After ten years in Chile, seventeen-year-old Connie Stevens (as Susan Slade) goes to live in California with mom Dorothy McGuire (as Leah) and pop Lloyd Nolan (as Roger). With tight dresses and open lips, Ms. Stevens is about as ready as a girl can get. She starts out on ship, losing more than her head to handsome mountain-climber Grant Williams (as Conn White). Meanwhile, Mr. Nolan is secreting a heart problem from his family. Settling near sunny Carmel, Stevens meets dimpled Bert Convy (as Wells Corbett), then blond hunk Troy Donahue (as Hoyt Brecker). Dressed up like James Dean, Mr. Donahue is an aspiring writer dealing with the death of his criminal father. Fate intervenes in their lives, again and again...
Soft-focused close-ups, beautiful location photography, and a lush soundtrack are what you expect from a 1960s Delmer Daves production helped by Lucien Ballard and Max Steiner - and they are all here. However, so is the tilt from serious to hysterical. Rich and friendly Brian Aherne and Natalie Schafer (as Stanton and Marion Corbett) help give it an upper-crusty air. Despite taking second billing, "Susan Slade" stars Stevens. It was a quick follow-up to "Parrish" (1961) starring Donahue. Both Donahue and Stevens were popular for their television characters "Sandy" and "Cricket" plus numerous magazine covers catering to young adults. In this one, the soap bubbles are on fire - literally, at a crucial moment.
***** Susan Slade (11/8/61) Delmer Daves ~ Connie Stevens, Troy Donahue, Dorothy McGuire, Lloyd Nolan
Soft-focused close-ups, beautiful location photography, and a lush soundtrack are what you expect from a 1960s Delmer Daves production helped by Lucien Ballard and Max Steiner - and they are all here. However, so is the tilt from serious to hysterical. Rich and friendly Brian Aherne and Natalie Schafer (as Stanton and Marion Corbett) help give it an upper-crusty air. Despite taking second billing, "Susan Slade" stars Stevens. It was a quick follow-up to "Parrish" (1961) starring Donahue. Both Donahue and Stevens were popular for their television characters "Sandy" and "Cricket" plus numerous magazine covers catering to young adults. In this one, the soap bubbles are on fire - literally, at a crucial moment.
***** Susan Slade (11/8/61) Delmer Daves ~ Connie Stevens, Troy Donahue, Dorothy McGuire, Lloyd Nolan