Susan Lenox (Her Fall and Rise) (1931) - Turner Classic Movies

Brief Synopsis

A farm girl runs from her abusive father to a series of affairs in the big city.

Cast & Crew

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Robert Z. Leonard

Greta Garbo

Susan Lenox [earlier known as Helga]

Clark Gable

Rodney [Spencer]

Jean Hersholt

John Miljan

Alan Hale

[Jeb] Mondstrom

Photos & Videos

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Susan Lenox (Her Fall And Rise) -- (Movie Clip) Who's Your Boyfriend?

Susan Lenox (Her Fall And Rise) -- (Movie Clip) I Ran Away Once

Susan Lenox (Her Fall And Rise) -- (Movie Clip) You're As Good As Mine!

Susan Lenox (Her Fall And Rise) -- (Movie Clip) Always Courteous When Drunk

Film Details

Also Known As

Suzanne Lenox

Genre

Romance

Drama

Release Date

Oct 10, 1931

Premiere Information

not available

Production Company

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corp.

Distribution Company

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distributing Corp.

Country

United States

Screenplay Information

Based on the novel Susan Lenox: Her Fall and Rise by David Graham Phillips (New York, 1917).

Technical Specs

Duration

1h 15m

Sound

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color

Black and White

Film Length

8 reels

Synopsis

Helga, born out of wedlock, has been an object of scorn to her uncle, Karl Ohlin. Certain that only an early marriage will keep her from the same fate as her mother, Karl arranges for Helga to wed loutish farmer Jeb Mondstrom. The night before their proposed wedding, however, Mondstrom tries to rape Helga and she runs away. In a heavy rainstorm Helga makes her way to a nearby house and is befriended by Rodney Spencer, a young architect. Rodney's kindness changes Helga's view of men, and the two fall in love. Rodney proposes just before an important business trip, but Helga must again run away when Ohlin and Mondstrom find her. She jumps on a circus train in Lenoxville and is befriended by Madame Panoramia, the tattooed lady, who introduces her to Burlingham, the circus owner, as Susan Lenox. Helga writes Rodney to meet her in Marquette, but before he arrives, she is forced to become Burlingham's mistress when he hides her from Ohlin and Mondstrom. When Rodney realizes what her relationship to Burlingham is, he rejects her as a tramp. Heartbroken, Helga goes from one man to another until she becomes the mistress of wealthy New York politician Mike Kelly. In the meantime, Rodney has ruined his career by drinking. Helga, now known as Mrs. Lenox, secretly arranges for Rodney to attend one of her dinner parties and tries to humiliate him, but when he leaves, she realizes that she still loves him. She follows him, but he is gone. Despite Mike's plea for her to come back, she travels from city to city looking for Rodney, eventually winding up as a singer in a waterfront dive in Latin America. She has learned that Rodney is working on a construction crew in the jungle and plans to wait for his return, despite that fact that kindly millionaire Robert Lane wants to marry her. When Rodney does wander into the dive and sees Helga, he only wants her like any other waterfront girl. She throws him out in disillusionment and plans to meet Robert on his yacht, but the next day she goes to see Rodney one last time. Sober for once, Rodney realizes that he has been wrong, and they both decide to stop hurting each other and start to love again.

Director

Robert Z. Leonard

Cast

Greta Garbo

Susan Lenox [earlier known as Helga]

Clark Gable

Rodney [Spencer]

Jean Hersholt

John Miljan

Alan Hale

[Jeb] Mondstrom

Hale Hamilton

Hilda Vaughn

Russell Simpson

Cecil Cunningham

Madame Panoramia

Ian Keith

Theodore Von Eltz

Crew

Adrian

Margaret Booth

Hugh Boswell

Assistant Director

Delmer Daves

Cedric Gibbons

Leon Gordon

Zelda Sears

Douglas Shearer

Recording Director

Wanda Tuchock

Adapted and cont

Charles Wallace

Photo Collections

Videos

Susan Lenox (Her Fall And Rise) -- (Movie Clip) Who's Your Boyfriend? Robert Z. Leonard directs, as "Madame Panoramia" (Cecil Cunningham) helps hunky Rodney (Clark Gable) re-connect with girlfriend "Susie," previously "Helga," (Greta Garbo), who has trouble explaining her circus act, and her ugly boss (John Miljan), in Susan Lenox (Her Fall And Rise), 1931.

