The Films of Susan Hayward

House Of Strangers 20th Century-Fox, 1949 Starring Susan Hayward, Richard Conte, Edward G. Robinson and Debra Paget.

 

Reviews

"As a sizzling and picturesque exposure of a segment of nouveau-riche life within the Italian-American population, this film, directed by Joseph Maniewiz and based on a Jerome Wiedman novel, has its entertaining points. Notes:: In her first movie with 20th Century-Fox, Hayward had a good role which, although subdued to Robinson"s and Conte"s, marked the beginning of her best years Susan"s wardrobe did not reflect the times when the action occurs ( the thirites) but was pure 1949. This was the trend of the American cinema until recently. They updated the clothes ( plus hairdos and makeup) from past decades, especially in films depicting the period from the thirties to the sixties, probably with an eye on female moviegoers seeking the latest fashion.

My Foolish Heart RKO Radio 1949
	Starring Susan Hayward, Dana Andrews, Robert Keith and Kent Smith

Reviews

Screen Guide: "Susan Hayward and Dana Andrews are tops, and there is an unforgettable scene by Robert Keith. Women will love this movie." Photoplay: "Susan Hayward packs plenty of emotion in her portrayal of impetuous youth. Newsweeek: "This is very much Susan Hayward"s picture, and she makes the most of her first chance at an honest, demanding characterization by realizing it with an admirable sincerity and understanding." Notes: Her role as Eloise Winters brought her rave reviews from all the critics, who claimed that this was the second best movie in her career. The title song was nominated among the best songs of the year.

I Can Get it for You Wholesle 20th Century-Fox, 1951
	Starring Susan Hayward, Dan Dailey, George Sanders and Sam Jaffe.

Reviews

New York Herald Tribune: "Miss Hayward is just right in playing a conventional role fast and sassy on her double-crossing climb from $10.95 models to Paris creations; she"s nasty-nice enough almost to carry the contrived, good-girl-after-all conversion of the climax." Notes: Hayward was perfectly cast, projecting all of Harriet:s acidity and mistrust. She also had a chance to match her wit with that of the master of sarcasm; George Sanders. And the ads didn"t let Hayward down this time; "The spectacular rise ofa woman in a man"s world""; "She made good--with a plunging neckline and the morals of a tigress"; "Never promise what you can"t deliver.

David and Bathsheba 20th Century-Fox, 1951
	Starring Susan Hayward, Gregory Peck and Raymond Massey.

Reviews

Newsweek: "Under the rather trying circumstances in which they find themselves, both Peck and Miss Hayward bring considerable diginity and conviction to thier roles." Movieland: "Susan Hayward is beautiful as Bathsheba but she makes a rather wooden temptress-- and the highly ballyhooed bath scene is, to say the least, disappointing. But the picture belongs to David, due mainly to Gregory Peck"s memorable performance." Notes: The role of Bathsheba didn"t earn Hayward any acting laurels, but she looked beautiful in her first biblical film, her second with director Henry King. The ballyhooed sequence of Bathsheba"s bath was brief and disappointing. She was not naked, of course, and the shots could have been closer.

With a Song in My Heart 20th Century-Fox 1952
	Starring Susan Hayward, Rory Calhoun, David Wayne, Thelma Ritter, Robert Wagner.

Reviews

Look Magazine: "In With a Song in My Heart, Susan Hayward steps into the character of singer-World War II heroine Jane Froman-- and makes her so alive that from now on the two women may be one in the public"s mind. "All in all, Susan with the warmth and range of the artist she has become, makes the Froman story a convincing experience." Notes: Froman said of Hayward, "She looks and acts like a singer, like myself, but she has some tricks of her own." The wardrobe for the movie was expensive: Hayward wore forty-two different outfits. They had to uphold Froman"s tradition "Ten Best Dressed Women in America." The sound and the music score were nominated for awards, and it won the Oscar for the latter category. As a result of the promotion for this movie, Susan appeared on the cover of music magazines like Hit Parade and Music Dealer.

