Cet enfant est mien

Literate, corny, beautifully photographed and scored, Susan Slade is pure soap opera elevated to the realm of high art through the brilliance of Delmer Daves' direction. I'd place Daves right up there with Douglas Sirk for his sheer command of the medium; his generous camera setups within a scene (such closeups!), use of color to suggest mood and character, and seamless transitions from scene to scene make his films a model of craftsmanship however one may feel about their content.

It's a mistake to self-righteously judge the story of Susan Slade and Dorothy McGuire's character by today's sensibilities. Part of the fascination of this film is trying to understand the moral standards and social pressures prevailing in 1961. As Dorothy McGuire says near the end of the film, "love is understanding." That's a message that should speak to any time.