True Heart Susie (1919)

Such a frustrating disappointment

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

This is a classic case of allowing society and traditionalism hold you back from what you really desire. There was once a time in society where the belief was that things had to be done strictly by the book and if you did them any other way then you were wrong. This belief system was not only for one part of life, but for all. There was a strict way for church's to operate, people to dress, families to conduct business, and also for people to interact with each other and if you did any of these differently than the norm then you were out of order. This was not the time to be different in society; it was a time to conform to traditionalism. Susie was as true to the traditional ways as "the needle to the pole." Susie allows her traditional ways to keep her from getting the man that she longed for from childhood. She was never willing to tell him what she truly wanted to neither through actions nor words while other girls did. Susie sat on the sideline and watched as other women robbed her of the stock she had invested so much in. Susie was so caught in tradition and being nice that it was too a fault. In the end it hurt her more than it helped. One thing I noticed was that Susie was more loyal to her mother than she was to her own desires and that loyalty cost her many years of happiness. Susie eventually married the man of her dreams, but it was well into her later years of life and she could never be as happy as she could have been had she gone with her gut feeling and told the young man how she felt. Susie surely had a true heart.

True Heart Susie is the best silent film I have ever seen. The story was a little far-fetched, but it was a cute romantic drama. The almost kissing scenes in the beginning of the film had everyone at the edge on had all the students on the edge of their seats. People shouted out "kiss her already." The awkwardness of the main characters was portrayed perfectly throughout the movie. The kissing scenes by the fence as he is about to leave for college and the scene by the tree at the beginning of the film are as awkward as the scene at the end when they finally kiss. The awkward kiss is a reference to their innocence and childhood crush on one another.The whole movie was an absolute master piece. The innocence portrayed by Lillian Gish was extraordinary. The close ups were amazing. Although it was a silent film, I could feel every emotion she felt by the small gestures in her face. I wanted cry when William proposed to Betty and punch her she was in Susie's house after the rain storm. The emotions were more believable than the plot itself due to the amazing acting. The few colors of the film added to the emotions of Susie. The yellow showed her jealousy of Betty. The blue during the rain storm represented her longing for William and the betrayal of the partying Betty.The plot of the film was adorable from beginning to end. I truly believe that both of the main actors were from the country. The values in the film were portrayed as old fashioned values. William went to college and studied religion and became the preacher of his home town. The women stayed at home and kept care of the house. Susie's best friend was a cow. The entire town was so quaint and added to the aesthetics of the film.

Being a guy I typically don't go for the romance stories. But, this gem of a movie really drew me in. It was a great chance to see grade A acting of that film era. The characters are exaggerated in a way that comes off funny rather than cheesy and awkward. You feel connected to Susie even thought its evident she isn't very bright.The story is comical and well composed. The title cards are well placed and add wholesome humor now and then. The acting really draws you into the experience. Lillian Gish does an amazing job of expressing a wide range and depth of emotion without seeming overly dramatic like many other silent-era actors. It's almost impossible to believe how much emotion is packed into her acting without the aid of sound, which to me, seems like it would be a huge boon. The close-ups convey more meaning than most other shots in the film, its incredible.Besides Lillian's star performance, the other actors do a great job fulfilling their roles as well. The antithesis to Susie is very well portrayed. You hate her for cowardice but love her for her charm. She is not the one-dimensional antagonist so easily found in many films. The male lead in the film is also well-done, he is still lovable despite his betrayal of Susie's love. This keeps the viewer hooked until the very end. The love that the viewer has for the characters keeps them interested whilst watching them on seemingly a downward slope - keeps them hoping and praying that it all works out in the end.A huge complaint I here about silent films from other modern movie watchers is that the drag. True Heart Susie doesn't do this. Its definitely a classic that keeps the viewer entertained. A star example of the silent era.

In this sweet and simple melodrama for 1919, Lillian Gish shines. She carries the entire film to be frank, as the main heroine Suzie who pines for the dense and very average boy William; whose head is easily turned by that of "painted" women. However, because Suzie is so sweetly naïve, determined, and caring, the audience is sympathetic to her and her plight. You want her to get the guy, or a better one in any case. William is so horribly oblivious, but not a bad sort. Even the "other woman" Battina is only trying to find a solution to get out of her boring life. I find it quaint that after realizing his mistake, William tries to make the best of his marriage to the town girl that he has chosen. It really paints a good picture of the times, when family was the most important thing and divorce was next to unheard of. Suzie even grooms herself her entire life so that she can become the ideal house wife, because that's what was expected for girls of that time. Even so, miss Gish shines as the hopelessly in love school girl. She has real emotion in all of her close ups and is able to exude both humor and sadness in the lapse of a few seconds. The supporting cast is just average, but it doesn't matter because she is the focus of almost every scene anyway. It is an interesting study of the silent era as well. The use of irony and subtle humor in the title cards adds a little chuckle here and there as well. But if you're going to watch it, watch it for her and her alone. She does so well, in fact, that I would go so far as recommend it to watch, just for her performance.