Ginger's Susan Hayward Message Board: To reach If You Knew Susie by Trish Sharp, click the profile photo at www.facebook.com/susanhaywardclassicfilmstar and you will see the link.
It'll be shown on Saturday, June 23, on Turner Classic
Movies. Check local listings for the time. The movie
was Susan's 4th Oscar nomination for Best Actress, and
her favorite movie.
The most difficult scene in this movie for me to watch is when "Lillian" is arguing with her mother, after they have lost everything because of Lillian's drinking. The scene is so bleak and depressing. There are a lot of uplifting scenes in that movie however, and the songs, sung by Susan herself, are good. BTW, Lillian Roth was extremely hurt that she herself was not able to sing those songs and have them mimed by Susan (i.e. Jane Froman, WASIMH). I'm wondering if Susan might have actually won the Oscar for that film if she had mimed Lillian's voice instead of doing her own singing? What do all of you think?
I think the fact that she did her own singing shows her talent off even more. It is such a treat to hear those songs in her own singing voice. I think she did a great job with all the songs. Her performance in the film was brilliant. She should have won the Oscar.
I tend to think the same thing...the fact she did her own singing should have won favor with the Academy voters. How she lost to Anna Magnani, whom I thought was too over the top and a tad too stereotypical, baffles me.
I have always thought, along with Susan herself, that "Cry" was the best job she ever did, and she should definitely have won the Oscar. She was scary and riveting in it, and most people who saw the film thought her portrayal of an alcoholic was the female version of Ray Milland's in "Lost Weekend."
The fact that Susan was going through such a terrible time in her private life at the time made her work even more amazing.
As to the Oscar going to Magnani that year, Susie was robbed!
