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Suzy

(1936 b 93')

En: 6 Ed: 5

Based on Herbert Gorman's novel, a chorus girl marries an inventor, who is shot by a spy; then she marries a womanizing French flyer, and all three meet.

In 1914 England chorus girl Suzy (Jean Harlow) wants to find an aristocrat but spurns a casting couch. She is hit by a Rolls-Royce and meets Terry Moore (Franchot Tone), who invites her to the derby. Suzy is about to be evicted and discovers Terry's open car; but he asks her to bet for him, and her long-shot wins him 100 pounds. Terry invites Suzy to stay with him, and he sleeps on the couch. Terry works on his airplane invention and asks her to marry. Terry finds his boss speaking German and is promoted; but Suzy sees Terry shot and runs away, going to her friend Maisie (Inez Courtney) in Paris.

War begins, and Suzy sings to soldiers "Did I Remember?" André Charville (Cary Grant) sings it back to her. They dance and argue; but Suzy clings to him during an air raid. André kisses Suzy. She decides not to go to America with Maisie and marries André. He takes her home to his father, Baron Edward Charville (Lewis Stone), who is critical of André. André flies and is honored for shooting down enemies. He enjoys women instead of going home. Suzy sings and cries. The Baron comforts her and gets a call from André. Suzy says good-bye to André at the train.

Terry applies for combat but is a test pilot. Suzy makes up letters from André for the Baron. They learn that André was wounded, and she goes to see him. She steps out as Terry tells André about a new plane. Suzy comes in and sees Terry. She tells Terry that she thought he was dead; but he is angry at her. Suzy goes to tell André but finds him kissing a woman. Diane Eyrelle (Benita Hume) invites Terry to her party. André asks Terry about his wife. Suzy reads news to the Baron and sees a photo of André with Madame Eyrelle; Suzy remembers Eyrelle shooting Terry. André volunteers to fly his plane on a dangerous mission but spends the night before with Eyrelle. Suzy tells Terry that Eyrelle shot him. Suzy wants to save André from disgrace. Suzy and Terry tell André that Eyrelle is a spy, and Suzy admits she married Terry. Eyrelle comes in, and her man shoots André, who tells Terry to make his flight. Suzy sees André die. Terry flies over Eyrelle's car and kills her and the man. A German squadron of planes attacks Terry. He shoots down two and then crash lands. Suzy and Terry make it look as though André died in the plane. André is praised at a ceremony, and Suzy walks away with Terry.

Although Suzy finds her aristocrat, he turns out to be a war-hero playboy, while her inventive previous husband becomes her secret hero. This drama contains much irony amid the melodramatic violence of war.

Copyright © 2000 by Sanderson Beck

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