Susan Lenox (Her Fall And Rise) -- (Movie Clip) You're As Good As Mine! Early scene, callous Uncle Ohlin (Jean Hersholt) informs his disdained niece Helga (Greta Garbo) that she'll be marrying Mondstrom (Alan Hale, in a scene as nasty as any he ever played), in Susan Lenox (Her Fall And Rise), 1931, directed by Robert Z. Leonard.

Susan Lenox (Her Fall And Rise) -- (Movie Clip) Always Courteous When Drunk Having escaped rape that night by the husband chosen by her father, innocent Helga (Greta Garbo, later "Susan") is dazzled by the charm of Rodney (Clark Gable), the bachelor-neighbor-architect who took her in, in Robert Z. Leonard's Susan Lenox (Her Fall And Rise), 1931.

Susan Lenox (Her Fall And Rise) -- (Movie Clip) I Ran Away Once Greta Garbo (as Helga, later Susan) channeling Ben-Hur, fleeing her violent Michigan country household, jumping the train where she meets "Madame Panoramia" (Cecil Cunningham) and sly circus boss Burlingham (John Miljan) in Susan Lenox (Her Fall And Rise), 1931.

Film Details

Also Known As

Suzanne Lenox

Genre

Romance

Drama

Release Date

Oct 10, 1931

Premiere Information

not available

Production Company

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corp.

Distribution Company

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distributing Corp.

Country

United States

Screenplay Information

Based on the novel Susan Lenox: Her Fall and Rise by David Graham Phillips (New York, 1917).

Technical Specs

Duration

1h 15m

Sound

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color

Black and White

Film Length

8 reels

Articles

Susan Lenox: Her Fall and Rise

October 27, 2004

Susan Lenox: Her Fall and Rise (1931) was a high profile vehicle for MGM superstar Greta Garbo that paired her with Clark Gable for the first and only time. Its source was the controversial 1917 novel by David Graham Phillips, which caused quite a stir in its day with subject matter many considered racy. In the film, Garbo plays Helga, a young woman born into a hard life. The illegitimate daughter of a poor farmer and mother who dies giving birth to her, Helga knows only how to survive. When her stern father tries to marry her off to the lecherous brute Mondstrum (Alan Hale), she runs away and finds shelter in the home of Rodney (Clark Gable), a young engineer who treats her with kindness. The two fall in love, but when Mondstrum comes looking for her, she goes on the run again, changing her name to Susan Lenox along the way. Throughout a series of misunderstandings and unpredictable plot twists, the love between Susan and Rodney is severely tested.

Clark Gable, an up-and-coming star at the time, was reportedly miffed to learn of being cast in Susan Lenox by reading the news in a Hollywood trade paper. "Don't miss the one and only Garbo in the arms of Clark Gable!" proclaimed the ads. Garbo had been eager to work with him for some time and made the pairing happen. Gable eventually agreed to do the role knowing it would be a good career move to star opposite the Swedish screen legend. He also hoped to learn a thing or two by working with a star of Garbo's caliber.

When the film was finished, the notoriety of the novel alone was enough for British censors to ban it from release. With a few swift cuts, however, it was finally approved in the UK with a new title: The Rise of Helga. Though Susan Lenox went through as many as two dozen writers and the pairing of Garbo and Gable was awkward, the film did make money. There was talk of starring the two together again in the movie Red Dust (1932), but it was not to be. Gable made Red Dust with Jean Harlow instead, and Gable and Garbo never made another film together.

