Susan Lenox (Her Fall and Rise) (1931) User Reviews

Garbo Talks And Gable's Got Her

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 4 October 2007]

Or was that the publicity line for some other MGM picture with the king of their lot?

Susan Lenox, Her Fall and Rise is taken from the David Graham Phillips novel of the same name and in this 77 minute film hardly any of the story gets to be told. Probably a lot was left on the cutting room floor of MGM and you have to be able to bridge some gaps if you haven't read the book.

The book itself was published posthumously in 1917 six years after its author was killed by a disgruntled reader of his work. I'm guessing it was written years earlier because it's attitudes and subject matter were distinctly Victorian. Greta Garbo plays the daughter of Jean Hersholt who wants to sell her in marriage to the local lout played by Alan Hale. One thing that was interesting was seeing both of those players in unlikely unsympathetic parts.

She flees Hersholt's farm in the rain and gets taken in by Clark Gable who's renting the cabin on the lake down the road. The romance kindles, but Gable has to make a quick trip to town, meanwhile Hersholt and Hale come looking for Garbo and she flees again.

Garbo gets taken by some carnival people including the wolfish owner, John Miljan, whom she submits to. When Gable finds her, his attitude is most Victorian. In fact the rest of the film through their respective ups and downs Gable and Garbo do a lot to hurt each other.

Susan Lenox is one heavy handed melodrama and no one would remember it at all today, but for the fact it was the one and only teaming of Gable and Garbo. Being paired with Garbo was a big milestone for Clark Gable. Also he was not paying thugs any longer, charismatic thugs, but thugs nonetheless. He was leading man material after this film.

It only gets as much as six stars from me because of the cast.

Helps Viewers Get Memorable Notions in their Heads...

[marcin_kukuczka · 7/10 · 30 January 2011]

Although this film is often ignored in documentaries and facts about Greta Garbo, SUSAN LENOX foremost boasts of her magnificent, magical presence. While Garbo's filmography would surely be equally great without this film, SUSAN LENOX without Garbo would be forgotten now. Yet, it still remains one of the films of the silver screen worth viewing...in what way?

SUSAN LENOX based upon the novel by David Graham Phillips marks a significant aspect of cinematic history and of the old contract Greta Garbo had signed with MGM. Filmed in the period when the budget was considerably low, there is hardly any opulence nor grandeur. As a matter of fact, the story does not require lavishness which, meanwhile, appears more in MATA HARI (1931). Here, it seems to be enough we have Garbo...she speaks for all the merits of the film because...her performance becomes quite distinct and very genuine.

She is no longer any spy, vamp nor femme fatale but a peasant girl, Helga, a novel buff who flees from the monstrosity of hardship, from marrying a monstrous Mondstrum (Alan Hale) into the 'unknown' where she meets the love of her life, Rodney Spencer (Clark Gable). The servant Helga transforms into independent Susan. Their genuine feeling will, however, need to experience a harsh test before she will finally make him believe in her...

This is a film which, in a way, occurs to be similar to many other Garbo films because of the wonderful wardrobe by Adrian and subtle cinematography by William H. Daniels...old staff seemingly, many similarities, almost identical details. However, the major difference and a real revelation appears to be Garbo's leading man - a rising star of the time whose greatest roles were still ahead of him - Clark Gable. This is the first and the only movie where Ms Garbo plays opposite Mr Gable - what are the impressions?

According to the audience of the time and many critics, it was rather a successful pairing. MGM even prepared for the couple another project, RED DUST...yet, Garbo's answer was quite unpredictable...she refused and, as a result, she never again appeared with Mr Gable. The role was taken by Jean Harlow. And since then, the opinions have differed. People who have not been a particular fans of Greta Garbo tend to say that they are a very fine couple on screen. They even do not hesitate to say that there IS a chemistry between the 'Swedish Sphinx' and the 'King.' Garbo's fans see it a bit differently and tend to say that this pairing was not very successful. Why? Because truly the 'King' considered the 'SPHINX' a 'SNOB' while the 'Sphinx' considered the 'KING'---'WOODEN.' Anyway...

...there are some very nice moments they have together on the screen where there is wit, where there is tension and attention achieved. The scene of fishing is one of them when Rodney's lovely, charming dog called Boy comes in between them and 'a little fish'... Yet, what we find in many Garbo biographies, the two did not like each other very much...their pairing is a revelation as a fact; yet the mutual acting is flawed, in my opinion. While Ms Garbo holds a great power in MYSTERIOUS EXPRESSIVE FACE, Mr Gable holds a power of TALKATIVE LONGSTREAM CHAT. Quite diverse...

The film being not that long is a nice and a memorable cinema production thanks to some wonderful attention viewers pay to the character of Susan. The film is in no way any intense psychological insight where you would be left with many reflections (sometimes too many) but a pleasant linear story which, in the long run, becomes a nice thought provoking picture. The events of Susan, her final decision make us like her, sympathize with her and help us, unlike in Susan's cruel upbringing, get memorable notions in our heads - significant decisions, forgiveness, treatment of life as an ongoing process of changes.

Therefore, I rate this film 7/10 - despite some flaws, it is a nice choice for a calm afternoon to view once again after all these years, and let oneself be mesmerized by Greta Garbo whose screen presence is always breathtaking no matter what movie we view and what generation of movie buffs. Recommended from a Garbo fan as I am.

