Susan Strasberg Movies
The daughter of renowned acting coaches Lee and Paula Strasberg, Susan Strasberg did not, as has often been assumed, attend her father's celebrated Actors Studio. She was, however, a close friend of several of her parents' most famous students--notably Marilyn Monroe, the subject of Strawsberg's affectionate 1992 memoir Marilyn and Me. While growing up, Strasberg harbored dreams of becoming a scientist like her idol Marie Curie, but many of her parents' friends urged the girl to give acting a try. Mildly curious, she made her off-Broadway debut in the 1952 production Maya. Two years later, she made her first television appearance as Shakespeare's Juliet, and shortly thereafter was cast as a regular on the Hume Cronyn-Jessica Tandy TV situation comedy The Marriage. At 17, Susan blossomed into full-fledged stardom when she played the leading role in the Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway play The Diary of Anne Frank. By 1957, she was being tagged as "Helen Hayes' successor" by several influential critics. Her first film appearances in The Cobweb and Picnic (both 1955) also bode well for a long and lasting stardom. Unfortunately, Susan's ardent supporters began turning on her when she starred in Stage Struck, the 1957 remake of Morning Glory (1933). Her over-the-top rendition of the role that had won Katharine Hepburn an Oscar back in 1933 was almost universally drubbed by the critics, prompting Strasberg to flee the U.S. and resettle in Europe. In the early 1960s, director Franco Zeffirelli persuaded her to return to Broadway in his production of Dumas' Lady of the Camelias. Alas, this effort also proved disastrous, forcing her to grasp at straws to revive her reputation. Her best effort during this awkward phase of her career was the Yugoslav-Italian film Kapo (1960), in which she played a concentration camp survivor. Such excellent opportunities were rare indeed; for the most part, Strasberg was mired in such tripe as Psych-Out (1967) and The Name of the Game is Kill (1968). In 1973, Susan returned to television as co-star of the detective series Toma. She has since continued to accept character roles of fluctuating quality in both U.S. and Canadian productions. In 1980, Susan penned her autobiography Bittersweet, which detailed her brief marriage to actor Christopher Jones, the heart defect that long imperiled the life of her daughter Jennifer, and the debilitating burden of being too famous too soon. Reflecting on her career in 1974, Susan Strasberg compared her teen-aged stardom to "trying to play a violin before it's finished." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1973
Somewhat reminiscent of the 1965 film The Satan Bug, And Millions Will Die is a thriller based upon the premise of germ warfare. A lunatic plans to extort millions of dollars by threatening to unleash a deadly nerve gas upon the citizens of Hong Kong. He prepares to make good his threat--but then dies before he can reveal the underground location whence the gas will be released. Richard Basehart, the villain in Satan Bug, switches sides to play frenzied scientist who races against time to unearth the lethal gas in And Millions Will Die. Given its foolproof premise, the film is disappointedly bereft of suspense, though the Hong Kong scenery is lovely. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1981
Although the Actors Studio and Lee Strasberg have been famous for many decades in the U.S., this documentary is the first film to go into the studio and record sessions with actors, showing Strasberg in action. Aside from interviews with Strasberg, he is also seen responding to filmed performances of Eleonora Duse and other Hollywood giants of times gone by, and interacting with others as a mentor and friend. Even Strasberg's inspiration, Konstantin Stanislavsky himself, is shown talking about acting with two students toward the end of his life. Jane Fonda explains how she benefitted by Strasberg's instruction, and the results of his efforts are shown in clips of James Dean and Marlon Brando, two of his more famous students. By the time the final segment of the documentary has closed, viewers have a much better idea of why Lee Strasberg was so successful with hundreds of actors over the long span of his professional life. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lee Strasberg, Ellen Burstyn, (more)
- 1962
The "official" title of this film is Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man; its screenplay is adapted from semi-autobiographical "Nick Adams" stories written by Ernest Hemingway. Played by Richard Beymer (West Side Story), Nick Adams is a young Michigan boy who sets out in the early 1900s to learn about life and to pursue a journalistic career. No sooner is he on his way than he gets his first taste of "real life" by being thrown off a train by a railroad agent. He attempts to secure newspaper work, but is laughed out of the office due to his inexperience. He gains valuable insight on the human condition while serving in the Italian army during World War One, where (in Farewell to Arms fashion) a star-crossed romance develops between Nick and a Red Cross nurse (Susan Strasberg). Nick returns to America determined to pursue his destiny by writing of his now-vast experiences. Long and somewhat poky, Adventures of a Young Man is enlivened by the cameo appearance of Paul Newman as a pathetic, punch drunk boxer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Beymer, Diane Baker, (more)