Adam Had Four Sons Columbia, 1941
	Cast: Ingrid Bergman, Warner Baxter, Susan Hayward, Fay Wray, Richard Denning, Johnny Downs, Robert Shaw, and Charles Lind.

Reviews

New York Herald Tribune: "A dull adaptation of a rambling family saga, the production betrays its literary orgins in the worst way. "... the screen drama is a generally pedestrian and implausible reconstruction of human experience. "... Susan Hayward as the siren, who almost disrupts the Adam household, is much too emphatic for comfort. Photoplay: "Unusual is this beautifully enacted story dealing with a father"s love for his four sons." Dallas Morning News: "Little Susan Hayward, heretofore an also-ran at Paramount, gives it the works as the mischief-maker." New York Post: "Hayward... is also excellent as the hard-drinking faithless little baggage who almost destroys the entire Stoddard family and its governess." Notes: Hayward herself asked Ratoff for the part as Hester in the movie, but he laughed off the idea. Her image as the sweet young thing from past movies almost prevented her from being in this film. But Mrs. Ratoff, the former actress Eugenie Leontovich, presuaded him to let her have the role, which was Susan"s favorite for quite a few years. This was the first Susan Hayward movie to be released at Radio City Music Hall.

The Fighting Seabees Republic, 1944
	Starring Susan Hayward, John Wayne and Dennis O"Keefe.

Reviews

New York World-Telegram: "The Fighting Seabees takes the screen back to the spectacular and romantic style of picturing war, a fashion that the movies lately had properly abandoned to such enterprises as a Coney Island side show. New York Morning Telegraph: "Now it"s the Seabees who come in for thier share of credit in the movies. Nothing less than The Fighting Seabees.... "There"s a girl bouncing in and out of the proceedings, Susan Hayward, no less, playing the part of a newspaper reporter." Notes: Ballyhooded as Republic"s most expensive film to date, it was a box office hit. This was the only "war propaganda" picture Susan made during World War II. It was a typical war movie of that time, with the Japanese being called "Japs" or "monkeys." Not until after the war were they considered people again. Seabees was Susan"s second movie with John Wayne ( after Reap the Wild Wind) and her third and last for Republic. Susan was gaining recognition and this studio couldn"t afford her growing salary.

And Now Tomorrow Paramount, 1944
Starring: Alan Ladd, Loretta Young, Susan Hayward and Barry Sullivan.

Reviews

Motion Picture: "Susan Hayward and Barry Sullivan get the juciest roles of thier careers... "Irving Pichel directs, getting good value out of a romantic story that is slightly familiar... but well done." New York Times: "For a film in which the principal character, played by Loretta Young, is deaf, there is certainly a lot of conversation... "Susan Hayward and Barry Sullivan are a couple who mix up the plot in a thoroughly conventional ." New York Herald Times: "The Rachel Field novel, And Now Tomorrow, about a rich girl who is seemingly doomed to a lifetime deafness, has a somewhat shaky outlineon the screen.... Even with Alan Ladd perfectly cast as a young doctor from the Blairstown slums who thinks he can cure his social enemy, the piece is too long and often only barely believable. "Susan Hayward plays the sister, another predatory female." Thus, Susan bid farewell to her Paramount years. It was the end of a era that she gave up with no regrets. She was sorry about the years she had lost there. Although her future was insecure ( she left Paramount with no other contract), she had faith in herself and was determined that there would be no more "little sisters" or "other women" of the secondary type. The years to come speak for themselves.

They Won"t Believe Me RKO RADIO, 1947
Starring: Robert Young, Susan Hayward, Jane Greer and Rita Johnson.

Reviews

Time: "The Won"t Believe Me ( RKO) is a skillful telling of pretty nasty story about a man ( Robert Young) who loves money and women almost equally well. and finds that they get in each other"s way... "Susan Hayward proficiently sells her special brand of sexiness." Screen Guide: "The title of this picture couldn"t be more apt. All through the 95 minutes of running time, you"ll feel that something drastic is going to happen. In the last three minutes of the film something does: the smash, unexpected ending. "The ending is exciting and worthy of producer Joan Harrison"s training with the master, Alfred Hitchcock." Notes: Hayward was again the "other woman," but this time with class and star billing. This time there were two "other women." The other one was Jane Greer, who also got star billing and looked promising for a few years at RKO, but never really achieved success as a star. Rita Johnson played the part of Robert Young"s wife, a year before the accident that almost ended her life ( a hair dryer fell on her head in her own home.

