Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Blistering performances.

Dick Powell is a struggling Hollywood writer, struggling, you see, to write serious material when he's known for writing froth for Jane Russell and such actors such as her. And, he's won an Oscar, too! In fact, the Oscar narrates the beginning of the film! When a female juvenile delinquent is arrested just before Christmas, she is brought to him, because the cop, who's a friend of Dick Powell's, thinks he is a nice enough guy to keep her for a few days, because you can't throw the book at her just before Christmas. Enter Debbie Reynolds, who was really 21 at the time, playing the 17-year-old juvenile delinquent, 6 months before turning 18. Dick Powell was 49 at the time, playing a 35-year-old in the movie. And, what do you think happens! In an intro to the movie, Robert Osbourne from TCM said considering the premise and the situation that Dick's thrown in in the film, you'd think there would have been outraged viewers and groups boycotting the movie. But there was barely much made of it at all, at the time this film came out in the movie theaters. It is a pleasant, fun little film with charming actors. But for some reason, I found myself losing interest in the last 30 minutes or so. I think that, after the novelty of the film wears off the viewer, it's just not that captivating. There's not enough zip to it, despite the presence of Debbie Reynolds, and Dick Powell never looking more handsome. This would be his last acting role in a film; he would only direct films from then on until his premature death. Glenda Farrell gives good support and livens up the picture to a point. After watching this, you'll probably be glad you did, but will wind up thinking it wasn't as good as you thought it would be considering the stars involved.

Well, not really. But, nevertheless, there seems to be quite a traffic jam snaking its way through Dick Powell's life and apartment. Does anyone knock? Or call ahead? In Mr. Powell's last appearance on the silver screen (he would soon slide over to the small screen), the former juvenile crooner turned hard-edged gumshoe actor, finds himself entangled in one of the most bizarre babysitting assignments ever. Debbie Reynolds plays the swooning teenager placed in the charge of bachelor Powell. He's a screenwriter and she's a piece of work. Incorrigible, really. Also on hand is the Amazon-like, Anne Francis--all 5'8" of her. She's his fiancé and is striking to look at: her famous facial mole comfortably in place, face impeccably made up and her blue eyes popping like fireflies kissing an electric bug zapper. She's definitely a sight for sore eyes. The plot, as it is, revolves around Debbie trying her best to break up the upcoming marriage between Dick and Miss Francis, and steal Powell for herself. Nothing new. But expertly rendered off. Oh, did I mention that the proceedings occur between Christmas and New Year's Eve, the twelve days of Cristmas falling firmly into play. Director Frank Tashlin has the seasonal colors lords-a-leaping off the screen. I love the fake white Christmas tree adorned with blood red balls. All of the apartment's holiday decorations signal a sobering degree of suburban chic. There's a wild dream sequence involving Debbie trapped in a bird cage and Anne spinning a spider's web. Have I mentioned how lovely Anne Francis was? She's a knockout. In the end, the movie is pure farce and slightly perverted. Otherwise, this film might be the perfect package to open up on a Christmas morning. The RKO logo is in color and the film is narrated, strangely, by an Oscar statuette. So enjoy. Pass the eggnog and light the yule log, please.