- 1979
Beggarman, Thief is the 4-hour sequel to the ratings-busting miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man; both productions were based on the works of novelist Irwin Shaw. For the purposes of the sequel, a new member of the Jordache clan is introduced: filmmaker Gretchen Jordache Burke, played by Jean Simmons. It is Gretchen's task to keep the family together after the murder of her brother Tom (played by Nick Nolte in Rich Man, Poor Man) and the recent disappearance of her other brother Rudy (Peter Strauss, re-creating his RMPM role). Originally presented in two parts, Beggarman, Thief was first telecast November 26 and 27, 1979. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Simmons, Glenn Ford, (more)
Sort of a triple-threat Bad Seed with a more overtly violent streak, this film tells the tale of trio of cherubic youngsters whose births all coincided with a solar eclipse, which somehow initiated a kind of time-release evil reaction that reaches its climax on the kids' tenth birthday, causing them to transform into miniature homicidal psychopaths. These darling little tykes then proceed to beat dad's brains out with a baseball bat, gun down their teacher, and otherwise beat, stab and strangle anyone who even looks cross-eyed at them. They also seem to be strangely fond of leering at naked teenage girls... or maybe that's just the director's favorite pastime. Produced in 1980, this proto-slasher opus was shelved for six years, then released to video to capitalize on the already-waning trend of Friday the 13th sequels and their hellish offspring. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Susan Strasberg, José Ferrer, (more)
- 1968
Breaking from tradition, Bonanza offered two first-run episodes amidst the usual sea of reruns in the summer of 1968. The first of these, "A Severe Case of Matrimony", aired on July 7, 1968. Susan Strasberg plays Rosalita, a fiery gypsy girl who aspires to a career in opera-and never mind that she can't carry a tune in a washbucket. Willing to marry one of the Cartwrights to finance her singing career, Rosalita fabricates a story of relentless abuse at the hands of her father Anselmo (J. Carroll Naish). Also in the cast are Andre Philippe as Paco and Lili Valenty as Dolores. Written by Michael Fessnier, this episode went into production under the title "A Slight Case of Matrimony." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, (more)
- 1968
Chubasco (Christopher Jones) is a wayward youth who is given a choice by the presiding judge. His choices are go to jail or take an honest job on a fishing boat. He chooses to set sail, leaving behind his girl Bunny (Susan Strasberg) and her father Sebastian (Richard Egan), who obviously has it out for the wayward teen. He works on a tuna boat, learning to break free of a life of crime. He also meets a bordello madame named Angela (Ann Sothern) who may or may not be his mother. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Egan, Christopher Jones, (more)
- 1966
Released theatrically in Europe, Cosa Nostra, Arch Enemy of the FBI originated as "The Executioner", a two-part episode of the weekly TV series The FBI. The series' usual stars Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Philip Abbott and Stephen Brooks are joined on this occasion by guest artists Walter Pidgeon, Celeste Holm, Telly Savalas and Susan Strasberg-and, way down on the cast list, Robert Duvall. The story concerns double-crosses within the inner circles of La Cosa Nostra. The story concludes as mob boss Pidgeon orders the death of witness Holm-with the victim's nephew Savalas as the hit man! "The Executioner" first aired on two consecutive Sundays: March 12 and 19, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1982
A syndicate gambling organization receives a new member in the form of a police detective in disguise. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1966
Four Kings is a 60-minute World War II drama starring Peter Falk, Robert Strauss, Vito Scotti and Than Wyenn as four prisoners serving life sentences. They are pulled out of jail by the US military and given an opportunity for a pardon. The "brass" isn't asking for much: all the four lifers are expected to do is sneak into Germany and steal the secret plans for the V2 missile. Four Kings was originally telecast in 1963 on NBC's Bob Hope Chrysler Theatre. When it was rerun in early 1972, the closing credits had to be readjusted to reflect the fact that supporting player Hans Gudegast had changed his name to Eric Braeden. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Produced by Dan "Dark Shadows" Curtis, this TV adaptation of Mary Shelley's classic spine-chiller Frankenstein remains fairly faithful to its source. Robert Foxworth stars as Dr. Victor Frankenstein, who comes to grief when he "plays God" by creating a human being from spare body parts. The monster, played by Bo Svenson, is doomed from the start, not only by fate but by his inherited homicidal nature. Susan Strasberg and Heidi Vaughn co-star as the two unfortunate women in Dr. Frankenstein's life. Originally telecast in two parts on ABC's late-night Wide World of Mystery anthology, Frankenstein debuted January 16 and 17, 1973. It was later pared down to a traditional two-hour, single-part TV movie. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Foxworth, Susan Strasberg, (more)
