Miss Sadie Thompson

source: Miss Sadie Thompson

I thought I'd give this one a whirl even though I knew the story. I should try and kick myself for wasting my time. I posted a review of "Rain" so this review probably won't be much different than that one except for a few minor notations. Basic premise is a prostitute and a bunch holy rollers get stranded on an island but the holy rollers leader doesn't take to the prostitute being a bad influence on the island's population. That's his perception anyhow. He gets the Governor to expel her from the island and the furor begins. My main point of this film and it's predecessor is that there's just no way anyone could get another person evicted/deported from a place where they've done nothing wrong. This guy says she was a prostitute at a Hawaii based club and she needs to go back and pay for her sins. Problem is, there's no warrant out for her arrest, she's done nothing wrong on the island and she wasn't even gonna be going back to the states anyhow. She was going to another place to get a legitimate job. No person I've ever heard of has the power to wield someone from somewhere who's done absolutely nothing wrong. There are laws. Just because someone doesn't like someone, doesn't mean they can make them go anywhere or do anything. The ending is great cause this guy does what most would want him to. This film was obviously made as a Rita Hayworth vehicle. By this time though she was beginning her sorta downturn in movies...i.e...she wasn't as popular as she use to be. She's aged far beyond her actual age and in this film, it shows. She's still as beautiful she ever was though. Rain existed to point out the hypocrisy of Religion I imagine. At least it's pretty obvious to me. Problem is, it's just a story that doesn't have a lot of believability. Also doesn't help that, with the exception of Ms. Hayworth, it had sub-par casting. Watch this one for Rita Hayworth only. Anything else and you coulda been watching Flintstones reruns.

This sanitized version of W Somerset Maugham's "Rain" is an entertaining vehicle for Rita Hayworth who is every inch the star, (that she can't act is immaterial). She's a 'good-time' girl stranded on a very picturesque Pacific island during the war and labeled a prostitute by sanctimonious preacher Jose Ferrer who is also stranded when their ship is quarantined. Of course, Ferrer desires Sadie for himself and sublimates his desire by persecuting her. But in this version none of this is allowed to detract from what is a good old-fashioned entertainment with numerous musical interludes, (that Hayworth was always dubbed never stopped the studio giving her plenty of songs). Ferrer is well cast as the starchy preacher; he always acted as if he had a board up his back, and Aldo Ray almost matches Hayworth for laid-back, sexy charm.

This beautifully photographed film is a solid drama which is a nice showcase for Rita Hayworth. It's a good film, although not particularly memorable. Aldo Ray is good in the supporting part, and Jose Ferrer is rather creepy in his role. The location photography is colorful, and a special treat to see in 3-D if you're fortunate to see it that way. Rita also has a good music number in "The Heat Is On". Worth checking out.

You made a fool of everyone.Rita Hayworth,Goddess of sin shows up on an Island where she meets marines -it seems they have a "club med" vacation there- but also puritan Ferrer.The screenplay is very thin and so obsolete that it's laughable today.The scene between Sadie and the Sergeant when he insults her for having been a * is a pale imitation of that between Blanche DuBois and Mitch in "streetcar named desire" ."Miss Sadie Thompson" is a relic,like some old cheesecake postcard .

i think Rita Hayworth does extremely well in this part of a vivacious, bawdy and flirty night singer given she was actually an extremely shy person at heart and was nothing like her character. this might sound strange but the story between Sadie and Mr Davidson rather reminded me of Esmarelda and Frollo. He was an obsessive moral preacher who despised and was attracted to her, she was a free spirited beautiful women who stands up to him at first, they have a big collision followed by her leaving the hotel, then having to return because he bad mouthed her all over the village, it sort of came as a shock at the end and sort of didn't when he rapes her whilst everyone is at the festival. The hotel is deserted. He is alone with her in her hotel room. She is defenceless. You sort of think you are seeing coming but you don't, the first sign he shows is when he won't moved completely from the doorway so she has to squeeze past him, after that he starts to walk nearer, closer to her then perhaps he should. Over all, its a good film, Rita shines and ferer gives you the creeps, the song 'the heat is on' will make you sizzle, its definitely worth a watch

I was very surprised to find that Rita Hayworth was very much better than Joan Crawford in the same role (in "Rain"). Crawford always played Crawford, and had a lot of baggage she brought to the role. Hayworth was able to be flirty and vivacious with a "don't cross this line" under it that was very well done. And her changes of feeling over the course of the movie were as convincing as the script would allow, I think. Jose Ferrar was also great in his part... he also had to undergo change, and did it well. Aldo Ray was the weak point, convincing at the beginning as an eager Marine, but not really someone she could spend the rest of her life with... she way outclassed him. Overall, though, an excellent movie, and definitely better in 3D!

Personally, I almost wish the Hayworth, Ferrer movie had never been filmed, as it allows no opportunities through scripting or direction for these talented actors to perform. I shall avoid any discussion of RAIN, the Summerset Maughm novel upon which this dismal, disappointing screen play was based. There is no legitimate justification for so doing. Ferrer performance seemed self-conscious, rigid and unbelievable. T here was no preparation for his transition from self-righteous clergyman to impassioned, sexual attacker. While I am well aware that MISS SADY THOMPSON was made back in the 1950s, I still find Rita Hayworth's costuming inappropriate and rather distracting. Red is definitely a useful and effective cultural symbol, suggesting far more than mere prostitution. Red also symbolizes anger, blood, and aggression, elements readily apparent within the actions and behavior of Hayworth's character. Having said this, Hayworth's continuous use of red clothing became stridently obvious and,therefore, rather silly and insipid. I would never identify this movie as the worst film I have ever seen. Nevertheless, I would not, under any circumstances, regard this failed effort as worthy of recommendation.

Having read some of the comments about this film I must disagree with much of the criticism made against this film. I have seen the 1932 Joan Crawford film "Rain", and while I agree that it is more successful in creating the mood and tone which is required for the story I consider this film version to have its own virtues. Rita Hayworth is good as Sadie (although unlike Joan Crawford she presents herself most of the time a a happy go lucky sort whereas with Crawford it is always apparent that she has a "bad" past)and Jose Ferrer is solid as Mr. Davidson. The location and Photography also add a great deal to the telling of this simple yet powerful story.

Rita Hayworth really "gets" the character much better than Joan Crawford did in the earlier movie. Rita is so fun-loving and innocent in the beginning... Crawford NEVER seemed "innocent" in any of her films <grin>. Jose Ferrer was spot-on his character, too, though Aldo Ray was not the best choice... but that may be the weakness of the part, which is preachier than the preacher! The view of Charles Bronson (credited as Charles Buchinsky) as one of the army guys was fun, too. On the whole, I enjoyed it, and I think it's worth seeing. The ending is true to the book: wonderfully ambiguous.