Review of Susan Lenox (1931) by Rick R — 12 May 2009

I have a long history with this movie. The first few times I saw it, I didn't like it. But the more I watched it, the more I started to really get it. Initially, I thought that the filmmakers were trying to paint this really messed up relationship as being healthy and wonderful in the end.

But I slowly started to realize that wasn't the case at all. This is a movie about two people so damaged that the only way they know how to work is by hurting each other. It's pretty advanced stuff for 1931, and definitely something that would have been able to be made outside of the code.

Really, looking at Garbo's filmography, she played some very complicated and messed up characters.