- 1970
David McCallum stars in Hauser's Memory as scientist Hillel Mondoro. At the behest of the CIA, Mondoro willingly has himself injected with the brain fluid from a dying fellow scientist named Hauser. The purpose of this experiment is to preserve the missile secrets lodged in Hauser's memory banks. The result is a deadly liason between Mondoro and Hauser's pro-Nazi wife Anna (Lilli Palmer). Susan Strasberg costars as Mondoro's nonplussed wife Karen, while German film director Helmut Kautner alsos plays an important featured role. Made for television, Hauser's Memory premiered November 24, 1970. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1962
Disorder was a French/Italian co-production, released as Le Desordre in France and Il Disordine in Italy (somebody was in a rut). This leisurely paced modern fable stars Renato Salvatore as a poor young man, struggling to pay for his mother's medical bills. Virtually everyone whom Salvatore approaches for help fails him: An industrialist reneges on a promise, a well-to-do friend laughs in his face, and a priest is defrocked before he can do any good. When the young man is finally able to raise the necessary money, he discovers that the ex-priest has sold all his possessions in order to help Salvatore's mother. Thus it is the film's one Good Samaritan whose life ends up in "disorder." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Renato Salvatori, Louis Jourdan, (more)
- 1992
Those looking for an intelligible filmed rendition of Anton Checkhov's famous play, The Cherry Orchard might be well advised to look elsewhere. This version had the curious distinction of receiving the universal and enthusiastic condemnation of critics attending its 1992 San Sebastian Film Festival screening. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Susan Strasberg, Barbara de Rossi, (more)
In Hungary, 12-year-old Andras Vadya supported himself during World War II by serving as a pimp for prostitutes. Once the war is over, he tries his hand at a number of different jobs, but has a sexual fixation on "older" women. Andras (Tom Berenger) tells the story of seven of his affairs. One affair, when he was still a quite young man, was with Bobbie (Susan Strasberg), a woman whose anti-communist views put her in danger in postwar Hungary. In Praise of Older Women features many sexual scenes and situations. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Berenger, Karen Black, (more)
- 1959
The French/Italian/Yugoslav concentration camp drama Kapo stars Susan Strasberg, who several years earlier had originated the title role in the Broadway production The Diary of Anne Frank. Here, Ms. Strasberg is once again a European Jewish teenager victimized by the Nazis. Interred in a concentration camp, Strasberg is befriended by the camp's kindly doctor, who helps her hide her true identity and work as a camp guard, or "kapo." Unfortunately, Strasberg's new found power goes to her head, and her abuse of that power is very nearly on the same level as the Nazis. Brought down to earth by the death of a close friend, Strasberg spearheads an escape attempt, sacrificing her own life in the process. Nominated for a best foreign picture Oscar in 1960, Kapo nonetheless did not find an American distributor until 1964. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Didi Perego, Gianni Garko, (more)
- 1968
The launching pad for the long-running ABC medical series Marcus Welby, M.D. was this feature-length pilot film, first aired March 26, 1969. Robert Young of course stars as Dr. Welby, a crusty but golden-hearted general practitioner forced by a mild coronary to take on a partner. At first, Welby and his new assistant, long-haired, doggedly independent motorcycle fancier Dr. Steven Kiley (James Brolin), are about as compatible as oil and water, but the two quickly become friends and confidants during an unexpected medical crisis. Originally, Anne Baxter as Welby's erstwhile lady friend, Myra Sherwood, and Sheila Larkin as the doctor's daughter, Sandy, were supposed to have been regulars, along with Penny Santon as Welby and Kiley's no-nonsense nurse/secretary Consuelo. But by the time the project graduated to series status, only Consuelo remained, played by Elena Verdugo. In syndication, Marcus Welby, M.D. was retitled A Matter of Humanities. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1990
This video is a close-up of Marilyn Monroe as seen by some of those who knew her best. The award-winning program is filled with memories as told by her friends and fellow actors, including Celeste Holm, Robert Mitchum, Shelley Winters, Susan Strasberg, and Josh Logan. Clips from her best moments in movies are shown, along with seldom-seen home movies and rare footage of the famous, but lonely actress. Richard Widmark provides narration. ~ Alice Day, All Movie Guide
- 1994
