Smash-Up: The Story of a Woman (1947)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Stuart Heisler

Writers:

Dorothy Parker (story) &
Frank Cavett (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

March 1947 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Music | Romance

Tagline:

Love-Wrecked!

Plot:

Angie Evans, fast-rising nightclub singer, interrupts her career to marry struggling songwriter Ken Conway...

Plot Keywords:

Songwriter | Alcoholism | Nightclub | Singer | Alcoholic

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars.

Cast

Susan Hayward	...	Angelica 'Angie' 'Angel' Evans Conway
Lee Bowman	...	Ken Conway
Marsha Hunt	...	Martha Gray, Elliott's Secretary
Eddie Albert	...	Steve Nelson
Carl Esmond	...	Dr. Lorenz
Carleton Young	...	Fred Elliott
Charles D. Brown	...	Michael 'Mike' Dawson
Janet Murdoch	...	Miss Kirk, Baby Angelica's Nanny
Sharyn Payne	...	Angelica 'Angel' Conway
Robert Shayne	...	Mr. Gordon
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ernie Adams	...	Charley, Waiter (uncredited)
Erville Alderson	...	Farmer at Fire (uncredited)
Fred Aldrich	...	Doorman at Nightclub (uncredited)
Carol Andrews	...	Female Photographer (uncredited)
Brooks Benedict	...	Celebrant with Mr. Gordon (uncredited)
Larry J. Blake	...	Radio Station Emcee (uncredited)
Paul Bradley	...	Mike's Companion (uncredited)
Ralph Brooks	...	Clerk (uncredited)
Fred Browne	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Virginia Carroll	...	Woman (uncredited)
Douglas Carter	...	Hotel Manager (uncredited)
Tom Chatterton	...	Edwards, Ken's Butler (uncredited)
Dorothy Christy	...	Woman (uncredited)
Eddie Coke	...	News Photographer (uncredited)
James Conaty	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
James Craven	...	Sam Winsley (uncredited)
Matt Dennis	...	Announcer (voice) (uncredited)
Laurie Douglas	...	Singer at the Raven Club (uncredited)
Cecil Elliott	...	Matron (uncredited)
Alice Fleming	...	Miss Tierman (uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	Inquisitive Party Guest (uncredited)
Charles Flynn	...	News Photographer (uncredited)
Cay Forrester	...	Young Woman (uncredited)
Joan Fulton	...	Angelica as baby (voice) (uncredited)
Phil Garris	...	Bellhop (uncredited)
William Gould	...	Judge (uncredited)
Beatrice Gray	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Sherry Hall	...	Cab Driver (uncredited)
Al Hill	...	Man (uncredited)
Victoria Horne	...	Woman (uncredited)
Eddie Kane	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Richard Kipling	...	Man (uncredited)
Peg La Centra	...	Angie's Singing Voice (voice) (uncredited)
Connie Leon	...	Mary, Angie's Maid (uncredited)
Willene Luckett	...	Baby in crib (uncredited)
Wilbur Mack	...	Radio Commentator (voice) (uncredited)
Caren Marsh	...	Bobby-Soxer (uncredited)
David McKim	...	Boy (uncredited)
George Meader	...	Attorney (uncredited)
George Meeker	...	Wolf, an Attorney (uncredited)
Harold Miller	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Ralph Montgomery	...	Doorman (uncredited)
Frances Morris	...	Mrs. Benton, Baby's Nurse (uncredited)
Noel Neill	...	Girl at Party (uncredited)
Vivien Oakland	...	Woman at Bar (uncredited)
Steve Olsen	...	Bartender (uncredited)
George Ramsey	...	Cab Driver (uncredited)
Ed Randolph	...	Cab Driver (uncredited)
Joe Recht	...	Jimmy, an Elevator Boy (uncredited)
Ruth Sanderson	...	Maggie (uncredited)
Jeffrey Sayre	...	Poker Player (uncredited)
Lee Shumway	...	Benson, Doorman (uncredited)
Milburn Stone	...	Raven Club Announcer (voice) (uncredited)
Clarence Straight	...	Man (uncredited)
John Valentine	...	Dr. Forbes (uncredited)
Nanette Vallon	...	Woman (uncredited)
Robert Verdaine	...	Maitre d' (uncredited)
John Wald	...	Radio Announcer at Cowboy Singing Show (uncredited)
Ethel Wales	...	Farmer's Wife at Fire (uncredited)
Barbara Woodell	...	Girl (uncredited)

Directed by
Stuart Heisler

Writing credits
Dorothy Parker		(story) &
Frank Cavett		(story)
John Howard Lawson		(screenplay)
Lionel Wiggam		(additional dialogue)

Produced by
Martin Gabel	....	associate producer
Walter Wanger	....	producer

Original Music by
Frank Skinner
Daniele Amfitheatrof		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Stanley Cortez

Film Editing by
Milton Carruth

Art Direction by
Alexander Golitzen

Set Decoration by
Russell A. Gausman
Ruby R. Levitt		(as Ruby Levitt)

Costume Design by
Travis Banton		(gowns)

Makeup Department
Carmen Dirigo	....	hair stylist
Jack P. Pierce	....	director of makeup

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Fred Frank	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Charles Felstead	....	sound director
Joe Lapis	....	technician

Special Effects by
David S. Horsley	....	special photography

Music Department
David Tamkin	....	orchestrator

Other crew
Walter Wanger	....	presenter

Production Companies

• Universal International Pictures (UI)

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1947) (USA) (theatrical)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2004) (worldwide) (VHS)
• Filmiseppo (1948) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Universal (1948) (France) (theatrical) (as Universal Films S.A.)
• Finnkino (2009) (Finland) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2007) (worldwide) (all media)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2000) (Finland) (TV)

Also Known As:

A Woman Destroyed (UK)
Smash-Up

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Spain:15 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #11977)

Filming Locations:

Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Trivia:

Walter Wanger consulted with the National Committee for Education of Alcoholism and used their suggestions about continued vigilance in the film. Similarly, director Stuart Heisler consulted with authorities on alcoholism.

Quotes:

Ken Conway: I'm gonna have a baby!
Steve Nelson: I told you you had talent.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Fear Stalk (1989) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Lonely Little Ranch House

First of Many

This meaty role of an alcoholic initiated several similar type roles for Susan Hayward.

A rather cold, determined talent, Hayward saw no reason but to sock it to post-WWII audiences. In many instances she assailed to impressive histrionic heights, garnering critical praise and public acclaim.

"Smash-Up, the Story of a Woman" was the role to jump start this career turn. She was paired here with benign Lee Bowman--a sort of watered down George Brent--who looked like a standard leading man without much point of view. Best photographed with a mustache and bow tie, he neither added nor detracted much from a scenario. He was just present, doing his stock duty, while allowing his co-leads to shine.

While the film alerted viewers to Hayward's then untapped potential, it has not aged very well, and "Smash-Up" today seems a quite tepid, predictable and over-wrought melodrama. Film buffs may appreciate it as a turning point in the prolific Hayward career.