Smash-Up: The Story of a Woman

A successful singer Angelica Evans (Susan Hayward) gives up her career and marries unsuccessful singer Ken Conway (Lee Bowman). She happily sacrifices for him and his partner (Eddie Albert). Eventually he DOES hit it big, she has a baby...but he never has time for her--his rising career comes first. She slowly drifts into alcoholism.

This was probably hard-hitting in 1947 (a female alcoholic) but it's not even remotely surprising today. It tiredly follows all the rules of a drama like this leading to a jaw-dropping happy ending that was TOTALLY unbelievable (but the Production Code demanded that). Also Bowman is pretty stiff as the husband and this looks pretty cheap (it WAS independently financed).

Still Hayward is so good all the shortcomings can be forgiven. She dives into the role full force and gives everything she has to it. This film (understandably) made her a star and earned her an Academy Award nomination. She's just incredible--it's worth sitting through just for her acting. Also Albert is very good in his supporting role.

So it is dated and really not that good--but worth seeing for Haywood's strong, impressive performance.

There is a lot to like about this film and it's sure a shame that it's not better-known. Unfortunately, Miss Hayward was later given an Oscar for her WAAAAAY over the top performance in I WANT TO LIVE, whereas she only was nominated for this film. Oddly, Loretta Young won for THE FARMER'S DAUGHTER, a kooky and not particularly deep film--in my opinion Hayward definitely deserved the award. Perhaps she lost since she was a relative newcomer.

The reason I liked the film so much was that it was an excellent study of alcoholism as well as the contribution an enabling spouse can have on the drinking. This aspect of alcoholism was not explored in the award-winning LOST WEEKEND, plus LOST WEEKEND ended on a very unrealistic and overly optimistic note that just didn't ring true. In most ways, SMASH-UP was a better film (though the scenes of Ray Milland having DTs were incredible).

By the way, if you liked this film and want to see an even better film on drinking and a destructive relationship, try DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES--perhaps the best study of alcoholism ever put on screen.

Popular nightclub entertainer Angie Evans marries struggling but adoring musician husband Ken Conway, and she retires to raise a family. His career soars, and he dotes on her with his new wealth. Still, she sinks into alcoholism. Despite a weak second half, and a pat, disappointing ending (I can't help but think the current ending was changed from the original script and reshot, as was "Magnificent Ambersons") there is much to recommend "Smash-Up". First is Eddie Albert's flawless work as the Conways' gumchewing family friend and songwriting partner. Secondly, there are three great songs by Harold Adamson and Jimmy McHugh. One of these, "Hushabye Mountain", sung in the Conway nursery, is sheer screen magic. And the "Life Can Be Beautiful" theme will keep you humming for weeks. Another big positive is the exceptional cinematography which jumps in and out of film noir, even in the nursery sequences, and not necessarily during only the "crisis" moments, which is refreshing. Lee Bowman, an underrated and talented actor, gives some depth to the part of the sainted husband, and his work will hold the interest of those who usually avoid this sort of thing. Susan Hayward does circumvent most (but not all) of her chances to chew the scenery as she self-medicates herself in an effort to control her personal demons. Still, this film is hers. It's worth your time.

This was Hayward's watershed film, thrusting her into the A-Bracket. That's not surprising since she delivers an ace performance as a down spiraling alcoholic wife. Angie's (Hayward) given up her singing career so that hubby Ken (Bowman) can shoot to the top of his. Trouble is he now neglects his wife, while his super organized assistant Martha (Hunt) attends to his every need. So Angie looks for consolation in one bottle that quickly leads to two, and so on. Now Bowman must take informal custody of their baby. Looks like both the marriage and Angie are doomed.

The movie's pretty strong melodrama with some nice touches by director Heisler, (e.g. the subjective camera conveying Angie's delirium). It's hard to picture the wooden Bowman as any kind of lounge singer; still he is recessive enough not to take focus from Hayward's central role. I expect that's why he was cast. Eddie Albert certainly has an easy way as nice guy Steve, while Marsha Hunt appears ice cold except for her one revealing scene, (btw, she's still with us as of 2015 at age 98, a fine actress whose career was unfortunately damaged by the blacklist). And catch the omniscient psychiatrist (Esmond) back when Hollywood was having a love affair with head doctors.

Anyhow, the film holds up as human interest, even if it long ago lost its cutting edge. Too bad there's that phony Code enforced ending. It's so abruptly brief, my guess is writer Lawson and director Heisler wanted to lessen the sappy impact as much as possible. Nonetheless, the film does showcase one of Hollywood's few glamour girls who was also a whale of an actress. RIP Susan.

Allegedly, Susan Hayward got this breakthrough role because every other Hollywood actress turned it down, due to the fact that it is the story of Bing Crosby's wife, Dixie Lee. Whatever, it got Susan an Oscar nomination and put her on the road to meatier parts.

As other comments have pointed out, this was probably considered very hard-hitting back in the day. But while it's true that "The Lost Weekend" tackled alcoholism, this is the story of a woman alcoholic, and that carries a lot of baggage with it - baggage Hollywood probably wasn't ready to face in 1947. One of the stereotypes of female alcoholism is promiscuity, a subject not broached here. Also, rather than a slovenly, bedraggled appearance, Hayward looks gorgeous throughout. Had this subject been handled more brutally, it would have been groundbreaking. In 1947, alcoholics like Gail Russell hid out at home, leading miserable, lonely lives. Here, Hayward gives up her own successful singing career to be the stay at home wife of Lee Bowman, whose career takes off. (In Bowman's dubbing, they even give him those mellow, rounded Crosby-like tones.) Boredom, feeling left out, and jealousy lead her to consume more and more alcohol, although it's clear from the beginning of the film that she drinks for courage before performing.

Her downward cycle and the ending of the movie are all a little too pat, but Hayward does a good job with the material she's given. Lee Bowman is miscast as her successful husband - he lacks the charisma, breezy manner, and flirtatiousness one would associate with a successful pop singer of the era and displays none of the ambition one would suspect Crosby and Sinatra, for instance, possessed. He also lacks the self-involvement one would associate with a star of that magnitude, which would in turn drive his wife out of his life. This is more the fault of the script and the direction, however.

Eddie Albert is charming and gives an honest performance as partner and concerned friend.

Recommended if you want to see a young Susan Hayward in a meaty role.