Starts off FANTASTICALLY, but then just fizzles

[planktonrules · 5/10 · 28 September 2006]

The first twenty or so minutes of this film is about as good as you can find for Greta Garbo and Clark Gable. When poor little Greta is forced to run from her abusive and cold home, the movie really becomes marvelous as the relationship between Garbo and Gable begins. During all this time, the cinematography is tops, with wonderful camera-work, lighting and composition. And, the romance between the leads is really compelling and beautiful. However, after this wonderful start, the film quickly falls apart. Through a series of misunderstandings, the lovers inexplicably become cold and angry towards each other--and after such a great start, this really makes no sense at all! Then, for the rest of the film, we see Clark and Greta periodically "stumbling upon each other" and then mistreating each other even though EVERYONE watching the film knows they really love each other and KNOWS they will ultimately admit this to each other. So, you KNOW what will happen and there is no suspense at all--NONE! It's really sad when a film starts off so well and then fizzles into a dull and predictable mess that could have simply been handled if either Garbo or Gable had just said "let's stop the bickering and marry--after all, YOU know and I know that it's meant to be!". But, for some odd reason, the writers want us to just assume the leads are too stupid and too proud to admit it. Gimme a break!

Garbo rises above all else

[dmwspace · 17 August 2001]

This film is noteworthy because of the unique, mysterious, and wonderful screen presence of Greta Garbo. She is thoroughly convincing as the vulnerable young woman at the beginning of the film, and as her character becomes more worldly but still vulnerable she remains convincing. Occasionally she might lapse into acting that would seem to the modern viewer to be overly dramatic, but overall she is brilliant. Clark Gable is okay, but the construction of the film from a plot standpoint left something to be desired. Some things needed to be explained better. This seems to be a common problem with many early sound films as most of the 1928-31 sound films that I have seen are at times disjointed, leaving the viewer wondering why something occurred. That said, I recommend this film because of Garbo.

Doomed Love

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 27 February 2016]

The bastard orphan Helga Ohlin (Greta Garbo) has been abused by her uncle since she was a child. When she becomes a woman, he arranges her marriage with the alcoholic Jeb Mondstrum (Alan Hale). In a stormy night, Jed tries to rape Helga but she flees from home and hides in a garage to protect from the rain. The engineer Rodney Spencer (Clark Gable) meets Helga and brings her home. They have a love affair but when Rodney travels to Detroit in a six-day trip, her uncle and Jeb find her. Helga escapes again and hides in a train, where she meets an itinerant circus troupe and is invited to join the group. Without any money and with the police seeking her, Helga accepts the invitation adopting the alias Susan Lenox. She is forced by the circus manager Wayne Burlingham (John Miljan) to have a love affair with him. When Rodney finally finds her, he discovers that Wayne is her lover. He calls her gutter girl and leaves Helga. She travels to New York and becomes the mistress of the politician Mike Kelly (Hale Hamilton). Meanwhile Rodney is invited to a dinner party in Mike's house and Susan humiliates him. Rodney leaves the apartment and Susan regrets and tries to fond him. However he has left New York and Susan seeks him out? Will they meet each other again?

"Susan Lenox" is a Pre-Code film with a heartbreaking story of a woman that is forced to separate from her true love and becomes an easy woman to survive. Greta Garbo has another wonderful performance and shows a great chemistry with Clark Gable. The conclusion with an open end is a great moment of this film. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Susan Lenox"

"I rise or fall alone"

[Steffi_P · 7/10 · 30 January 2012]

In an era when iconic stars meant more than at any other time, two of the brightest were Greta Garbo and Clark Gable. Although there was some considerable overlap between their periods of stardom, this fairly standard 1931 melodrama was their only movie together. This is not as surprising as it seems, since repeated star pairings were always carefully formed through apparent compatibility. Garbo and Gable however were players of remarkably different style and temperament.

Garbo had already been an established – and massively popular – actress in the silent era, and despite the considerable hype around her early talkies, in retrospect her silent features remain her best period. It's not her accent; it's just that her mellifluous, almost operatic manner did not really work when out loud. By contrast, without sound her mesmerising presence remains pure and captivating. She would later adapt for speaking roles, and by the late 30s producers would be actively casting her in parts that suited her ethereal style, notable highlights being Camille (1937) and Ninotchka (1939). As it is, her performance in Susan Lenox is already an improvement upon her at-the-time-celebrated but now very clunky talkie debut in Anna Christie (1930).

Gable on the other hand was an up-and-comer at this point. In fact, though he was gaining familiarity as a supporting player in movies such as Night Nurse and A Free Soul (both released earlier the same year) he was thus far getting typecast as a thuggish gangster. The reason his potential as a desirable lead man hadn't fully been realised yet was a simple case of presentation. All it would take was a thin moustache and a few locks of hair drooping over his forehead, but appearing as he does here clean-shaven and hair slicked back, all you see is an ordinary man with a somewhat odd-shaped face. When he makes a few appearances towards the end of Susan Lenox with a few days' stubble, mussed-up hair and rolled-up sleeves, the effect is incredible. I feel it was a big failing on the part of the filmmakers to not make more of this rugged Gable in his earlier appearances and the final scenes.

