twhiteson
Joined Dec 1999
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An attempt to turn 19-year-old Susan Strasberg, daughter of famed method acting coaches Lee and Paula Strasberg, into a star similar to other 1950's doe-eyed, brunette, pixie beauties such as Audrey Hepburn, Leslie Caron, and Maggie McNamara. Yet, it didn't happen. This awful film with its chief problem being Strasberg's appalling performance sank her career hopes before they could even get off of the ground.
As others have noted, "Stage Struck" is a remake of 1933's "Morning Glory" which was one of the films that made Katharine Hepburn a star. Yet, it didn't work as a vehicle for Miss Strasberg. She plays a naive New Englander who's convinced she's destined for Broadway stardom despite her total lack of experience. Somehow her "charm" and "talent" open doors to her and she does indeed become a star. Along the way, she navigates various romantic interests including producer "Lewis" (Henry Fonda) and "Joe" (Christopher Plummer in his film debut). However, the film is tepid, dull, and, at times, eyerollingly weird due to Strasberg's inability to make her character appear charming in the slightest or exhibit any discernible talent as an actress.
Overall, a forgettable and badly made film that Fonda was able to dust himself off from and fortunately didn't hurt the nascent careers of director Sidney Lumet and young Plummer. Yet it was fatal to Susan Strasberg's aspirations for stardom. She never again appeared as the lead of major Hollywood production. Maybe she was just too young and inexperienced. Two years later, she'd put in a fine (albeit dubbed in Italian) performance in "Kapo." She did have some talent, but Hollywood never really gave her another big chance after "Stage Stuck."
As others have noted, "Stage Struck" is a remake of 1933's "Morning Glory" which was one of the films that made Katharine Hepburn a star. Yet, it didn't work as a vehicle for Miss Strasberg. She plays a naive New Englander who's convinced she's destined for Broadway stardom despite her total lack of experience. Somehow her "charm" and "talent" open doors to her and she does indeed become a star. Along the way, she navigates various romantic interests including producer "Lewis" (Henry Fonda) and "Joe" (Christopher Plummer in his film debut). However, the film is tepid, dull, and, at times, eyerollingly weird due to Strasberg's inability to make her character appear charming in the slightest or exhibit any discernible talent as an actress.
Overall, a forgettable and badly made film that Fonda was able to dust himself off from and fortunately didn't hurt the nascent careers of director Sidney Lumet and young Plummer. Yet it was fatal to Susan Strasberg's aspirations for stardom. She never again appeared as the lead of major Hollywood production. Maybe she was just too young and inexperienced. Two years later, she'd put in a fine (albeit dubbed in Italian) performance in "Kapo." She did have some talent, but Hollywood never really gave her another big chance after "Stage Stuck."
