CHASING OSCAR - Road to Madness

GREER GARSON 

as Susie Parkington in Mrs. PARKINGTON (1944)
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In this family saga, Mrs. Parkington recounts the story of her life, beginning as a hotel maid in frontier Nevada where she is swept off her feet by mine owner and financier Augustus Parkington. He moves them to New York, tries to remake her into a society woman, and establishes their home among the wealthiest of New York's high society. Family and social life is not always peaceful, however, and she guides us, in flashbacks, through the rises and falls of the Parkington family fortune... 

"Gus will never give up what he owns, and he owns me"

                                         - Susie Parkington

Greer Garson received her fifth Oscar nomination, for her performance as Susie Parkington, a chambermaid who following her mother's death marries the wealthy Major Augustus Parkington. Susie (Greer Garson is not really believable as a young woman) is a strong minded girl with a lot of dreams. When her mother is killed in an explosion at Augustus's mine, she is overcome with grief. Feeling responsible for her, Augustus convinces her to marry him and takes her back to New York City. Susie discovers a new world with wealthy people. Greer Garson shows rightly the way Susie is overwhelmed by everything around her. She is attracted by the beautiful things and she really wants to fit in this new world. She has to be educated, she has to learn to wear beautiful dresses. Greer Garson manages to shine being vulnerable and a bit naïve – We really understand that she is bewitched by this new world. 

On their third wedding anniversary, Susie surprises Augustus by announcing she is pregnant. Thrilled by the news, Gus decides to host a ball but only a few guests show up. Susie suffers a miscarriage, and Gus blames the guests who stayed away from the ball for the loss and vows revenge. Later, Susie finally learns about Augustus's plot and moves out. Greer Garson here is perfect, from the tamed and understanding woman, she turns herself into this rebellious and angry Susie, and manages to add to her interpretation some intensity and gravity. The break up scene between Susie and Augustus is really well written and interpreted. Later, overwhelmed with grief over the accidental death of her only son, Susie has become a recluse. She’s not enough effective in this scene and when she learns her husband is courted by a woman suddenly she is better and wants to get him back. The screenplay is really bad here, but she manages to add a jealous and bitter side to her character, and the confrontation scene with “the other woman” is really enjoying and pleasurable. However, in all those scenes, she is supposed to have aged a bit, but we don’t see a difference in her acting: She doesn’t change her way to speak or move. I would have preferred more nuances. 


[The real highlight and the sweetest moments are the scenes between Mrs Parkington and the Baronesse Aspasia Conti, played by the talented Agnes Moorehead. It’s a very complex situation at first, but the friendship grows between them through the film. They take care of each other and the relationship became deeper and more touching.]

"Garson though holds the film together, convincing in her transformation to rich matriarch, right down to a pretty good make up job when she’s all old and wrinkly."

                                                                                               - MonsterHunter

Greer Garson doesn’t get a very challenging and demanding role, and surely not enough substantial to allow her to give a deep and interesting performance. It’s all script's fault. However, she manages to bring some soul and life to her character, and it was not an easy thing to do. 

★★★★★