To be fair though, director Robert Z. Leonard is really more interested in favouring Garbo, who was then the better-known and more bankable star. Although this was some time past the period when movies were often shot in both sound and silent versions to cater for places that hadn't yet made the switch, Leonard still sticks to a primarily visual form of storytelling. There are numerous close-ups of hands and feet in action, often used to open a scene and give it context. He allows many of the ideas and feelings of the characters to come through in wordless glances, often relegating the dialogue to the status of embellishment. With such purity he is responsible for staging some haunting and powerful moments, such as the sideshow proprietor's coercing Garbo into bed, the two of them moving closer to the screen without uttering a sound.

The differences between Garbo and Gable were not confined to their approaches to the craft; apparently they despised each other offscreen too. Still, it's a testament to the considerable talents of the both of them that there seems to be a decent rapport between them as a fictional couple. Both were after all great screen lovers, at their best when dizzy with passion or locked in an embrace, and a movie like Susan Lenox is bread and butter to them both. They meet here in passing, Garbo (although younger) already past her peak, Gable just rising towards his. And while neither of them is at their ideal, star quality is supreme, and it turns out this is not a bad little movie.

That Uncertain Woman

[lugonian · 7/10 · 2 October 2012]

SUSAN LENOX, HER FALL AND RISE (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1931), directed by Robert Z. Leonard, stars Greta Garbo once again playing a woman of troubled destiny. Assuming many title characters during her motion picture career, ANNA Christie (1930), MATA HARI (1931) and ANNA KARENINA (1935) as prime examples of her fine work, her SUSAN LENOX, bearing an extended subtitle as noted above, is not so well known as initially intended in both title and story. It is, however, notable to a degree as Garbo's one and only performance opposite the up and coming, pre-mustache Clark Gable. Not quite classic novel material acquired by popular authors of Leo Tolstoy or Fannie Hurst, SUSAN LENOX was in fact adapted from the novel by an obscure novelist by the name of David Graham Phillips. For its basic screen premise, it's showcase material for its basic two stars, Garbo and Gable, and not much else.

The narrative begins in the dead of winter where a country doctor (Russell Simpson) braves bitter cold and heavy snow coming to a country home of Swedish farmer, Karl Ohlin (Jean Hersholt). A baby girl is born. The mother dies in childbirth, leaving Karl and his other sister, Astrid (Hilda Vaughn) to raise the child themselves. Because his deceased sister never had a wedding ring, Karl goes with the notion that his illegitimate niece will end up the same way. Raised in unhappy surroundings, Helga (Greta Garbo), now an adult, is set to marry Jed Mondstrum (Alan Hale), the man of her uncle's choice. Almost immediately, the drunken but brutal man forces his intentions on Helga, forcing her to break away into the night. Drenched from a heavy rain storm, Helga comes to a nearby cabin of Rodney Spencer (Clark Gable), a 30-year-old architect accompanied by his German shepherd dog, Major. Finding him to be a decent, clean-cut man, Helga finds there's goodness in men after all. The two fall in love and plan to marry after Rodney returns from his six day business trip. However, fate steps in as Karl and Jed show up, forcing Helga to return home with them. Once again Helga breaks away and takes refuge on a carnival train managed by Burlington (John Miljan). Addressed as "Susie" by Madame Paughamia (Cecil Cunningham), a tattooed lady, Helga, having gone on board the train at Lenoxville, assumes a new identity, becoming "Susan Lenox." Although Burlington hides "Susie" from her uncle and would-be fiancé inside his bungalow, Helga finds he's only doing this for a price. When Rodney arrives at Marquette to reclaim Helga, a series of misunderstandings occur that keeps them apart. As Rodney loses himself somewhere in South America, Susan Lenox gets more than she bargained for as mistress to city politician, Mike Kelly (Hale Hamilton), and millionaire Robert Lane (Ian Keith), hence her fall and rise.

Heavily edited with prime scenes to hold interest, SUSAN LENOX is offbeat material. Granted, SUSAN LENOX doesn't fall into the same category as Garbo's other classics, QUEEN Christina (1933) or CAMILLE (1936), but certainly the sort of routinely made melodramas commonly produced at that time. Garbo succeeds well with her transformation from shy lonely farm girl unsure of herself, to an aggressive cigarette smoking woman of the world. Somehow, passages of the screenplay seem to be lacking somewhere, almost as if the writers couldn't make up their minds on how to resolve this. Its second half is somewhat hampered by corny dialog and hokey situations. Considering similar circumstances found between Garbo and Robert Montgomery in the earlier release of INSPIRATION (1931), and Garbo's abusive upbringing leading to prostitution lifted from ANNA Christie (1930) simply indicates how ideas are reworked through repetitive style that certainly hasn't done any harm to Garbo's career.

My introduction to SUSAN LENOX happened to be while attending a full house screening at New York City's Museum of Modern Art around 1980. One of the things I noticed is how Garbo, having been retired since 1941, still had an attentive audience. The moment her character appears on screen, the theater is cluttered with loud applause, almost as if Garbo, herself, were there in person. After the film's completion, I was curious to listen to personal comments from those leaving the theater. I found some really enjoyed it, a few did not, while others, like myself, had mixed feelings about it. Though some serious portions were laughable to contemporary viewers, many were in agreement that one scene involving a couple of camera reaction shots from the German shepherd's point of view which, was no doubt, intended to amuse.

