Suspicious Susans

When talk began towards the end of 2015 that Warner Archive was going to amp their blu-ray releases for 2016, it left many a film buff curious. Film buffs love their blu-rays, and classic movie fans in particular love seeing a movie that they cherish get the deluxe HD treatment. Warner Archive is keeping good on their promise. This year they’ve released three Hitchcock titles that had never been in HD before—one of which I’ll talk about below—and they’ve also been releasing titles that even the most ardent of film nut never thought would be released on blu-ray. 

This is the key to the success of Warner Archive. They’re quick to respond to queries on social media, and they’re fairly open about what is coming out, and about what fans are requesting. Their weekly podcast is not only a highlight of that week’s releases, but also a chance to get some context and insight into films that in some cases have never been on home video before. If the dwindling of physical media means it can become a niche for us movie lovers to get our bellies rubbed with fine presentations of movies we’ve often wished for, it’s worth it. This week I’d like to talk about the archive’s new blu-ray releases of Alfred Hitchcock’s 1941 film “Suspicion,” and animation turn live action director Frank Tashlin’s 1954 comedy “Susan Slept Here.”

“Suspicion” is a notable Hitchcock film for several reasons—the biggest being it was Hitchcock’s first pairing with the movie star to end all movie stars, Cary Grant. Grant and Hitchcock would go on to make a total of four films together, and there’s not a dud in the entire batch. The other films being “Notorious,” “North by Northwest,” and “To Catch a Thief.” Grant is really great in “Suspicion” using skills he’d later use again in the best Hitchcock movie Hitchcock never made, Stanley Donnen’s “Charade.” 

In “Suspicion” Grant plays Johnnie Aysgarth—a charming playboy who sweeps the shy and bookish Lina McLaidlaw (Joan Fontaine, who starred the previous year in Hitchcock’s “Rebecca”) off her feet in a whirlwind romance. But slowly, Lina starts to suspect that her new charmer of a husband might actually be a murderer—and she is his next victim. All of this is played with a great subtlety and even play off of the “Cary Grant” persona, Grant often turning from charming to menacing at the drop of a hat. Often making lines that seem innocuous to those around him, seem pointedly threatening to Lina. 

In addition to Grant and Fontaine, the film also has Nigel Bruce, the wonderful English character actor I have a soft spot for due to his portrayal of Doctor Watson in the Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes films—a series I have a great affection for. “Suspicion” was a success, receiving an OSCAR nomination for Best Picture, with Fontaine winning that year for Best Actress—though some think that was really a make up OSCAR for her work in “Rebecca.” 

On blu-ray, “Suspicion” looks absolutely wonderful! The silvery black and white imagery is rich and detailed, with a fine grain pattern, looking the finest it ever has on home video. The film’s most famous shot—Grant carrying a what may-or-may-not-be a poisoned glass of milk up the stairs—a glass of milk with an erie glow (achieved by a light bulb being placed inside the glass), looks wonderful. Anyone who loves Hitchcock or Cary Grant should add this new blu-ray to their collection. A fine release of one of the master’s early American films. 

A film that has appeared to have had a bit of a rediscovery in the past few years is 1954’s “Susan Slept Here,” a breezy comedy starring Dick Powell and Debbie Reynolds. I first came across the film almost a decade ago when I caught the first twenty minutes of it on Turner Classic Movies, where it’s been a December staple due to its Christmas backdrop. Also having a bit of new appreciation has been the film’s director, Frank Tashlin. Tashlin began his career at Termite Terrance directing Looney Tunes for Warner Brothers, then made the transition to live action features.

It’s been said that Tashlin directed his cartoons like live action movies, and his live action movies like cartoons. You can see that in most of his films, Tashlin in his post Looney Tunes career also wrote gags for The Marx Brothers. His films all share a amped up comedic sensibility, and “Susan Slept Here” is no exception (thought my favorite Frank Tashlin film might be “Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?”). In addition to it being Dick Powell’s last film before going on to a very successful TV career, “Susan Slept Here” is—to my knowledge—the only movie ever made that’s narrated by an OSCAR statue. 

Powell plays the OSCAR winning screenwriter Mark Christopher, who is now down on his luck after saying goodbye to a studio gig writing light comedies. Christopher now works from home, desperate to write his next serious film to get back in the good graces of Hollywood. A cop pal of Mark’s decides to help him out with this venture, when on Christmas Eve he drops a juvenile delinquent—Susan—at his doorstep, not wanting to see the kid spend Christmas in jail. Figuring Mark could maybe talk to Susan about the actualities of the delinquent life for a screenplay. The delinquent is played by Reynolds, and if the idea of a 22 year old Debbie Reynolds playing a juvenile delinquent doesn’t appeal to you—you can probably skip this one all together. 

The film’s cast is rounded by the great Anne Francis as Mark’s bombshell girlfriend, and Alvy Moore—who would gain immortality as Hank Kimball on “Green Acres.” It’s a fun, light, frothy comedy that doesn’t ask anything more of the audience than to sit back and enjoy the farce. The film has some great moments like Reynolds running amok when she’s dropped off at the screenwriter’s apartment, and when Powell—alone, watching one of his past post Oscar slump films on TV—starts to mouth along the dialogue with marvelously cartoonish looks on his face. 

“Susan Slept Here” is a film that really fit Tashlin well, he took it as a chance to play with the social mores of the era, with a bit of innocent innuendo thrown in to cause chaos in Mark’s life. As celebrated as it was when Warner Archive debuted the film on DVD in 2010, it was even more of a shocked delight when they announced the blu-ray release—almost as if a Christmas stocking had one last goodie to dish out before you finally took it down off the mantle. 

“Susan Slept Here” was one of the earliest films shot on the Eastman color film process—but the color was actually printed by Technicolor. This new HD transfer made from the original negative is simply stunning. The film has a clarity that I can’t recall from the times I’ve caught it on TCM. The color pops with a vibrancy that would cause Zack Snyder to have an aneurysm. A shining example of just how well these older films can look in HD. Though its Christmas backdrop doesn’t necessarily make “Susan Slept Here” a Christmas Movie it is indeed great viewing during the Yuletide. A fun confection of a film that you’ll have fun with once you engage your suspension of disbelief . Of course, if you’re a fan of Frank Tashlin, it’s an absolute essential for your shelf. 

I’m most curious as to what else Warner Archive has in store for blu-ray this year, one upcoming title that was another surprise is the original “Father of The Bride” with Spencer Tracy. Though there may be those who think blu-ray is only best for whatever shoot em up action film Michael Bay can dream up, I think anyone who watches a favorite from Hollywood’s golden era will be most surprised at just how nice a delivery vehicle blu-ray is. Now, if those Margaret Rutherford Miss Marple movies I love so much get announced sometime this year by the archive—well, you’ll hear the squeal of the delight from miles away.