Susan Lenox: Her Rise and Fall (1931)This really early talkie stars Greta Garbo as the Cinderella-like Helga. She runs away from her father, Karl Ohlin (Jean Hersholt) when she's promised to Jeb Mondstrum (Alan Hale Sr.) While on the run she meets and falls in love with a young construction engineer, Rodney Spencer
(Clark Gable).When Rodney leaves on business, Helga has to flee from her father and joins the circus. (WTF?) and to be the plaything of the owner, Burlingham (John Miljan). Of course on Rodney's return, he's crushed to learn what terrible things his girl has done and is doing and scorns her.Later, Helga has taken on the name Susan Lenox and has become the mistress of a rich politician Hale Hamilton (Mike Kelly). However, when she learns that Rodney is working in South America, she rejects all and travels down to see him and try to re-unite.Garbo plays her typical suffering, victimized, misunderstood character, who falls, rises to prominence, and then chooses to fall again for the man she loves, but I guess that her fans wouldn't have it any other way.
May 18, 2010