SUSAN LENOX became a handful of forgotten and prime Garbo titles distributed to home video in the 1990s and much later on DVD through Turner Home Entertainment. The fall and rise of Greta Garbo and her movies can be seen, rediscovered and appreciated whenever broadcast on Turner Classic Movies. (***)

A silent film with dialogue

[vincentlynch-moonoi · 6/10 · 8 January 2013]

I am, of course, jesting when I describe this as a silent film with dialogue. But that's just how I felt in the opening scenes (particularly) of the film. The over-acting of the principals reminded me precisely of the exaggerated motions that silent film actors usually went through. I almost deleted the film at the point, but stuck with it, and I'm glad I did. It was worth it, although I would hardly call this a great movie. Too creaky! Clark Gable has some good scenes here...and some not so good scenes, but I blame it more on the screen play and the director than I do on Gable. Gable's character couldn't quite decide whether to be the hero or a louse, and a little more consistency would have been helpful. However, this was one of Gable's first truly starring roles, and one can see why he hit it big.

I know many will disagree with me, but once again I have to say -- what's the great attraction to Garbo. I certainly don't see it here.

The story itself is rather daring. Garbo plays a woman who will do almost anything to reconnect with the man she loves. Today we'd probably say she was stalking Gable's character.

Transitions here are terrible, and again, I blame the director for that. It's not a bad story, but after a while you get a little bored with Garbo's relentless pursuit of Gable. I wanted to yell at her (and him), "Get over it and move on!" Okay, I watched it once...but never again.

Wonky Garbo opus!

[Maciste_Brother · 8/10 · 15 July 2006]

I had to watch SUSAN LENOX - HER FALL AND RISE several times because I just couldn't wrap my mind around it. It's such an odd film, mostly because it was obviously cut here and there, down to a paltry 75 minutes long film, and because what occurs in the movie is such a smorgasborg of melodramatic situations squeezed in in such a brief amount of time, that the film becomes truly surreal.

The film starts broodingly enough, with the illegitimate birth of Helga (soon to be Susan Lenox, of Lenoxville) seen in shadows. We see her grow in her miserable life in shadows and the next thing we see is Helga is sent to live/marry a man she doesn't know. She runs away from the creepy ugly man and ends up with Rodney (Clark Gable) and the two fall in love overnight(!). When Rodney leaves for a business trip, Helga comes across her evil family and runs away from town, only to end up in circus, where Helga becomes known as Susan Lenox, is forced to work as a performer (a belly dancer of sorts) and is under the control of the circus boss Burlingham. After an ill-fated meeting with Rodney at the circus, Holga runs away (yes, again) and becomes a socialite in New York. After another ill-fated meeting with Rodney at a party, the two fight and separate again. Holga still goes after him, all the way down to South America(!) where she works in a seedy bar (keeping men company)and where she waits for him.

Got that? Anyway, the movie is like one of those action packed serials, but instead of showing a hero going from one pitfall to another, SUSAN LENOX is a melodramatic serial, where our heroine goes from one melodramatic pitfall to another, with very little time to digest one situation from the next.

The fast pace and wonky style is actually endearing, keeping the sometimes questionable subject matter light and airy. Notice the scene when Garbo undresses at the circus when she meets Rodney again, with the kooky music, giving a cartoony feel to the whole moment.

If there was a theme in SUSAN LENOX, it's how women are constantly used and abused in society. But the film never becomes too depressing because Garbo gives weight and importance to a character that's not easy to play, a character forced to do unpleasant things. Susan is hopelessly naive yet determined, all this beautifully played by Garbo.

Gable is good too but his character is a little too dense to be likable. I don't hate Rodney but he should have been a bit more understanding about Susan's circumstances or her background.

There are some great bits of dialogue in SUSAN LENOX. My favorite line (and one of my favorite lines in any movie)is uttered by Garbo: "This hurt we have inflicted upon each other. It's become a bound. Nothing can break it. We're just like two cripples. Twisted. Only together can we ever become straight." Brilliant. That lines basically surmises the whole movie: two beautiful losers, miserable in the company of others and only happy with each other, yet they can't seem to be able to live together because of wonky circumstances.

And to think that the two only met each other for one night. Arf! Is SUSAN LENOX a great movie? No, it's not. But in its odd way (sorta like Susan and Rodney), it's infinitely watchable and endearing.

I'm usually against remakes but I believe they should remake SUSAN LENOX. Obviously, no one can top Garbo as Susan Lenox of Lenoxville, but this odd story, in the hands of a director like David Lynch, would be amazing.

(update: I recently read the Taschen book Icon series on Garbo and according to it, this film had 21 writers! No wonder it's so wonky!)

Relish the Stars and Go with the Flow

[dglink · 7/10 · 9 August 2020]

Seeking escape from the dire circumstances of the Great Depression, audiences sought out escapist entertainment with glamorous stars, who dressed fabulously and overcame the odds to find happiness. Such a slice of Hollywood hokum is "Susan Lenox (Her Fall and Rise)," which is a remarkably adult pre-code drama. The orphan of an unwed mother, Susan flees her abusive uncle and an intended forced marriage to find her way in the world. Sheltered from a storm by a handsome engineer, Rodney Spencer, Susan is forced to flee again, when her Uncle discovers her whereabouts.

Directed by Robert Z. Leonard, an MGM contract director, the film's brief 76-minute running time allows for few transitions between sequences and little character development. The drama jumps from unlikely event to an even more unlikely event, which leaves viewers to fill in the blanks. Shot during the pre-Production-Code era, the film does not shy away from pre-marital sex, illegitimacy, and prostitution, although the subjects are not labeled, but strongly implied.

