Desperately Seeking Susan in 35mm
- Tuesday, Jan 17, 2023, 7:30pm
One of the most charming movies of the 80s! Bored New Jersey housewife Roberta (Rosanna Arquette) fills her days by reading the personals and following an ongoing romance between "Jim" and "Susan" (Madonna); mysterious drifters who appears to lead the kind of free-spirited lives she can only dream about. And dream she does, until the day she actually shows up at the couple's pre-arranged rendezvous in New York City... and after a bump on the head, a bout of amnesia turns her into Susan and opens the door to intrigue, laughter and love! Directed by Susan Seidelman (Smithereens) with a stellar supporting cast that includes Aidan Quinn, Mark Blum, Robert Joy, Laurie Metcalf, Will Patton, Steven Wright, Peter Maloney, Giancarlo Esposito and John Turturro. Plus cameos by downtown scenesters Richard Hell, John Lurie, and others!
“Seidelman brings a hip ‘80s SoHo sensibility to this emancipated screwball comedy… Madonna has never found a better fit than the role of Susan, a thrift-store free spirit – and even then Arquette gives as good as she gets with a deliciously kooky comic turn.” Tom Charity, Time Out
From Brian, Volunteer (2003-2023), Lead Programmer (2012-2016), and Manager (2010-2022): After 20 years as a volunteer at the Grand Illusion, I’m “retiring” in early 2023. During the pandemic lockdown I tended to go for lighter subject matter in my movie watching. Susan Seidelman’s breezy, feel-good modern screwball comedy hit the spot and you probably shouldn’t miss seeing a nice 35mm print of it in a theater!