Woman Obsessed 20th CENTURY-FOX, 1959
Starring: Susan Hayward, Stephen Boyd and Dennis Holmes as Robbie.

Reviews

New York Times: "It is hard to say what goes with Miss Hayward when she gets into those rugged outdoor films. Her good sense and concern as a dramatic actress appear to go by the board. She rigs herself out in fancy garments, tosses her head and breathes hard. Fresh air seems to unhinge her. She behaves more reasonably in jail." Variety: "Miss Hayward, who seems to be the only actress today whose eyes really blaze on occasion, has plenty of room to act in this kind of story and delivers convincingly. Notes: When cameraman William C. Mellor was replaced by Leo Shamroy during the filming, it was rumored that Hayward had him fired because of an argument. Susan denied this and explained that Mellor had been rushed to a hospital for an operation. Mellor got credit for his work, with Hayward apparently protecting his interests.

Garden of Evil 20th CENTURY-FOX, 1954
Starring: Gary Cooper, Susan Hayward, Richard Widmark, Cameron Mitchell and Hugh Marlowe.

Reviews

New York Herald Tribune: "Gary Cooper"s hair is gray under his broad-brimmed hat, and he preserves a level, fatherly demeanor through most of the story. Miss Hayward keeps her thoughts and affections pretty much of a secret, and Richard Widmark toys with his pack of cards and adds fuel to each flareup with his cynical comments. These trespassers in this "Garden of Evil" are a puny presense in the great, remote outdoors, and they are dwarfed by its primeval splendor. Notes: Susan wasn"t happy about going on location. It was the wrong time to leave home, just when she was having trouble with her husband, Jess Barker. The filming in Mexico was full of hazardous situations, and Susan risked her life once to save a little boy from falling into the crater of a volcano. Horseback riding eased her jitters, and she did a lot of it in this movie. She had loved riding since childhood and was quite an experienced rider. ( She had done some riding in Canyon Passage and Tap Roots and would ride in many films in the future.) During the filming, Hayward learned that she had been voted the second top feminine ticket seller for the year 1953.

Tulsa EAGLE LION FILMS, 1949
Starring: Susan Hayward, Robert Preston, Pedro Armendariz, Lloyd Gough and Chill Wills.

Reviews

Movie Stars Parade: "Susan Hayward plays a rags-to-riches girl who builds an empire on black gold. "The technicolor photography of the landscape: in general and especially of two spectacular scenes: a "gusher' and an oil well fire is a vivid sight. "Miss Hayward and Preston team perfectly in presenting a very exciting chapter in our country"s history. There was never a dull moment in the city of Tulsa nor are there any in this movie. Notes: The ads promised: "Meet Cherokee Lansing, Half Wildcat... Half Angel.... All Woman!" And Cherokee Lansing really was one of Hayward"s most exciting roles of the decade. It was a truly "Hayward-type" heroine: tough on the outside, but with a soft heart beneath the amor; fighting all the way to the top and making mistakes along the way, but finally righting her wrongs. It was a messy film for Susan who spent a large part of it "covered with oil." It was make- believe oil, but still messy. It was her only film for Eagle Lion ( she was in at least one picture made by every important company during the forties and fifties), and it was this company"s most elaborate production and top money grosser during its short life. It was also Hayward"s last movie directed by Stuart Heisler.

Deadline at Dawn RKO RADIO, 1946
Starring; Susan Hayward, Paul Lukas, Joseph Calleia and Osa Massen.

