Sadie Thompson (1928) User Reviews

Better than the sound versions I have seen.

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 18 September 2011]

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.

Why do people meddle so?

[bkoganbing · 8/10 · 23 February 2017]

It's sad that we don't have on film Jeanne Eagels and her performance from Broadway of the classic Rain. I'm told there was something truly special about it. But having said that Gloria Swanson has given us one riveting performance as Sadie Thompson, the girl that gets everyone thinking from below decks in the South Seas.

With the exception of Rita Hayworth's version, I have something nice to say about all the screen Sadies. You've got to be both one sexy dish and an extraordinary actress to pull this role off. In Gloria Swanson and Joan Crawford we've had both.

W. Somerset Maugham long before Tennessee Williams was writing about taboo sexual subjects and people bought his books and saw the plays and movies from them. Rain is the granddaddy of them all. Maugham as a gay man just asks a simple question, why don't people just let people alone to do their thing if it doesn't harm anyone?

That's the attitude in rollicking Marine sergeant Raoul Walsh who is stationed on the tropical south sea paradise that Sadie Thompson finds herself stranded. Walsh who directed also gives us an opportunity to see him before he lost an eye a couple of years later.

Also there is Lionel Barrymore and his wife Blanche Frederici, the Reverend Davidson. One of the most uptight people in literature it's like he's got to destroy the thing he lusts for, but can't have because of convention and the beliefs drummed into him. In a nutshell you have a ton of religious and political figures, closeted gays who are outwardly rightwing homophobes. Maugham knew them well.

So with one look, Barrymore takes a most personal interest in the 'salvation' of Sadie Thompson. But it's all a cover and in the end when his world is exposed it's the end for him.

Rain will be getting productions ad infinitum although they might be underground productions as per the local mores until the end of time. Sadie Thompson got two Oscar nominations in the first Oscar ceremony, one for Gloria Swanson as Best Actress and one for cinematography.

Not a film to be missed.

Strong performances from Barrymore and Swanson

[gbill-74877 · 7/10 · 1 April 2017]

Religious hypocrisy is the main theme of 'Sadie Thompson', based on a short story by W. Somerset Maugham. Sharing the same hotel in Pago Pago, a religious reformer (Lionel Barrymore) takes a dim view of a 'loose' woman (Gloria Swanson), and after failing to get her to change her ways, lobbies the local governor to get her shipped back to San Francisco.

I liked this version a bit better than the 1932 version with Walter Huston and Joan Crawford because Barrymore is so brilliant, so harshly upright but at the same time, hinting at a demonic side as he glowers away. Despite the movie being silent, director Raoul Walsh (who also plays Swanson's love interest) delivers a couple of compelling scenes with Barrymore trying to exert his will, Swanson resisting, and the rain coming down, unrelenting. Swanson also lets loose with her anger, and in one funny moment it's obvious she's cursed a blue streak, as the ladies around her cover their ears and scamper off. 1928 was the first year for the Oscars and Swanson would be nominated for her performance. I admire her for it, but admire her more for producing the movie despite pressure because of its content, and considered a slightly higher rating.

The film itself is not in that great a shape, and while the last couple of minutes are mostly gone forever, we're fortunate that Dennis Doros restored it as best possible mostly with carefully selected stills. Watching this one has you clearly thinking you're getting a window into the past, but at the same time, aren't these themes of religious overreach still so prevalent today? Thank you Gloria Swanson.

One of the best silent movies ever made

[nickandrew · 7 August 2001]

This was the first version of the W. Somerset Maugham novel "Rain," which was remade in 1932 by the original title and again in 1953 as "Miss Sadie Thompson." Gloria Swanson is amazing in the title role as a prostitute who becomes stranded on the remote Island of Pago Pago. She flirts with a soldier (Raoul Walsh, who was the director), then seduces a respected preacher played by Lionel Barrymore. This certainly can be called one of the "pre-code" films of the 1920s/1930s, before the Hays Code was in effect. For many years the final scenes were lost, so now the restored versions use still photos and new title cards to complete the picture.

The Scarlet Woman

[JoelGrennon · 7/10 · 25 January 2012]

After watching this silent film i began to realize how large of a roll the music production contributed to the film industry through out America's cinema history. With all the flashy yet realistic effects that are produced now a days its hard to notice what makes a good movie good, and to me a lot of that has to do with the music. The audio of a silent film really helps you understand the language, emotion, and even gestures of a setting for a particular scene. The other portion of this film that i found interesting was the language and slang of the late 1920's. Words like "brazen" "boodwar" "brothel" "scarlet" and even "blood thirsty blizzard" are words were never hear now a days. I guess it just helps with the understanding of the era of silent films.