Producer/Director: Robert Z. Leonard
Screenplay: Edith Fitzgerald, Leon Gordon, Zelda Sears, Wanda Tuchock
Based on the novel by David Graham Phillips Art Direction: Cedric Gibbons
Costume Design: Adrian
Cinematography: William H. Daniels
Costume Design: Adrian
Film Editing: Margaret Booth
Original Music: Leo F. Forbstein
Principal Cast: Greta Garbo (Susan Lenox), Clark Gable (Rodney), Jean Hersholt (Ohlin), John Miljan (Burlingham), Alan Hale (Mondstrum), Hale Hamilton (Mike Kelly), Hilda Vaughn (Astrid).
BW-77m.

by Andrea Passafiume

Susan Lenox: Her Fall And Rise

Susan Lenox: Her Fall and Rise

Susan Lenox: Her Fall and Rise (1931) was a high profile vehicle for MGM superstar Greta Garbo that paired her with Clark Gable for the first and only time. Its source was the controversial 1917 novel by David Graham Phillips, which caused quite a stir in its day with subject matter many considered racy. In the film, Garbo plays Helga, a young woman born into a hard life. The illegitimate daughter of a poor farmer and mother who dies giving birth to her, Helga knows only how to survive. When her stern father tries to marry her off to the lecherous brute Mondstrum (Alan Hale), she runs away and finds shelter in the home of Rodney (Clark Gable), a young engineer who treats her with kindness. The two fall in love, but when Mondstrum comes looking for her, she goes on the run again, changing her name to Susan Lenox along the way. Throughout a series of misunderstandings and unpredictable plot twists, the love between Susan and Rodney is severely tested. Clark Gable, an up-and-coming star at the time, was reportedly miffed to learn of being cast in Susan Lenox by reading the news in a Hollywood trade paper. "Don't miss the one and only Garbo in the arms of Clark Gable!" proclaimed the ads. Garbo had been eager to work with him for some time and made the pairing happen. Gable eventually agreed to do the role knowing it would be a good career move to star opposite the Swedish screen legend. He also hoped to learn a thing or two by working with a star of Garbo's caliber. When the film was finished, the notoriety of the novel alone was enough for British censors to ban it from release. With a few swift cuts, however, it was finally approved in the UK with a new title: The Rise of Helga. Though Susan Lenox went through as many as two dozen writers and the pairing of Garbo and Gable was awkward, the film did make money. There was talk of starring the two together again in the movie Red Dust (1932), but it was not to be. Gable made Red Dust with Jean Harlow instead, and Gable and Garbo never made another film together. Producer/Director: Robert Z. Leonard Screenplay: Edith Fitzgerald, Leon Gordon, Zelda Sears, Wanda Tuchock Based on the novel by David Graham Phillips Art Direction: Cedric Gibbons Costume Design: Adrian Cinematography: William H. Daniels Costume Design: Adrian Film Editing: Margaret Booth Original Music: Leo F. Forbstein Principal Cast: Greta Garbo (Susan Lenox), Clark Gable (Rodney), Jean Hersholt (Ohlin), John Miljan (Burlingham), Alan Hale (Mondstrum), Hale Hamilton (Mike Kelly), Hilda Vaughn (Astrid). BW-77m. by Andrea Passafiume

Quotes

Trivia

Notes

The working titles of this film were Suzanne Lenox and Susan Lenox. Some modern sources erroneously refer to the film as Susan Lenox, Her Rise and Fall. According to contemporary news items and production charts, King Vidor was initially set to direct the picture, and actresses Lynn Bernager and Marjorie King were to have roles in the film. Vidor was replaced by Robert Z. Leonard, and the appearance of either Beranger or King in the completed film has not been confirmed. A Hollywood Reporter news item noted that "extended retakes and revisions" of the film were made in mid-August 1931 after the film had been previewed for the press. Another Hollywood Reporter news item noted that following his role in the film, actor Jean Hersholt, a Dane by birth, was appointed by the King of Denmark to head the American committee in charge of Denmark's participation in the 1932 Olympic Games. In a filmography in the biographical file for Edgar G. Ulmer at the AMPAS Library, he is listed as the director of German and French versions of this film; however, no contemporary information about any foreign-language versions of the film has been located. A modern source includes a brief epilogue in its description of the film in which the characters of "Rodney" and "Helga" are living happily in a mountain cabin near the construction site of Boulder Dam (which was later renamed Hoover Dam). This sequence was not in the viewed print nor was it in the cutting continuity.

Miscellaneous Notes

Released in United States 1931

reels 8

Released in United States 1931

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