It must have been in the air at the time, though why in the Eisenhower Years? In the 1950s several films (two by Billy Wilder) had successful marriages between young women and middle aged men. Wilder's two films were SABRINA (where Audrey Hepburn falls for Humphrey Bogart) and LOVE IN THE AFTERNOON (where Hepburn fell for Gary Cooper). Hepburn also was paired in FUNNY FACE with Fred Astaire. Astaire was also in the movie DADDY LONG LEGS with Leslie Caron as his ward turned lover. Caron would also be in GIGI where her little girl is paired off with a slightly older Louis Jourdan. And there was SUSAN SLEPT HERE, Frank Tashlin's second feature film comedy, starring Dick Powell and Debbie Reynolds. The difference in ages is mentioned - Debbie Reynolds is supposed to be 17 (she was 21 at the time), but Powell is supposed to be roughly 20 years older. He is supposed to have been an early Oscar winner (for screenplay) and to have served in the navy with his friend Virgil (Alvy Moore), who was his superior officer. It is possible if Powell was 55 to concede this, but he is supposed to be about 43 or so. He just looks too old. But despite this the film does work. It has good lines in it (particularly some zingers used by Glenda Farrell at her favorite target Anne Francis, and by Les Tremayne as Powell's overwrought and overworked attorney). Powell is a successful if jaded screenwriter who is dating Anne Francis, a snobbish Senator's daughter. On Christmas Eve he is visited by two members of the L.A. Vice Squad (Herb Vigran and Horace MacNally) who have a "gift" to drop off. Vigran had been an adviser on a film script that Powell worked on, and the latter made the mistake of mumbling an idea about having a day or so talk with a genuine juvenile delinquent about his lifestyle). Of course the problem is he meant a male juvenile delinquent. Vigran (in what is really the only weakness of the story) has arrested Debbie Reynolds in a brawl with some military police, but has not reported it yet. He thinks she'd be perfect to give to Powell for his research over Christmas Day (Vigran eventually pays for this stupidity and it's outcome by getting demoted - he's lucky, in real life he might get arrested and charged with pimping). The plan is for Debbie to be "rearrested" on December 26th, and thus to act as though nothing wrong was done.Powell is not pleased with this - he can't depend on his secretary Farrell, nor on Moore (who quickly takes a powder). He tries to work around the "Susan" problem, but no matter what he tries it blows up in his face. Worse, Reynolds answers the phone by habit, and Francis discovers that her boy friend has an underage girl in his house.Slowly, however, Powell and Reynolds settle down and learn about each other's life. It turns out Reynolds mother is out of the U.S. with her second husband (a man Reynolds thinks was a better choice than the first husband, who was her own father). The mother is one of these modern types, and has left a note of consent for whomever Reynolds meets whom she may wish to marry. Powell finds that she is a feisty and independent young woman, and he finds himself falling for her. But when Moore learns that they shared Powell's apartment for the night, he drags Powell's lawyer Tremayne into it. Tremayne starts planning damage control to prevent a scandal or worse* But the detectives return to pick up Reynolds (Vigran's Sergeant is not very understanding about what they did - really hard to understand that reaction!!). (*Having sexual relations with any underage child or girl is always treated quite harshly in the U.S., but California had a really heavy reputation in this area back in the 1920s - 1960s because of the Hollywood crowd. In the Marx Brothers' 1940 comedy GO WEST, Groucho's name of "S. Quentin Quayle" was based on the term "San Quentin quail" which was about under-aged, but attractive girls who got men into serious trouble when arrested. The trial of Errol Flynn for rape in 1944 was worse because the two victims were teenage girls. I may remind you also of the still odd situation involving director Roman Polanski today concerning a statutory rape charge from California.)Powell flees with Reynolds to Las Vegas where they can get legally married despite her age. He reasons that they can remain married for a few months (while he is working in Sun Valley on a screenplay) and she can then get the marriage annulled, while he finds her a job. But Reynolds is determined to prove herself a good wife. And Powell is not all that sure if he wants her to cease being his wife - especially after Tremayne sees evidence that she may be pregnant.The wit in the script is hard to describe - it ranges from comments like Farrell momentarily thinking Reynolds has arrived in Sun Valley, and welcoming her with a "Come to momma", but finding it is Francis (whom she loathes) and saying, "Oh, Dracula's daughter!", to Tremayne having a session with his psychiatrist interrupted by an angry Powell, and letting Powell take over his session as Tremayne can bill him for it later). The acting is good. Anyone who thinks of Moore only as "Hank Kimble" on GREEN ACRES should see his rather thoughtful Virgil, who gets an emotional slap-in-the-face from Reynolds that makes him rethink himself carefully. All in all it is far better than one would have thought - given the one blunder in the screenplay that I mentioned.

A ridiculous comedy given an arms-flailing direction. I love one of the comments here: "Couldn't be made today". Well, neither could "The Philadelphia Story" without a car chase or two. Nonetheless, does that mean the picture is worse for the wear for being old-fashioned? I don't think "Susan Slept Here" was good for any generation and it should fester peacefully in the memories of Debbie Reynolds-buffs. There is no sparkle in this story of a screenwriter who latches onto a much-younger girl for 'script research'. Dick Powell makes his farewell screen appearance in what must have been an embarrassment to him. Reynolds is pallid. Produced by one Harriet Parsons--who gives her famous mother Louella a number of inane plugs. *1/2 from ****