Product Details

• Actors: Susan Hayward, Lee Bowman, Marsha Hunt, Eddie Albert, Carl Esmond
• Directors: Stuart Heisler
• Writers: Dorothy Parker, Frank Cavett, John Howard Lawson, Lionel Wiggam
• Producers: Martin Gabel, Walter Wanger
• Format: Black & White, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Alpha Video
• VHS Release Date: September 16, 2003
• Run Time: 103 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0000AGWJA
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #253,773 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hayward at her best rises about soapish material, March 22, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Smash-Up (DVD)

This is the film that made Susan Hayward a star. It is one of her top performances. Miss Hayward had been in Hollywood since 1938 or so and had really only done a slew of supporting performances. Then she got the lead in this and it was one of the biggest hits of 1947. She received the first of her five Academy Award nominations. And rightfully so, this film could have easily dissolved into typical 40's melodrama and tears, but Miss Hayward really manages to keep it a cut about all of that. She plays an up-and-comer singer who falls for another up-and-comer singer. They get married and she gives up her career to be a full-time wife and later mother. As her husband's star rises dramatically, she is often left at home while he's on the road, and of course taken for granted. Her husband's young woman business manager who travels with him and pines for him does not help matters. This leads to a severe drinking problem on Miss Hayward's part. As a result, her husband leaves her and keeps their child. Despite trying to sober up to make a professional comeback and to regain custody of the child, Miss Hayward suffers a relapse and both her life and the child's life are in danger. Not to spoil the ending, but it ends as any other 1940's film of this ilk ends.

Yet, Miss Hawyard really keeps this from slipping into silly melodrama. She plays the ignored wife/drunk really well. She creates a tremendous amount of sympathy for the character, and the subtle slide into alcoholism is well-handled. There are some really nice musical numbers in this as well. The rest of the cast is good, and the movie is a little daring in parts. She socializes with her husband's male friends, her husband has a woman business manager, and (gasp) Miss Hawyward lives with her husband briefly before they are married. Racy stuff for 1947! Overall, this is a joy to watch. It is Susan Hayward at her best.

The DVD is nice. The film is visually dark and this was actually distracting in parts, I'm not sure that this was some noir attempt or a bad transfer, but the sound is fine, particularly the songs. There are chapter selections that aren't much, and no extras. It's nice, however, that one of Susan Hayward's best roles is now available on DVD.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars She was a star before she was a star!Q, August 2, 2005

By 

M. farrell "mfcapricorn" (sherman oaks, california USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Smash-Up (DVD)

Just watch Susan Hayward in this one performance and it's all there-----she had it before this film (her first shot out of the box for a producer who couldn't get anyone to tackle the role---and she made it hers forever. If you're a Susan Hayward fan you know what it's like to be just that----forever. For the talent, the attitude, the independence, the fire, the passion, the dynamic sense of humor-----they're all there and remain in your memories of greatness for as long as film goes thur spockets. Susan Hayward was, is, and always will be "a movie star". Always.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Smash Up or Smashed, November 30, 2009

By 

Emma Peel "Emma" (Sydney, Australia) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Smash Up, Story Of A Woman [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I love Susan Hayward, her acting is brilliant, this film is a little dated, too much singing when crooning the baby to sleep, not short and sweet they overdid it with some of her husbands singing, otherwise not a bad film, watchable but a little dated. Eddie Albert plays almost the same role in this as he did when she was in The story of Lillan Roth. This aside I still love Susan Hayward Movies