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40 Years of Desperately Seeking Susan: How Madonna’s breakout role became a commercial and critical hit despite modest box office numbers
Madonna's breakout film Desperately Seeking Susan became a cult classic with its quirky charm, feminist themes, and iconic fashion, earning a spot in the National Film Registry.
Desperately Seeking Susan, a 1985 comedy-drama directed by Susan Seidelman, is a film that has aged beautifully not only because it became a cultural touchstone but also because it went on to be seen as Madonna’s breakout movie. Despite modest box office numbers, the film became a commercial success, and four decades later, it remains a beloved cult classic and a significant entry in 1980s cinema.
Set in New York City, Desperately Seeking Susan follows the intertwining lives of a bored housewife, played by Rosanna Arquette, and a bohemian drifter portrayed by Madonna. The two women are connected by cryptic messages in a newspaper’s personals section, leading to an adventure filled with mistaken identities, self-discovery, and love. Madonna’s role as the rebellious, free-spirited Susan was her first major screen appearance, and it marked the beginning of her ascent in Tinseltown.
The film also provided early roles for notable actors like Giancarlo Esposito, Steven Wright, Laurie Metcalf and John Turturro.
Written by Leora Barish in partial collaboration with Craig Nolotin, the film wasn’t expected to make waves, but it did thanks to it raking in USD 27.3 million at the box office on a modest USD 5 million budget. While its commercial success was not extraordinary, it did help the film become the 31st highest-grossing film of the year, a remarkable feat for an indie film of its kind.
Its critical reception was equally impressive, with many reviewers praising the performances of Arquette and Madonna. The film was lauded for its fresh take on gender roles, feminism and yuppie culture, which was a reflection of the times. The fashion aesthetics of the film too became a sensation, and that, as we would agree, is a formidable sign of a movie becoming a pop culture treasure.
In 2023, the Library of Congress recognized the film’s enduring cultural and historical significance by selecting it for preservation in the National Film Registry. The film’s legacy as a pioneer of 1980s cinema, both in terms of fashion and representation, remains solid. Desperately Seeking Susan continues to inspire and entertain, proving that sometimes the most unassuming films have the most power to shape the future.
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