Reviews

New York Times: "Plainly the first essential of a first-class mystery film is that it catch and excite audience interest in the telling of its uncertain tale. And the longer it keeps the audience guessing the more intriguing it is likely to be. Those two desirable essentials are eminently satisified by RKO"s latest thriller Deadline at Dawn. "And the performances are thoroughly engaging. Bill Williams is winning as the gob, Susan Hayward is spirited as a night-moth who assists him, and Paul Lukas plays a taxi driver well." Screen Guide: "Suspense stepped up by sharp performances and alert direction, puts this RKO murder thriller a notch above the usual whodunit. "Susan Hayward and Paul Lukas score acting hits, both in roles that take them far out of thier routines." Notes: This was Hayward"s first "free lance" movie after Paramount, and her first for RKO Radio Pictures, it was also her first after having her twins. She was billed over Paul Lukas, who had won an Oscar for Watch on the Rhine, made in 1943. Susan as June Goffe, a young and innocent-looking lady of the night was a tough cookie who made sailor Williams look like a baby lost in the big city. She wore one dress for almost the entire eighty-two minutes of te picture"s unreeling: everything was supposed to happen in one night. It was filmed in an RKO studio but he atmosphere of the cheap caf"es in the lower part of New York City was well created.

The Hairy Ape United Artists, 1944
	Starring: William Bendix, Susan Hayward, John Loder and Dorothy Comingore.

Reviews

New York Herald Tribune: "Susan Hayward is appropriately hateful as the emptyminded rich girl who is frightened by the animalistic world of the stokehole. She achieves a good deal of villainy in spite of the wealth of corny dialogue that has been included in her scenes. New York Sun: The Hairy Ape , based on Eugene O"Neill"s play, strays far from its original. It still carries a punch, thanks to the forceful playing of William Bendix and Susan Hayward. Even a happy ending seems natural, as the script has made the story lighter and less loaded with social significance. "Mildred Douglas, played most ably by Susan Hayward, is just an irritatingly self-absorbed girl." Time: "William Bendix is a likable and sincere actor, but his natural good temper shines fatally through his industrious soot & greasepaint toughness. Susan Hayward, as the girl who drives him crazy, is much tougher-- too coarsely so for the size of the girl"s penthouse or the height of her social standing--- but she is more convincing. She is, in fact, Hollywood"s ablest bitch---player." Notes: The movie was not a box office hit, perhaps because William Bendix, although a good actor, was not the popular "hero" type. Nevertheless, he fit the title perfectly, and this was probably his best performance and one of the few where he got top billing. Dorothy Comingore, who made such a big impression in Orson Welles" Citizen Kane, made one of her rare screen appearances in a brief role. The film won an Oscar nomination in the music score department.

Top Secret Affair Warner Bros. 1957
Starring: Susan Hayward, Kirk Douglas, Paul Stewart and Jim Backus.

Reviews

Films In Review: "Though Susan Hayward exhibits in Top Secret Affair less of her pouting petilance that was once her trademark (up to I"ll Cry Tomorrow), she is still too stiff for comedy, even a comedy about an egocentric Jane who inherited a Life-like magazine and tries to act global. Kirk Douglas is also too stiff." MotionPicture: "Here"s the surprise of the year---Kirk Douglas and Susan Hayward in a comedy. Based loosely on John P. Marquand"s book, Melville Goodwin, U.S.A, it"s one of the funniest movies of the year. Notes: This type of sophisticated comedy was a first for both Hayward and Douglas, at least since they found stardom. This movie directed by H.C. Potter, had some memorable moments; Hayward, drunk, balancing herself on a diving board dressed in evening clothes while Douglas watches and starts undressing. He knows that he:s going to have to pull her out of the swimming pool. Douglas, a master at jiujitsu, teaching Hayward, who flew through the air, disdaining a double. Hayward dreamily asking Douglas about his past love affairs and his confession that he once fell in love with a spy. ---"I had her shot," he replies matter of factly. Jim Backus was on hand to help with the comedy, but his character was too pushy. Susan spotted a shorter hairdo and although she hardly looked her age---almost forty---she didn"t look much younger. It is said that shorter hair takes off a woman"s face, but in her case this didn"t work. It was a handicap, not an improvement. ( The same thing happened to Ann Sheridan and Joan Bennett.) The picture was a loser at the box office.

