... because it is a great performance by Hayward in a rather odd bird of a film. The film opens with rising nightclub Angie Evans (Susan Hayward) abandoning her career and marrying - against all advice - a so far not rising singer/songwriter Ken Conway (Lee Bowman). We first see him when he returns to town to claim Angie and marry her, so his personality is an unknown to the audience. This caused me to look for clues - I mean the title tells you there is going to be a "Smash Up" - is it going to be because Ken is a dud? A cheater? A blamer? It definitely got me interested. The two marry, Angie gives up her career to support him, and Ken and Steve Nelson (Eddie Albert) spend their days trying to write new songs. Ken finally lands a 15 minute spot on radio at 6AM singing cowboy songs - not exactly his dream job - and at about the same time Angie announces she is pregnant.
When Angie is in labor Ken decides to take a chance on the air and try out one of his own songs that is his style of crooning. He's a big hit. The offers start coming in and Ken has a meteoric rise to fame. But his head does not swell, which was what I was expecting. He still is devoted to Angie. He is so devoted in fact, that he is killing her with kindness. They move away from the big home in the country where Angie had plenty to keep her busy into a swanky apartment in town. He gives her servants that do all of her work for her, so that she has, as the song says "too much time on her hands".
Now you have to remember that this is the 1940's, married women are not supposed to work, and that Angie was not raised a socialite, so that handling Ken's social obligations do not come naturally to her. Enter Martha Gray, Ken's personal secretary, who does what little that is even expected from a wife who has absolutely nothing to do, and Angie begins to turn to drink. Thus this is the opposite of the normal sober-to drunk-to hell and back film. Normally, in these stories of an alcoholic, someone is given too much to handle, they disappoint themselves or they disappoint others or others let them down, and they turn to drink. This is different - Angie has absolutely no worries and no cares and THAT drives her to drink. That and the fact that she can see that Ken's secretary, who spends more time with Ken than she does, is in love with Ken, but Ken doesn't see it. She keeps waiting for him to leave her for Martha or maybe for nobody, as she becomes more and more like somebody you would want to leave - a hopeless alcoholic.
How will all of this turn out? It has a pretty predictable ending, but getting there is interesting with some odd twists and turns. It was definitely a great performance by Hayward, but it was not her first great one. For that see if you can find a copy of "Among the Living" from 1941.Hayward has a supporting role there, but boy does she sizzle. What probably helps this film along as far as you not knowing what is coming next? Besides Susan Hayward the rest of the cast is practically anonymous with the exception of Eddie Albert. I'd recommend it. Hayward is definitely worth watching, but the film is much more than that.
When Angie is in labor Ken decides to take a chance on the air and try out one of his own songs that is his style of crooning. He's a big hit. The offers start coming in and Ken has a meteoric rise to fame. But his head does not swell, which was what I was expecting. He still is devoted to Angie. He is so devoted in fact, that he is killing her with kindness. They move away from the big home in the country where Angie had plenty to keep her busy into a swanky apartment in town. He gives her servants that do all of her work for her, so that she has, as the song says "too much time on her hands".
Now you have to remember that this is the 1940's, married women are not supposed to work, and that Angie was not raised a socialite, so that handling Ken's social obligations do not come naturally to her. Enter Martha Gray, Ken's personal secretary, who does what little that is even expected from a wife who has absolutely nothing to do, and Angie begins to turn to drink. Thus this is the opposite of the normal sober-to drunk-to hell and back film. Normally, in these stories of an alcoholic, someone is given too much to handle, they disappoint themselves or they disappoint others or others let them down, and they turn to drink. This is different - Angie has absolutely no worries and no cares and THAT drives her to drink. That and the fact that she can see that Ken's secretary, who spends more time with Ken than she does, is in love with Ken, but Ken doesn't see it. She keeps waiting for him to leave her for Martha or maybe for nobody, as she becomes more and more like somebody you would want to leave - a hopeless alcoholic.
How will all of this turn out? It has a pretty predictable ending, but getting there is interesting with some odd twists and turns. It was definitely a great performance by Hayward, but it was not her first great one. For that see if you can find a copy of "Among the Living" from 1941.Hayward has a supporting role there, but boy does she sizzle. What probably helps this film along as far as you not knowing what is coming next? Besides Susan Hayward the rest of the cast is practically anonymous with the exception of Eddie Albert. I'd recommend it. Hayward is definitely worth watching, but the film is much more than that.