Two great MGM stars make the film worth watching, Greta Garbo and Clark Gable. However, the heavily dramatic Garbo is ill matched with the light and cocky Gable. Garbo needs a John Barrymore, while Gable should have a Carole Lombard. Although Garbo definitely laughs here, she is far from fun loving, and she delivers many long languid looks as she suffers through the trials of her life. William H. Daniels, Garbo's customary cinematographer, captures her glamour, even in the early scenes, when she is still under the hand of her uncle, played by Jean Hersholt. Once again, Adrian designed her costumes to good effect, especially in scenes when she has reached the penthouse class. Even without his trademark mustache, Gable looks great, and facial stubble enhances his sex appeal. The somewhat mismatched stars illuminate the screen and almost overcome the choppy incredible plot that flits from a meeting in a rain storm to a circus train to a sleazy nightclub in Algiers to a New York penthouse. Fans of the two legendary stars will forgive the flaws, go with the flow, and enjoy the tale of Susan Lenox. However, those unfamiliar with Garbo and Gable had best look elsewhere to begin an appreciation of the stars' appeal.

Title Has It Backwards

[ccthemovieman-1 · 3/10 · 20 August 2006]

Actually, I thought the movie was the opposite of the title - this film "rose" high at the start and just slowly fell to the bottom.

It started off great, especially in the cinematography department. Greta Garbo looked very pretty and captivating and there was Clark Gable, sans famous mustache. This was Gable's first starring role.

The start of the second half signaled the decline as the film turned into a sappy melodrama and finished with an incredibly bad last 15 minutes, ruining what looked like a really promising film. Jean Hersholt and John Miljan provided able supporting help but, in the end, the film was disappointment.

Senses-Shattering Expressionistic Masterpiece

[perfectpawn · 9/10 · 15 January 2010]

Part of the string of long-lamented "woman's story" movies that were so popular in the early 1930s, this Pre-Code melodrama is wonderful, expressionistic, and even surrealistic in its set design, and it's a crying shame it's not received a proper DVD release. It's occasionally run on cable, so one must scour the Web to find a DVDR copy.

This 76-minute movie is based on a thousand page novel; safe to say, the story's been telescoped. It hurtles along like some nightmarish, out-of-control train. Plot lines and characters are introduced and swept away before we have the chance to get our bearings. But like pretty much all classic movies, it boils down to a simple love story.

The film operates as an endless sequence of Garbo and Gable together, then splitting up, then longing for one another, then searching for one another, and then spurning one another again due to some sort of misunderstanding. But the way the story is presented…it's as surreal as a Josef Von Sternberg film. And like Dietrich in those Sternberg movies, Garbo here is a Destroyer Of Men; they become obsessed with her, and when they leave her (either by choice or command) they are consumed with the memory of her. Gable is the prime sufferer here; at the opening of the film he's a nice guy, quick to smile and good-natured, but as his obsession increases he becomes a grizzled, hate-filled lunatic – at the very end of the movie he even drops a prostitute off a balcony onto the tables below!

Greta Garbo and Clark Gable (Hitler's two favorite actors…I wonder if this was his favorite movie?) lead the cast, but make no mistake: this is Greta's picture all the way. And she shines: the movie allows Garbo to portray a range of emotions and she handles all of them with panache. She really comes off like some waif lost in the Black Forest in the opening scenes, only instead of the Black Forest it's some backwoods sargasso of the American Midwest. Shorn of his moustache, Gable is still his likable self; despite the surreal aspect of the film he still gets some of his Gable-isms in there. My favorite example being how he exchanges "craned-neck" looks with his dog. Gable and Garbo have good on screen chemistry, even though longstanding rumor is they didn't like one another in reality.

The opening scenes of the movie are full-on German Expressionism. Susan's redneck home is like the funhouse reflection of reality, all drooping shadows and surreal perspectives. The sequence in which we see Susan's birth could've been lifted straight out of a Dr. Caligari remake. Unsettling camera angles guide us through a disturbing sequence in which we see Susan growing up, all of it relayed by her shadow as it grows in height along a wall. The final shot of this sequence is magnificent: the last shadow we see on the wall is Garbo's, and her profile is so distinct that she is immediately identifiable even though we don't actually see her.

This film also contains an enjoyable sequence where Clark Gable becomes THE LUCKIEST GUY IN FILM HISTORY: He awakens to find the luminously gorgeous Greta Garbo cooking his breakfast!

I've long preferred Paramount to MGM, but movies like this sway me. Again, the biggest problem with this movie is that it isn't available. It's prime content for the next "Pre-Code Hollywood" or "Forbidden Hollywood" DVD releases – or better yet, a "Pre-Code Greta Garbo" collection which could include this as well as the uncensored version of her "Mata Hari." Now that I think of it, according to the book "Sin in Soft Focus," this film too was cut before release; despite the Code not being fully enforced yet, there was still a Greta/Gable scene which upset the Hays Administration enough that they had something removed. If that scene still exists, then it would make a wonderful addition to a proper release of this neglected movie. (If I recall correctly, the cut scene took place in the penthouse suite – the scene in which Garbo attempts to humiliate Gable).

