"I just gave a lousy performance," wrote Joan Crawford (1906-77) in her memoirs, referring to her Sadie Thompson in Rain (1932), recently issued in DVD by TCM. Her assessment echoed most contemporary critics. The film was a rare flop for Crawford, and she went to her grave apologizing for it. Her fans preferred to see her as a rich prostitute, not a poor one.
She had been flattered that United Artists asked to borrow her from MGM to play such a famous part. Her high expectations made its failure that much more painful. Time, however, has changed those judgments. Adapted by Maxwell Anderson from gay author W. Somerset Maugham's short story, directed by Lewis Milestone, Rain is a compelling drama about a cheerful, vulgar prostitute (Crawford), stuck on Pago Pago, who becomes the obsession of a pious clergyman, the Rev. Davidson (Walter Huston).
When Davidson first makes eye contact with Sadie, he stares her down. He makes her nervous, as though he can see into her soul. Her popularity with soldiers, especially Tim O'Hara (William Gargan), worries Davidson, whose wife (Beulah Bondi) urges him to take action for the good of all concerned.
Sadie's been an outsider all her life. Mrs. Davidson and the other "good" women cannot hide their disapproval of her. Davidson is soon determined to "save" Sadie by any means. Passions are heightened by the claustrophobic living conditions and the nonstop rain.
Sadie attracts men with her beauty and coarse vitality. Her youth and sex appeal are her only assets. She's willing to trade them for a man's "protection." O'Hara, however, sees another side of Sadie. He wants to protect her, but not exploit her. She thinks he's sweet, calls him "handsome," but doesn't see much of a future for them.
Davidson's reproaches are initially couched as concern for her well-being. Sadie is touched by his interest and grateful to him. But later she senses his coldness. She has little difficulty in rejecting his moral arguments. The more she refuses, the greater his efforts. His dogmatic certainty taps into her anger, stemming from her Dickensian past and lack of social standing.
Relentless, Davidson persuades the governor to prevent Sadie from leaving the island except to return to San Francisco, a prospect that terrifies her. She was convicted of a crime she didn't commit, fled, and would be sent to jail if she went back. Frightened, she pleads with Davidson, who is unshakeable. Desperate, she asks others to intercede for her with the governor, without success.
Then Sadie becomes penitent. She dresses simply. She no longer uses heavy make-up or plays raucous music. She's convinced that the reverend is right. The thought of jail still scares her, but he assures her that she will be better for having served her sentence, even if it is unjust. Her martyrdom will be rewarded. He will always be watching over her. When she is released, her faith in him will permit her successful re-entry into society as a "respectable" woman.
Sadie's "salvation" is Davidson's destruction. On the eve of Sadie's departure, his long-suppressed sexual desire overcomes him. The camera shows him entering her room, and his face makes it clear what he has in mind.
After the ensuing off-screen struggle, Sadie emerges triumphant: cheaply dressed, overly made-up, but free. O'Hara is on hand to promise her a better life, in Sydney. Her future doesn't seem so bleak. Davidson's fate is tragic, however.
Crawford's characteristic bluntness in defending herself from Davidson's sadistic attacks is riveting. "You probably pulled wings off flies as a boy," she sneers, nailing his cruelty. "Your god and me could never be shipmates. Tell your god that Sadie Thompson's going straight to hell." Crawford's huge, beautiful, heavily made-up eyes unforgettably convey Sadie's pain, fury, and courage.
Huston subtly reveals Davidson's inner torment, his fear of his feelings. He is simultaneously moving and frightening, repulsive and tormented. Gargan, Bondi, Guy Kibbee as the owner of the "hotel" in which the principals are housed, are all good.
Milestone, who had won the Best Director Oscar for his memorable All Quiet on the Western Front (1930), gets fine work from his actors and keeps the action moving. The sultry, stifling cabin fever of a small, rainy tropical island is beautifully rendered, helped by the Santa Catalina locations. Anderson's dialogue makes the confrontations between Sadie and Davidson intense and compelling. Milo Anderson designed Crawford's costumes, far less flattering to her figure than those Adrian created for her at MGM.
Crawford recovered from this failure. In 1930, she had been ranked #1 actress at the box office, remaining in the Top 10 for seven years. She had another flop opposite Gary Cooper in Today We Live (1933), but Dancing Lady that same year, billed above Clark Cable, was a smash. In it, she danced with Fred Astaire, his first screen partner. She remained a star for nearly 40 more years, making her final film in 1970.