In 1943 Joan Crawford was dismissed from MGM (or she walked away after buying her contract out, whichever version applies) and after several years of being offered lesser and lesser starring vehicles with the exception of THE WOMEN and the minor hit A WOMAN'S FACE, and after being on the box-office poison list (in which she was not alone but in good company) she was given this last movie.
ABOVE SUSPICION is one of the handful of films that came out during World War II which served as a backdrop to denounce anything remotely Nazi. This, of course, is really mindless fluff -- much like today's ridiculous blockbusters trying to capitalize on the crisis situation of the moment (be it war or terrorism) and of course, bringing into the mix some high-power action names and some flashy but silly storytelling -- and in no moment can anyone believe that Crawford and MacMurray are British spies working undercover, no more than anything which takes place here. Worthy of notice was that Crawford began around this time to lower her voice and polish her diction which would become her trademark in later performances, but other than that -- an end to a contract and the beginning of what would be her (more rewarding, albeit brief) years at Warner Bros.
ABOVE SUSPICION is one of the handful of films that came out during World War II which served as a backdrop to denounce anything remotely Nazi. This, of course, is really mindless fluff -- much like today's ridiculous blockbusters trying to capitalize on the crisis situation of the moment (be it war or terrorism) and of course, bringing into the mix some high-power action names and some flashy but silly storytelling -- and in no moment can anyone believe that Crawford and MacMurray are British spies working undercover, no more than anything which takes place here. Worthy of notice was that Crawford began around this time to lower her voice and polish her diction which would become her trademark in later performances, but other than that -- an end to a contract and the beginning of what would be her (more rewarding, albeit brief) years at Warner Bros.