This documentary is an homage to Marilyn Monroe, arguably the most famous sex-symbol of the 20th century. The film offers a loving examination of her enduring charm and chronicles the continued devotion of her fans. Rather than present the traditional chronological biography, the filmmakers have chosen to focus on key points in Monroe's career and life such as her rise to stardom. In addition to fabulous stills and film clips, the movie includes interviews with Hugh Hefner, who used Monroe's nude pictures as his centerfold in the first issue of Playboy. Also interviewed are columnist Liz Smith, who discusses Hollywood's attitude toward Marilyn. Finally the film chronicles the ways in which Marilyn has become a cultural icon beginning with Andy Warhol's art and continued showings of her films. The industry surrounding her image is also examined. The film does not offer insight as to why Marilyn Monroe continues to be so popular. It is simply a tribute. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joyce Brothers, David Brown, (more)
Remember that controversial participation game of the 1980s called "Dungeons and Dragons"? Remember how sociologists warned us that the game was potentially dangerous to those who couldn't altogether separate fantasy from reality. This is the premise of Mazes and Monsters, a made-for-TV film based on the best-seller by Rona Jaffee. Future Oscar-winner Tom Hanks portrays one of four college students who become so deeply involved in a Mazes & Monsters session that the results may turn fatal at any moment. Despite its potential for silly sensationalism, the film is based on a believable premise, and arrives at a logical conclusion. When first aired December 28, 1982, this Canadian-American production was titled Rona Jaffee's Mazes and Monsters. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
This story of love and espionage focuses on political turmoil as a small nation struggles to free itself from colonial rule, and one man tries to serve both justice and his own heart. In the late 1950s, the island of Cyprus is under the political control of Great Britain, but groups of Cypriot activists are fighting for the country's independence. Maj. McGuire (Dirk Bogarde) is an English military leader who is on the trail of Haghios (George Chakiris), a terrorist leader who guides the struggle for freedom in Cyprus. Juno Kozani (Susan Strasberg) is an American student of archeology who visits friends on the island, only to discover that they're helping to hide Haghios from the police and the British military. McGuire is convinced that Kozani knows Haghios' whereabouts, but while she has told McGuire nothing, Haghios is convinced that Kozani has turned him in and threatens to kill her. Desperate, Kozani seeks protection from McGuire, who allows her to hide out in his apartment. Put into close contact, McGuire and Kozani fall in love, but when his superiors find out that he's been keeping her in hiding, McGuire is transferred to Greece. Kozani follows him there, only to discover that a mysterious man has been following them. The High Bright Sun has also been released under the titles McGuire Go Home! and A Date with Death. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dirk Bogarde, George Chakiris, (more)
- 1971
Veteran director King Vidor had long harbored hopes of directing a filmization of Ann Head's novel Mr. and Mrs. Bo Jo Jones, but couldn't get backing from a major studio. The book was finally filmed in 1971 but as a TV movie rather than a theatrical feature and with Robert Day in the director's chair. Desi Arnaz Jr. and Miss Christopher Norris play a couple of lovesick teenagers who are forced to get married when the girl becomes pregnant. Arnaz can't support his wife, Norris isn't really ready for motherhood, and the rest of the community nearly smothers the newlyweds in misguided advice. Mr. and Mrs. Bo Jo Jones was easy to take, but might have had a better chance of being truly memorable under the guiding hand of King Vidor. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1987
This classic episode adroitly utilizes footage from the 1949 theatrical film Strange Bargain--with three of that film's stars, Jeffrey Lynn, Martha Scott and Harry Morgan, reprising their roles in the "new" scenes. Released from prison after serving 30 years for the murder of his boss, Sam Wilson (Lynn) returns to his wife Georgia (Scott) and his son Rod (Art Hindle), who is now a police officer. Georgia and Rod prevail upon Jessica (Angela Lansbury) to help clear Sam's name, and to prove that someone else committed the murder. With the assistance of the original investigating detective, a man named Webb (Morgan), Jessica reconstructs the events leading up to Sam's arrest, with black-and-white "flashbacks" lifted from Strange Bargain illustrating how, three decades earlier, Sam had been offered $10,000 to make his boss' suicide look like murder for insurance purposes. One of the supporting roles is played by Debbie Zipp, who would later become a Murder, She Wrote semi-regular as Donna Mayberry, the fiancee of Jessica's nephew Grady Fletcher. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1975
A woman calls together all of her prospective wedding guests to locate the killer of her late fiance. ~ All Movie Guide
