Susan Slept Here (1954)

Simply Perfect

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

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

SUSAN SLEPT HERE is a cute comedy about a Hollywood scriptwriter Mark Christopher(Dick Powell), a former Oscar winner, having trouble scripting another smash. His hardworking typist Maude(Glenda Farrell)is about to her wits end as well. Christopher has had an idea of writing a script about juvenile delinquency and on Christmas Eve he is given custody of a spunky 18 year old troubled teen off the street...Susan Landis(Debby Reynolds). This is really not appreciated by Mark's gofer Virgil(Alvy Moore)and his fiancé Isabella(Anne Francis)is in a slow boil with the lid ready blow. The situation is all quit innocent until it seems Mark decides to marry the young girl to keep her out of jail. Now he really has material for a new script. Also in the cast: Horace McMahon, Herb Vigran, Les Tremayne and Maidie Norman.

This is a favorite Holiday movie of mine, as a result I never miss playing it on Christmas Eve. It is sweet, and charming, even though there is a age gap between Powell and Reynolds. That is no stumbling block however to the story of the teen who is "given" to Powell for the Holiday, so she won't have to spend the day in jail. Powell who was about 50 at the time, still looks great and her falling in love with this man is truly believable. He is reluctant to let her go to the juvenile hall, and tells his lawyer he could marry her. She overhears the plot and tells him no. He runs after her and takes her to Vegas for a quickie marriage. He goes to the mountains so as not to consummate the marriage, and get an annulment later. He leaves her with his best friend and by error his lawyer thinks she is pregnant. But by who? He hasn't even been there. He is furious, and confronts the friend and asks her to sign the papers. It is only after she tells him that she loves pickles and strawberries for breakfast does he realize his mistake. It is a glorious romp with Powell so confused and Debbie so persistent that you will love the ride. Highly recommended piece of holiday candy.

Yes, I have seen this movie, which I adore for the story: light and fresh; the music: sentimental; the action: never a dull moment; the colors: out of this world and Debbie, never looses an once of her charms, femininity and such a pleasure to see her movies. Unfortunately the VHS I had of that entertaining film was "eaten" by another one due to a bad change of speed on my video.It could have happened to any of those classic movies I have, but not this one...Full of anger, i would have beaten myself...To-day i don't want to think too much about it, but trying to get that film as i looked everywhere but it does not seem to exist in any store on VHS or DVD. Any of you know a place where i can buy it? McFadden Flats and Andrea 88, made a wonderful try sending me copies but it did not work on my machine and i still don't understand why. Thank you again Andrea 88 and McFadden Flats for your trouble. Much obliged to IMDb for so much informations as well as services in the interesting movie world.

The plot of this movie was a bit silly even when it came out in 1954. But because it features Debbie Reynolds at age 22 (playing a 17 year old) -- when she was very beautiful, vibrant, and also quite sexy -- it's one of my favorite films. Everyone seems to concede that the young Debbie Reynolds was talented and spunky, but because of her girl-next-door persona, few seem to recognize that she had more genuine beauty and sex appeal than many overtly "sultry" or "sexy" actresses of her era -- or, indeed, of any era. The rest of the cast is quite adequate but it's Debbie who makes this movie a lot of fun to watch.