Starring Gloria Swanson, Lionel Barrymore and Raoul Walsh
Produced by Gloria Swanson Pictures
A small steam ship pulls into port at Pago-Pago, an outpost on an island in the South Pacific most notable for its constant, torrential downpours. Five passengers disembark: a strict reformist couple looking to bring the Lord to the island natives, a friendly married couple, and the beautiful and mysterious Sadie Thompson. For Sadie, the island is a way station on the route to starting life over.
The passengers soon learn they are stuck on the island due to a small pox outbreak. The marines stationed at Pago-Pago take an immediate interest in Sadie, but she begins falling for one in particular, Sargent O'Hara.
The reformer, Mr. Davidson, also takes an interest in the woman, but for entirely different reasons. He suspects Sadie is immoral and will convert her or force her to return to San Francisco and her old life.
Will Sadie repent? And will it be enough to keep her from returning to the U.S. where a prison cell awaits?
There is really one reason and only one reason to see Sadie Thompson: Gloria Swanson. She's put through just about every emotion a movie can demand of an actress and is equal to the task again and again.
She starts as a sultry temptress, moves into the shy beginnings of a romantic relationship, becomes arrogant about her ability to outwit Davidson, frustrated and angry when the tables get turned and docile and penitent when she gives up. You believe her at each and every moment. She's a force of nature in a performance that earned her an Oscar nomination.
I would have a little more sympathy for Sadie's plight if there was a little more to demonstrate she was trying to become good. The film however leaves her as someone on the run from the police who protests her innocence, but there's never really any proof that she's not guilty. In fact, it feels like she's not owning up to her transgressions.
From a directing standpoint, there's not a lot going on. The camera set ups are pretty traditional and other than lots and lots of rain, the production design doesn't feel real.
Swanson is great, but there's not much else to recommend here. The film hits the same notes over and over until their dull monotony fills your brain. If you want to see the future star of Sunset Boulevard, by all means check it out. Otherwise it's...
** out of *****
NOTES: The last reel of Sadie Thompson is missing. To make up for it, Kino reconstructed the scene from stills, production notes and even from footage in a later remake. I actually thought I knew what happened, then read on-line synopsis which showed I got it wrong. Sad that the ending is lost.
The film was controversial in its time. The movie is based on a book and play (the latter called Rain). The play Rain ended up on an unofficial blacklist amongst Hollywood studios due to some racy content. Swanson worked clandestinely to make the film which was almost not released.
Photo from Ferdy on Films and Lolita's Classics
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