponed so Wood could make For Whom the Bell Tolls.[10]
John Houseman
In August 1943 the project was reactivated when Paramount head of production Buddy DeSylva have it to producer John Houseman, who had just made The Unseen for the studio.[11]
In January 1944 the project was officially put back on Paramount's schedule with a new screenplay done (Hugo Butler was borrowed from MGM to do this[12]) and Betty Field listed as star.[13] The novel was set in Baltimore at Johns Hopkins Hospital but references to that specific city and hospital were removed from the script.[14]
Director
It was thought Houseman might get Orson Welles involved as a star or director. However Welles did not have anything to do with the film.
At one stage Harold Clurman was going to direct – he worked on the script – but left the project and in May 1944 signed a contract with RKO.[15][16][17]
In June the job of directing was given to theatre director John Berry, who had worked with Houseman and Welles in the theatre. He had never made a movie before but Berry spent a number of months at Paramount observing other directors and filming screen tests to get experience.[18][14]
Casting
In April 1944 Sonny Tufts was signed for the male lead. Lillian Gish also joined the cast, making her first film in a number of years.[19] In July Joan Caulfield, who had enjoyed Broadway success in Kiss and Tell, was given the female lead, in her motion picture debut.[20] Veronica Lake joined the cast in August, along with Pat Phelan, who had been discovered doing theatre.[21] Lake later said her role – along with ones in The Blue Dahlie, Out of this World and Hold That Blonde were "not noteworthy."[22]
Shooting
Filming took place in November 1944. At one stage the film was going to be called The Golden Years but the title was changed back.[23] "I did 54 takes on my first shot", remembered Berry years later.[24]
One would refrain from recommending Miss Susie Slagle's as a fine drama of medical school. But it is a cheerful, nostalgic and personally engaging little picture of fabricated life.[25]
Diabolique called it "utterly delightful" with "charming performances from Sonny Tufts and Joan Caulfield (not making that up, both are genuinely beguiling)" although Lake "isn’t very good: she never seems comfortable and, painful as this is to admit, is one of the worst things about the movie."[26]
Radio adaptation
Miss Susie Slagle's was presented on Lux Radio Theatre October 21, 1946. Caulfield reprised her role from the film, and William Holden co-starred.[27]
^Churchill, Douglas (14 August 1939). "News of the Screen: Philippine Official to View Goldwyn's 'Real Glory' That Drew Protests--Five Openings This Week At Paramount Studio Coast Scripts". New York Times. p. 17.
^"THE BEST-SELLING BOOKS". New York Times. Dec 10, 1939. p. 124.
^"Miss Susie Slagle: THE MAN MISS SUSIE LOVED by Augusta Tucker, Harper & Brothers". New York Times. Nov 1, 1942. p. BR22.
^DOUGLAS W. CHURCHILL (Aug 17, 1939). "SCREEN NEWS HERE AND IN HOLLYWOOD: 'Quo Vadis' Is Scheduled by Metro for Production During the Winter 'WIZARD OF OZ' AT CAPITOL Premiere of Technicolor Film Today Features Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney in Person". New York Times. p. 23.
^Schallert, Edwin (Jan 17, 1940). "Cromwell Will Direct 'Miss Susie Slagle's': Miss Field in 'Bridge' Lucille Ball Gets Lead Metro Bids Turrou Book Cabot Tests for 'Hawk' Truex 'Russell' Father". Los Angeles Times. p. 13.
^"Jean Arthur Is Slated to Play Lead in 'Miss Susie Slagle's'". New York Times. May 12, 1941. p. 13.
^Schallert, Edwin (Nov 28, 1940). "Lupe Vélez, 'Big Boy' Teamed by Universal: Oakie May Do 'Slagle' Herbert Signs Contract Marx Bros. Will Split Thriller Pair Sought Eleanor Stewart Cast". Los Angeles Times. p. A10.
^Schallert, Edwin (May 12, 1941). "Very Trim Allan Jones Now Straight Role 'Bet': Payne to Wallop Them Arthur May Silver Hair Morgan to Do Joan First Bonnell Leading Man Skater Belita Actress". Los Angeles Times. p. A10.
^DOUGLAS W. CHURCHILL (June 9, 1941). "Sam Wood to Direct 'For Whom the Bell Tolls' -- Four Films to Arrive in City This Week". New York Times. p. 24.
^Schallert, Edwin (Aug 3, 1943). "SCREEN AND STAGE: Paramount Will Film 'The Griswold Story' Eva Gabor Named for 'Laura,' Unusual Mystery Thriller at 20th Century-Fox". Los Angeles Times. p. 10.
^"SCREEN NEWS HERE AND IN HOLLYWOOD: William C. Menzies to Direct 'Gibson Girl' at RKO -- 'Spider Woman' at Rialto Today". New York Times. Jan 14, 1944. p. 16.
^"SCREEN NEWS HERE AND IN HOLLYWOOD: Paramount Will Film 'Susie Slagle's' -- Premiere Jan. 26 for 'No Greater Love'". New York Times. Jan 11, 1944. p. 23.
^ abIDWAL JONES (Aug 12, 1945). "ONE OFF THE SHELF: After Six Years, Paramount Gets Around to Filming 'Miss Susie Slagle's' Revisions". New York Times. p. X3.
^"SCREEN NEWS HERE AND IN HOLLYWOOD: Metro May Co-Star Sinatra in 'Anchors Aweigh' -- 'Curse of Cat People' at Rialto". New York Times. Mar 3, 1944. p. 18.
^Schallert, Edwin (Mar 3, 1944). "Donald Cook of Stage 'Claudia' Movie-Lured: Donna Reed Awarded Idealistic Role in 'The Picture of Dorian Gray'". Los Angeles Times. p. 11.
^McGilligan, Patrick (May 1995). "John Berry: Man of principle". Film Comment. Vol. 31, no. 3. New York. p. 46.
^Schallert, Edwin (Aug 4, 1944). "'Susie Slagle's' Role Likely for Lillian Gish: Frankie McGowan, Screen Unknown, Will Play Corbett in 'Great John L.'". Los Angeles Times. p. 10.
^Schallert, Edwin (Apr 18, 1944). "Wallis Still Betwixt, Between on Signings: Korda Announces $140,000,000 Cinema Program for Metro's British Ally". Los Angeles Times. p. A10.
^"Picture Plans". The Christian Science Monitor. 3 July 1944. p. 4.
^"SCREEN NEWS: Dean Harens Gets Lead in Wanger's 'Salome'". New York Times. Aug 4, 1944. p. 10.
^Schallert, Edwin (July 8, 1945). "Change of Pace in Roles Beckons Veronica Lake: Star to Pause at Career's Crossroads Roles to Shift for Veronica". Los Angeles Times. p. C1.
^Frank Daugherty (Nov 10, 1944). "'Susie Slagle' In Production At Paramount". The Christian Science Monitor. p. 4.
^GUY FLATLEY (May 26, 1974). "He Ran All the Way To Paris--And Came Back Again: Movies". New York Times. p. 109.
^Crowther, Bosley (1946-02-07). "Original". New York Times review. Movies.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2010-10-04.