Other examples of senses-shattering "woman's story" melodramas of the 1930s: Claudette Colbert's "Torch Singer," Sternberg/Dietrich's "The Blonde Venus," and Clara Bow's "Call Her Savage." For a 1940s version – watered down in that Post-Code style but still as wacky as any of the above – see Bette Davis's "Now, Voyager."

Susan Lenox should be better if had enough time!!!

[elo-equipamentos · 7/10 · 6 August 2019]

Something whisper in my hears that Susan Lenox wasn't enough faithful entirely as Rodney expects, after a couple days alone on farm's house knowing each other, on cold nights (what do you mean?) then the sudden act of running wasn't a right thing to do, After takes a train she has involved with a crook, Rodney finally found her, aware of the facts, he suggest to her a gutter which she belongs, this hard statement itself wasn't enough to an early frightened girl changes suddenly at point to be a high class easy girl to climb to high society, to takes his revenge ahead, didn't match with sweet Hega, another fail certainly about the running time to tell so complex story, too compressed, maybe cutted by MGM, Greta Garbo sounds me very cold, distant, don't fits as a perfect hot girl, just a great actress, on romance pictures she quite often had a dubious acting, the picture is fine, although too short, had a great opening on early scenes, meanwhile dropped on final!!!

Resume:

First watch: 2019 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7

Garbo/Gable chemistry wasted on weak romantic plot...

[Doylenf · 5/10 · 18 September 2007]

GRETA GARBO fans will undoubtedly forgive the screenplay which has Greta and CLARK GABLE romantically involved in an on again/off again relationship that is the basis for the whole movie. And, of course, Garbo's favorite cinematographer, William Daniels, is behind the camera making sure that she gets her fair share of lush close-ups.

It starts out promisingly enough as a Gothic melodrama with Garbo fleeing the advances of a drunken fiancé ALAN HALE and rushing out into the storm. She seeks shelter in a barn but is discovered by CLARK GABLE who promptly takes a shine to her and invites her to take shelter under his roof. The opening scenes with Garbo and Gable have an innocent charm that makes them delightful to watch, with Gable giving a more natural performance than Garbo who already has a bag of transparent acting tricks.

The plot thickens when Susan Lenox is forced to flee Gable's residence when her strict father and fiancé show up to bring her home. She ends up taking refuge on a circus train and ends up being "kept" by one of the managers. When she's reunited with Gable, it begins a series of misunderstandings. Garbo plays her role like the real diva she was, even pronouncing Gable's name--"Rodney"--in a melodramatic way.

It's strictly downhill into pulp romance territory for the rest of the way. It's Gable who gives one of his most likable performances and sustains interest in the story's development--not Garbo.

Summing up: Only for die-hard Garbo fans. Noteworthy for a very fine beginning which soon lapses into mediocrity.

Garbo. Enough said.

[marcslope · 16 October 2001]

Maybe the novel had substance, but as boiled down by a team of MGM hacks the script comes off as silly women's-magazine stuff. Garbo escapes an arranged marriage to a brute, meets Gable, is forced to run away and join the circus (!), is spurned by Gable through a misunderstanding, swears revenge on him but still loves him, just happens to run into him again in a hard-drinking south-of-the-border backwater... you get the idea. There's never any doubt as to the outcome, but surely they could have come up with more of an ending than the one here, where both characters give in to each other more out of exhaustion than anything else.

Garbo is, as expected, faultless -- intuitive, honest, and at the peak of her beauty. Lovingly lit by her favorite cameraman, William Daniels, she's magnetic even when forced into hackneyed situations and purple dialogue. The director, Robert Z. Leonard, plays some interesting Freudian tricks -- the shadows are deep and symbolic, and most of the male characters seem to be carrying sticks of one sort or another. Without Garbo it would be typical early-talkie MGM junk, but she lends dignity and distinctiveness even to boilerplate stuff like this.

two legendary stars

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 22 September 2023]

Illegitimate Helga Ohlin (Greta Garbo) barely survives her birth and grew up under her harsh uncle Karl Ohlin. Her uncle orders her to marry useless creep Jeb Mondstrum. A drunken Jeb tries to rape her and she runs away into the storm. She finds shelter with neighbor Rodney Spencer (Clark Gable). When her uncle and Jeb track her down, she once again escapes. She joins the circus as Susan Lenox.

Clark Gable doesn't have his moustache, but he is still very much the charming ladies man. We have two legendary cinema stars in one room. That is enough to intrigue me. Rodney is doing a lot of double standard thinking. I guess that's the times. I like both characters' transformations. The story does go through a lot of plot. I wouldn't mind stopping at one place where the two characters can spend some time together like the cabin early on.

Lenox Falls and Rises and Falls and Rises

[ronrobinson3 · 7/10 · 2 September 2023]

This is not a great film, but it is worth watching for the coupling of Garbo and Gable. They really make the film. Gretta Garbo always steals focus in any film she is in because she is gorgeous and the camera loves her face. She can just sit still and it would still work. But, when paired with Clark Gable, she has a challenger to the camera's focus. He is dynamic and the camera loves him too. I found myself wishing there were only scenes of the two of them together.

As far as the plot, I would say this film is more about "her fall and rise" and then fall and then rise and then fall again and, by the end, she only rises a bit.

Garbo's mother dies in child birth and she is raised by her uncle who treats her as a servant. When the uncle arranges a marriage with an older man, Garbo runs away and into Gable's care.

