Desperately Seeking Susan (1985)

Director:

Susan Seidelman

Writer:

Leora Barish (written by)

Release Date:

29 March 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance | Drama

Tagline:

Roberta is desperate to be Susan. Susan is wanted by the mob. The mob finds Roberta instead...

Plot:

A bored suburban housewife, seeking adventure to her life, accidentally gets hit on the head, wakes up with amnesia, and is mistaken for a free-spirited New York City drifter named Susan.

Plot Keywords:

Identity | Freewheeling | Screwball | Stolen | Glass

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Rosanna Arquette	...	Roberta Glass
Madonna	...	Susan
Aidan Quinn	...	Dez
Mark Blum	...	Gary Glass
Robert Joy	...	Jim
Laurie Metcalf	...	Leslie Glass
Anna Levine	...	Crystal
Will Patton	...	Wayne Nolan
Peter Maloney	...	Ian
Steven Wright	...	Larry Stillman D.D.S
John Turturro	...	Ray
Anne Carlisle	...	Victoria
José Angel Santana	...	Boutique Owner (as Jose Santana)
Giancarlo Esposito	...	Street Vendor
Richard Hell	...	Bruce Meeker

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

New Zealand:M | Argentina:13 | Iceland:L | Australia:M | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

8th Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Trivia:

(October 2007) A musical version of the movie was staged in London's Novello Theatre featuring Emma Williams as Susan and Kelly Price as Roberta. Written and conceived by American actor Peter Michael Marino, the musical was directed by Angus Jackson, choreographed by Andy Blankenbuehler featuring Blondie classics such as, "One Way or Another," "Heart of Glass," "Atomic," "Dreaming," "The Tide is High," "Hanging On the Telephone," "Picture This," "Rapture," etc.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Susan walks dripping wet from the swimming pool to the poolside chair, her path is already wet from previous takes.

Quotes:

Dez: Some guy grabbed you?
Roberta: Yes, he was after me. Well, not me exactly. He was after Susan, who he thinks I am, but I'm not!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Behind the Music: Madonna (#2.1)" (1998)

Soundtrack:

LUST FOR LIFE

Rosanna Arquette's best work

It's been almost 20 years and there hasn't been another film like Desperately Seeking Susan. At times, the movie feels like French New Wave with its characters and storyline. Even the setting of the crude but artistic background of New York City, the movie lets off an emotion of fantasy. The cast which includes Rosanna Arquette, Aidan Quinn, John Turturro and Madonna create a story like no other. Madonna is both the eye candy and the punch lines as Arquette gives her best leading lady qualities. It's hard to believe that this movie cost less than 5 million dollars to make. A true coming of age drama with moments of comedy and struggle, Desperately Seeking Susan falls under many genres of film. The independent style and its outrageous subject matter makes this an interesting and timeless film. Even though it is full of 80's moments with the clothing and music, the movie is one of Madonna's and Arquette's best.