cricket crockett . . . is tweaked slightly to a wolf in shepherd's duds for SADIE THOMPSON. An hour and a half of discordant, foreboding music belies the almost-everyone-lives-happily-ever-after ending eventually in store here. Water seeks its own level, and cute chicks such as Clara Bow's "Betty Lou" character in IT a year before SADIE THOMPSON almost always marry rich, handsome dudes without too much trouble (unless their Nude Selfies are hacked down from the Cloud before the wedding bells ring). Those less physically gifted females such as Bette Davis, Drew Barrymore, and Gloria Swanson as SADIE THOMPSON here still can achieve plausibility on screen (or off-screen, if not actresses) as mercenary schemers willing to make a quick buck the old-fashioned way rather than waiting forever on a "Mrs. Degree" falling into their laps. SADIE THOMPSON illustrates how "Good Moral Character" might sound nice to some, but be a luxury that the "Plain Jane" cannot afford. Don't forget that JANE EYRE could not land Mr. Rochester until he was legally blind. SADIE THOMPSON proves that if a proverbial "Whited Sepulcher" is harassing you with a holier-than-thou act, letting it brush up against you is the quickest way to get on with Real Life.

MartinHafer Unfortunately, the final reel of "Sadie Thompson" has been partially lost due to the ravages of time on nitrate stock. Because of this, the final portion often uses stills to fill in the blanks. It's a less than desirable way to do the film, but there simply is no other choice unless a final reel is one day discovered and the film is pieced back together. In addition, some other portions of the film are pretty rough, but not so much that it seriously impacts watching the film.I have already seen this story two other times, though this is the first time I've seen the silent version. While it's obvious that Gloria Swanson plays a prostitute (Sadie Thompson), like other films of the day, it's strongly implied but they never called her that or said exactly what she was--just that she was a woman of 'ill-repute' or was 'undesirable'. But, unless you are really, really young or really, really naive, it's very clear what the film is implying in this adaptation of the W. Somerset Maugham story.The story begins with Sadie arriving on the island of Pago-Pago. On board the ship are also some moralistic reformers, the Davidsons (Lionel Barrymore and Blanche Friderici). Unfortunately for Sadie, these reformers seem to spend almost every waking moment worrying about Sadie's sex life and work hard to have her thrown off the island. At first, Sadie is contemptuous of them but later when it looks like they are about to become successful, things change very quickly. Where all this ends up you'll need to see for yourself.I liked the acting of this film--especially Swanson's. It was rather bawdy yet very restrained (except for when it called for lots of emotion near the end)--and it easily could have been over the top. Also, although the film's in rough shape, what you do see is quite good--with a good reproduction of the tropical locale and nice camera-work. All in all, a very high quality film from start to finish. Too bad about the missing footage.By the way, Sadie's ruggedly handsome love interest, Sgt. O'Hara, is played by the film's director, Raoul Walsh! He actually gave up acting for directing full-time after he lost an eye in an accident--shortly after completing this film.

evanston_dad Gloria Swanson takes hold of the screen and does not for one minute let it go in this adaptation of a W. Somerset Maugham novella about a free-wheeling firecracker (read: prostitute) who comes under the tyranny of a self-appointed reformer (a frightening Lionel Barrymore) in a battle of wills over her salvation. Swanson received a Best Actress Academy Award nomination for her work in the very first year of Oscar's existence. She lost to Janet Gaynor, who was nominated for a trio of performances that first year, but I'm not so sure she shouldn't have won. Raoul Walsh, tough-guy director of later films like James Cagney's "White Heat" (1949), directed "Sadie Thompson" and stars in the film as Sadie's love interest. The whole thing unfolds in a tropical location during a downpour, and it captures the over-heated exotic atmosphere perfectly.The film's impact is somewhat blunted because of its missing last moments. The version I saw reconstructed the final 10 minutes or so using still shots and title cards; one can only imagine what the actual footage was like. The film has a rather startling conclusion, not because I don't agree with it but rather because a mere ten years later (after enforcement of the Production Code) and for decades after, it wouldn't have been allowed to end the way it does, with Sadie exposing religion as a hypocritical sham and not changing her own racy tendencies one bit.Grade: B+

gftbiloxi During his lifetime Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) was best known for such novels as OF HUMAN BONDAGE and such plays as THE CIRCLE; today, however, he is chiefly recalled for his short stories, of which the 1921 "Miss Thompson" is easily the most famous. The original story was soon adapted for the stage under the title RAIN--and it was a tremendous success. The play has been performed countless times and continues to be revived on a consistent basis; there have also been three major screen adaptations.The best of these is the 1928 silent film SADIE THOMPSON starring Gloria Swanson (1897-1983.) Swanson was perhaps the first Hollywood "Diva," an actress as controversial as she was popular. By the late 1920s her liaison with the infamous Joe Kennedy (father of John, Robert, and Ted) gave her the clout to become her own producer, and with Kennedy money behind her she selected the Maugham story and cast herself in the title role.It was an inspired choice. Swanson had somewhat hard features and tremendous attitude, and many consider that this is her best overall performance. The story concerns the collision of a brash prostitute (Swanson) and a holier-than-thou minister (Lionel Barrymore) who find themselves trapped by quarantine and monsoon rains in a rundown hotel on Pago-Pago. Needless to say, the sparks fly--especially when Davidson pressures the island governor to deport Sadie as soon as possible. But it gradually transpires that Davidson may have more than one reason for wanting Sadie gone: it may be that he finds her a temptation himself.SADIE THOMPSON would be Swanson's last great success in the silent era--the later QUEEN KELLY was never finished or widely released. But like most other silent films, it was buried by the advent of sound, and over the years the final ten or fifteen minutes of the film was completely lost. Without a conclusion, it was rarely shown even after interest in silent films revived. Fortunately, Kino has been able to restore the conclusion with a mixture of film fragments, stills, and title card recreations, and the brazen Sadie, the dour Dr. Davidson, and the statement made about intolerance, temptation, and hypocrisy live and breathe once more.The picture quality shows age, but on the whole it is quite good and probably the best available short of digital restoration. The bonuses are slight but interesting, including comparisons of key scenes from the original story, the playscript, the 1928 Swanson version, and the 1932 Joan Crawford version, which was titled RAIN. (Comparison with the 1953 Rita Hayworth version, titled MISS SADIE THOMPSON, is not made; this version, however, is negligible.) KINO Video has done a tremendous job of restoring, preserving, and once more making this memorable film available. If you're a fan of Maugham, Swanson, or silent film in general, SADIE THOMPSON is a must-have.