Garbo keeps evading her uncle who is trying to find her. She ends up hiding in a traveling circus. This seems very odd at first but the film makes it work out. Cecil Cunningham as Madame Panoramia (or Pansy) is delightful as the tattooed lady that takes Garbo under her wing and gives her the name of "Susan Lenox".

But Garbo keeps getting abused and lusted after by men everywhere she goes. By the time Gable catches up with her, she is now "used goods".

The ending I will leave for you to see for yourself.

As I said, the film is not great, but Garbo and Gable are the gems in this very rough diamond!

Fall and Rise...the title says it all!

[ellaf · 8/10 · 17 May 2005]

That film from the thirties, perhaps because of its short length (75 minutes), avoid the too slow pace typical of the films from that era. Then it prevents us from losing our interest in the middle of the story.

Speaking of the story, it touches me for the simple fact that everybody in life has its ups and downs, often because of our own fault, unable are we to deal with the intensity of human feelings sometimes! Love and revenge are certainly the main feelings felt by the principal characters, the former producing the latter here. Both are the reasons for the fall AND the rise just as in real life! Such intensity for someone else may seem old-fashioned nowadays, so that film may appear dated to some, and it is, mostly in its presentation, but certainly not in its themes.

Personally, I relate to both Garbo's and Gable's characters in their way of feeling love for the other to the fullest no matter the toll it may take on oneself! Having risen while being in love at the same time before falling for some years because of that intensity of sentiments before being kind of born again after the healing was done, I certainly relate 100% to that story, dated or not. Even the title alone really touches a really sensible chord of mine each time I hear it simply because...well, been there, done that! As for the actors, Greta Garbo could never go wrong with any part. So here, besides being her beautiful and soulful self, she communicates her intense feelings for Rodney mostly through her eyes and movements, her lines being quite reduced here to great effect. One can see through her movements the uneasiness of her character. Bravo! And Gable is Gable: strong, masculine, credible. As powerful as Garbo in terms of presence and personal charisma, which was rare among all her leading men.

See it. Even done so many decades ago, it is still very effective. Enjoy.

Greta Garbo and Clark Gable Should have made tons more!!!

[iamjbismay · 10/10 · 4 December 2014]

I Loved this film but I enjoy mostly all Garbo movies The finest actress of all time No one has or ever will compare with or to her. She has a Mystical magic that no one seems to carry. She worked very well with Gable and they should have had many more films. Anyone know why they never did? I know of course Joan Crawford and Clark Gable had loads of chemistry as well and Joan is my second all time favorite actress. If you enjoy Both performers you won't wanna miss this film. Of course I've have yet to read more Greta Garbo Bio's and they may contain the reason why these two never crossed paths again. Joan mentioned Gable often in her Interviews but never mentioned this pairing.

More falls than rises

[TheLittleSongbird · 5/10 · 5 February 2020]

Greta Garbo was always a captivating actress and have felt that way ever since being moved to tears by her performance in 'Camille' (wonderful film too by the way), one of the finest of her time and one of the greats overall in my opinion. Clark Gable, here in a very early role, was a dashing and likeable actor equally adept at comedy (romantic and screwball) and serious drama. The subject matter also intrigued, as did seeing how Garbo and Gable would fare together.

Unfortunately, 'Susan Lenox' left me rather disappointed. It is far from an unwatchable film, there are great things here and like others have said it starts off so well. It doesn't though overall rise above "worth a one-time watch but only that" standard, with it agreed falling apart early on and never properly recovering. Garbo fans will not be disappointed by her (although it is one of her lesser films she is not one of the reasons as to why), but there have been far better representations of Gable.

'Susan Lenox' as said started off so well and actually thought to myself "this is going to be a great film". It is fantastically made visually throughout, a masterpiece of visual composition, Garbo's costumes are a feast for the eyes and the photography is both sumptuous and sophisticated. Complete with some interesting techniques and stylistic choices used without resorting to gimmickry. The lighting is very atmospheric and often of sheer beauty. The music fits with the film's tone very well, passionate without being overly so, and the direction is sympathetic yet in full command of the material.

Loved the tension and sensuality of Garbo and Gable's romantic chemistry in the early stages of the film, while the early portion has a quite daring subject matter that still hasn't become too tame by today's standards surprisingly. Other than the production values, Garbo is the main reason to see 'Susan Lenox'. Truly captivating from every emotion and gesture big and small and at its best it was quite magical.

Was less taken by Gable. He does do his best and he does likeable and sympathetic in the early parts of the film very well, but he does suffer from rushed character writing and when the character goes downhill (rather too quickly) Gable's strong brooding physique doesn't match this decline. Was not sure what to make overall of his chemistry with Garbo, it is great early on and they work beautifully together but if more time was taken to develop the relationship more it wouldn't have felt as choppy, as rushed or been as wildly inconsistent in cohesion. Only Jean Hersholt, suitably cruel without being overdone or darkening the film, stands out of the rest of the cast, a supporting cast that is not awful by any stretch but don't have a lot to work with.

Furthermore, 'Susan Lenox' really does suffer pretty badly from being too short, sometimes a film being short can be good and even necessary at times but with so much going on 'Susan Lenox' needed at least 20 minutes more. Too much happens and with too little time to tell it, and it certainly felt like it was intended to be much longer but truncated. With a longer length, the central relationship especially would have been better fleshed out, motivations would have been clearer rather than the viewer constantly asking "why did this happen", the storytelling would have been less cramped and careless, the choppiness wouldn't have been as big a problem and one wouldn't find it as hard to follow. Much of it is predictable and to me it didn't connect with me emotionally. The script can be a bit too clunky and overwrought and the characters are not given enough time to properly develop.