Reap the Wild Wind PARAMOUNT, 1942
	Starring: Ray Milland, John Wayne, Paulette Goddard, Raymond Massey, Robert Preston and Susan Hayward.

NOTES

Susan"s sugary role with Robert Preston ( they had both been in Beau Geste) made a lasting impression. This was also her second movie with Ray Milland ( also in Beau Geste), although this time they were not lovers, and it was the only film she ever made under the direction of the "master," Cecil B. DeMille. The film cost over $2 million and the giant squid, alone about $12.000. This was one of the great achievements of Paramount"s engineering department. Most of the underwater scenes were filmed offthe island of Santa Catalina, and a 1-million-gallon tank was built at the Pacific Marine Museum in Santa Monica for the studio shots. They also filmed on location for eight weeks, in South Carolina and Key West, and off the Florida Cape. After this movie, which was her third important film and the second to open at Radio City Music Hall, Paramount considered that Susan was ready for a starring role in her next movie. Reap the Wild Wind won two Oscar nominations---for Art and Set Direction and Cinematography--and got the award for Special Effects.

White Witch Doctor 20th CENTURY-FOX, 1953
	Starring: Susan Hayward, Robert Mitchum and Walter Slezak.

Reviews

Photoplay: "Full-blooded action in the depths of Africa teams Robert Mitchum, well-cast as a jungle-born hunter, and Susan Hayward, lovely and convincing as a brave nurse who tries to bring healing to the natives. Theatrical as it is , the plot is worked out neatly." Silver Screen: Single-handed, the plucky Susan takes on the job of doctoring the local natives while Mitchum looks on admiringly and makes a mental note to cast out all further thought of doing the natives out of their gold. Enjoyable hokey adventure 20th Century-Fox." Notes: This was her second movie "in Africa," and again Hayward never left the studio. She never saw the Dark Continent! The role of nurse Ellen Burton didn"t give Susan much chance at dramatic acting. There were too many savages beating drums, dancing and throwing spears not to mention the tarantulas and gorillas, plus a malevolent witch doctor. ( The tarantula scene caused Hayward to tear a ligament in her left shoulder as she tried to move away from it as fast as possible.) The hairdresser had a problem with how Susan should wear her abundant red hair. They ended up piling it on top of her head with a few curls on her forehead, to help her cope with the heat of "equatorial Africa."

Thunder in the Sun PARAMOUNT, 1959
Starring: Susan Hayward, Jeff Chandler, Jacques Bergerac and Blanche Yurka.

Reviews

Screen Stories: "Chandler views the disorganized wagon with ill-concealed contempt until his roving eyes light on Susan; she"s dancing a fiery Basque dance, celebrating the wagon train"s departure. And as the wagon train pushes on, lust, peril and death are the main ingredients of this Western film fare." Variety: "Really good sequence at the end, largely staged by second unit director Winston Jones.... A rolling tumbling, bloody battle-scene that is genuinely different and exciting. Notes: This was the second worst, if not the worst, movie made during her starring years. The other was The Congueror. Her role was undemanding, except for her Flamenco dance. This number was cleverly staged, with the other dancers pirouetting around her. Susan found a small part in the film for one of Chalkley"s daughters. The pressbook for the movie stated; "Susan Hayward displays again the amazing versatility which has characterized her upward climb to the top of filmdom"s ladder."

Susan Hayward will be remembered as long as there are movies. She belongs to a Hollywood past that will never die, and her legendary life story made a reality of the old saying, "Truth is stranger than fiction." If ever filmed, one of her own movie titles could be used,in true Hayward fashion, to sum up her life: " They Won"t Believe It." But her spiritual legacy was greater. She left us the memory of her distinctive beauty and versatility in many films. New generations will enjoy the emotions portrayed by this individualistic actress. Her films will live, and she will live in the hearts of those who knew her.

Susan Hayward Photo Gallery
Susan two weeks old.

Susan, two and a half years old

Susan, four years old

Susan. at eight years old

Susan-- High school days

Susan, age sixteen

Pictures on this web page are taken from, films, magazines, and books. And are used for informative purposes only.