Main Cast: Susan Hayward, Charlton Heston, John McIntire, Fay Bainter, Ralph Dumke
Release Year: 1953
Country: US
Run Time: 96 minutes
Plot
The President's Lady is an historical drama starring Charlton Heston as Andrew Jackson and Susan Hayward as his wife Rachel, Jackson marries Rachel after she divorces her unfaithful first husband (Whitfield Connor), with scandal resulting when the ex-husband refuses to finalize the divorce. Jackson climbs up the military and political ladder, but Rachel is never socially acceptable due to her "tainted" past. Nonetheless, Jackson stands staunchly beside his wife, even fighting a duel for her honor. On the eve of Jackson's presidential election, Rachel dies, but "Ol' Hickory" takes comfort in recalling a marriage that remained happy against all odds. The best sequence in The President's Lady is a comic vignette which explodes the legend of the "pipe-smoking" Rachel Jackson. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
One of Hollywood's better historical biopics in terms of accuracy, The President's Lady might have been even better had it spent a little more time on showing some of Andrew Jackson's adventures. Instead, they're mostly mentioned or given fairly short treatments, which is understandable given the film's focus on the man's relationship with his beloved wife; still, without them, the film feels a trifle incomplete. It also would have helped fill the film out if the turbulence of the husband-wife relationship had been explored more, as in real life the pair had quite a few raucous conflicts themselves. Still, despite these shortcomings, Lady is an engaging and quite tender romance. It features one of Charlton Heston's finest performances, with little of the self-righteous windiness that would mar some of his later "epic" roles. Yes, he's fiery and hotheaded, but it comes from the character, not from an actor trying for a certain effect. And the tenderness he shows is real and sincere. Susan Hayward plays the title role with gusto, bringing her considerable skills as an actress to the part and making her such an appealing presence that one can easily see why Jackson falls for her. Fortunately, there's a great chemistry between the two stars, without which the film would falter severely. The lavish production is a treat, with the costumes in particular making one wish that it had been captured in Techni-color. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Lyle Wheeler - Art Director, Leland Fuller - Art Director, Charles LeMaire - Costume Designer, Renie - Costume Designer, Joseph E. Richards - First Assistant Director, Henry Levin - Director, William B. Murphy - Editor, Alfred Newman - Composer (Music Score), Ben Nye, Sr. - Makeup, Leo Tover - Cinematographer, Sol C. Siegel - Producer, Paul S. Fox - Set Designer, Ray Kellogg - Special Effects, Eugene Grossman - Sound/Sound Designer, Roger Heman - Sound/Sound Designer, John Patrick - Screenwriter, Irving Stone - Book Author