All in all, watchable for Garbo but loses its way too early. 5/10

Tall Tale

[GManfred · 17 May 2017]

This was an interesting story. It was also very hard to swallow, almost as though it was edited beyond intelligibility. They fall in love too quickly, then later in the picture she tracks him down without any clue as to his whereabouts. She falls in with a circus troupe and writes him to meet her despite becoming the mistress of the circus owner - and she's shocked when Gable drops her on the spot. How could she not anticipate rejection in this circumstance?

Though it borders on fantasy it works due to the efforts of the two stars. There was good chemistry between Garbo and Gable, and she is chiefly responsible for it. I am in a minority here, but I always fail to see Garbo's 'indescribable charm and allure'. I guess I am too young. Nevertheless, it is she who makes the film work, and raises a poorly written and ultimately inferior movie to my rating of six.

Garbo suffers

[hotangen · 5/10 · 29 March 2016]

Long-suffering womanhood – the turf of Ruth Chatterton - is NOT what I want from a Garbo film. And to hear her called Susie – good grief – this is Garbo, not Janet Gaynor. In this sob-sister story, Susan is a character who rises above victimhood to become a woman in control of herself and her life. And Rodney is the impetus for her transformation. But, like Robert Montgomery's Andre in Inspiration, Gable's Rodney spurns Susan because she's been unfaithful. Unfaithful – how much better and more evocative that title would have been than Susan Lenox, Her Fall and Rise.

In this on-again off-again love story, Garbo is convincing as a woman who spends years chasing after Rodney, who repeatedly rejects her, because, she says, "I know he loves me." Amazingly - or not so amazingly since this is Hollywood - as it turns out, Susan is right. He does love her. During the years that's she's been rising from the gutter and he's been falling into the male version of the gutter – alcohol and laboring in steamy tropical jungles – he's loved her. Gable was well-cast and is convincing as a man who knows how to love a woman, but has difficulty forgiving.

Although the script is as faulty as the story, and despite the paucity of jaw-dropping costumes, any film Garbo appears in is worth seeing. And adding Gable is frosting on the cake. 2 months after Susan Lenox arrived in theatres, Mata Hari was released. Now THAT's a story fit for Garbo.

Garbo's boring- Gable should have dropped her

[xan-the-crawford-fan · 3/10 · 27 July 2021]

(I'LL KEEP IT SHORT)

I may be the only one, but I am nominating this one as Garbo's worst film.

It's slightly forgiven for being creaky because it suffers from early talkie syndrome (more specifically, Greta Garbo is still suffering from early talkie syndrome, and would be until about Queen Christina).

What it is not forgiven for is being badly written, badly acted, and very generically directed.

Greta Garbo overacts, as was her custom by this point. She and Gable have no chemistry between them.

I normally like Clark Gable, but I hated him here. Even more than I did in Adventure (someone parodied the tagline of that film as the title of their review, and so did I.)

Every time they kiss she looks like she's standing on his foot to get him off and he looks like he wants to pull her off his lips by the hair.

Speaking of hair, Garbo's hair in this picture is terrible. Whoever told her that those bangs were a good idea?

The basic plot is that Garbo is Helga, a child who was born out of wedlock. Her mother is dead, so her brutish father raises her. He is not nice to her, and tries to marry her off to a slimy guy. She runs away, and ends up in Rodney's (Gable's) garage. They fall in love after one day (they go fishing too, which was more plausible), but they lose each other. Garbo joins the circus and becomes Susan Lenox. She runs into Rodney again, wearing what is perhaps the most revealing shirt I have ever seen in a 1930s film. They fight or something, and he goes on a boat to Brazil or wherever, where she happens to to be working as a café entertainer (prostitute). She has many lovers (No! Garbo? Many lovers?! Since when?!?!), but she still "loves Rodney". They live happily ever after.

There, I just saves you from wasting an hour and twenty minutes of your life.

Was this before or after A Free Soul? (Gable's breakout film)

magnificent photography

[stagedoor · 24 June 2002]

This film could be summarized as 'just another Garbo redemption yarn'... well, it is and it isn't. If you're familiar with the Garbo films (silents & talkies), you'll find yourself knowing the script before it happens onscreen, so, yes, indeed, Garbo will fall first then unwillingly rise from the gutter, sit on top of the world, then fall again, willingly or not. Some have written very intelligent lines on the subject (Mick Lasalle in 'Complicated Women' for instance) so I won't ad lib on this.

But this particular film adds another element: its photography. Splendid throughout all of Susan's cahotic life, the images crafted by Bill Daniels are simply amazing and on par with any Sternberg film - yes, that good. I can't remember precisely at the moment but the film was almost entirely redone before being released, either by R.Z. Leonard or by somebody else and R.Z. kept the credit...

Whatever. If script-wise quite predictable, this film should be seen if only for the sake of its images. Also, Garbo gives a performance worthy of the one she had in Grand Hotel - glimpses of eternity perhaps.

Too bad the big guys think this one's not worth more than a crappy VHS - photography on this level IS art... And Garbo's face eludes all possible descriptions.