The amazing Gloris Swanson

[sryder-1 · 10/10 · 27 April 2005]

In this film, Swanson shows that she was one of those personalities who almost literally jumped from the screen. This is the first of two excellent film versions of Rain; the other being that of Joan Crawford.The fact that Swanson was somewhat older then Crawford adds to the greater impact of her performance, in my opinion. She offers us a world-weary prostitute who may or may not be looking to settle down; yet who still has fire in her veins. She does an outstanding job in conveying the emotions of Sadie both when she is sensuous and flirtatious at the beginning of the film; and when she undergoes a temporary change of character. Those of us who have seen Sunset Boulevard half-a-dozen times can easily see the anticipation of her bravura performance as Norma Desmond here, in Sadie Thompson. Her films after Sadie were trifles in which she had little opportunity to display any depth of character. Film history sentimentalists had to be gratified by her re-emergence in Sunset Boulevard, even though many might regard her performance there as somewhat overdone. All other components of this film are as admirable as other comments claim. However, I will put in a plug for Walter Huston in Rain, especially the brief close-up when you can see his judgmental attitude toward Sadie turn into lust. Lionel Barrymore is very good, but seems to me to be somewhat more remote from the character. The completion of the final scenes with stills and occasional bits of film are not a great barrier to enjoyment of this classic.

Raoul Walsh's zealous attempt to discover new proportions of human redemption powered by Gloria Swanson's Amazing performance.

[SAMTHEBESTEST · 7/10 · 1 January 2022]

Sadie Thompson (1928) : Brief Review -

Raoul Walsh's zealous attempt to discover new proportions of human redemption powered by Gloria Swanson's Amazing performance. Walsh was a known name after he made the Magnum Opus 'The Thief Of Bagdad' (1924), before making this film. So it was unlikely to expect another gigantic adventure from him with a female-led film. Sadie Thompson has some issues in the climax, which might have been controversial for that time, but today when I look at the film, I understand his zealousness. Especially in the character played by Lionel Barrymore. It's a Gloria Swanson-led film alright but this character keeps tangling you. One just can't say whether he is a villain or a good soul. The same goes with Sadie's character too. You know she is a prostitute yet you want to see her get reformed. However, one must realise that it's not that easy. You just can't reform yourself just after you have decided, there's a process to test your ability. Sadie Thompson is a well made film in that sense. The way it shows that process and the desperate nature of all three leading actors, but the film gets a little messy and confusing at the end. There could be some valid reasons for that, philosophical or religious ones, but I don't want to get into such conversations. Sadie Thompson tells the story of a "fallen woman" who comes to Pago Pago to start a new life, but encounters a zealous missionary who wants to force her back to her former life. Her love story isn't formed well, too rushed I mean, but okay. The performances of all three leading actors makes it a must watch. Whatever remakes and adaptations are available out there, are not worthy enough. So prefer this first copy. It's no match to Raoul Walsh's best works like 'The Thief Of Bagdad' and 'White Heat', but as good as his 'High Sierra', and better than 'The Roaring Twenties'.

RATING - 7/10*

By - #samthebestest.

"No matter how tough it is today, it's bound to be worse tomorrow"

[Steffi_P · 9/10 · 2 November 2008]

For those who would pigeonhole Raoul Walsh as an "action master" or "man's director", this small-focus drama with a female protagonist might seem at odds with his image. In fact, while he was a versatile director who could turn out a rousing action scene, it was the drama – particularly in the relationships between individuals – that was Walsh's greatest strength. Sadie Thompson in fact shows us his mastery of the technique in its purest form.

Walsh himself made the adaptation from the play "Rain", not as easy a task as it sounds – a play has to convey action through dialogue, while a silent film does the exact opposite. Sadie Thompson begins with a series of autograph mottos from each character, a rather clumsy way to introduce character. This is immediately followed however with a particularly smooth bit of film-making. We are given a point-of-view shot, as Swanson looks down at the group of soldiers on the shore, then we cut back to her, and the camera pulls back as she descends the gang plank. A few shots later the camera is dollying forward, following Swanson and the soldiers hovering around her. In this handful of shots we are subtly informed of Miss Thompson's profession, but also with those attention-grabbing point-of-view shots and camera movements we, the audience, are placed into the position of the characters. Walsh has drawn us into the story at this crucial establishing moment.

Considering it only really revolves around two developing relationships – that between Sadie and Tim, and that between Sadie and Davidson – the main part of the film is like a tour-de-force of different ways to shoot interaction between two people. The scenes between Swanson and Walsh are given the customary tenderness of a regular romance, with some delicate shot compositions that give it a natural, harmonious feel. The relationship between Swanson and Barrymore in contrast is full of intensity – lots of cuts, faces framed in stark close-up. What is particularly neat, is that all of the major dialogue scenes begin with a fair few title cards – getting the unavoidable wordy bits out of the way first – but then the dialogue fizzles out and the interaction continues with just the images, back and forth.

Of course, the effectiveness of the drama would be lost without great acting and, yes, this probably is Swanson's finest performance prior to Sunset Boulevard. I think Swanson was at her best when she was really allowed to let go, and put all her energy into a character, and to say she does that here would be an understatement. Lionel Barrymore is fine as the archetypal repressed Christian, a little hammy perhaps but then, he is a Barrymore. And Walsh himself absolutely acts his socks off, actually turning in the deepest performance of the picture, and the fact that his acting days were soon to be cut short is one of several tragedies regarding his career.

Speaking of tragedies, looming over Sadie Thompson is the unfortunate loss of the final reel, which has since been semi-reconstructed with stills and titles. While what we see today suffers from a very noticeable lack of a climax, the dramatic build up comes close to perfection. Considering its small scale and lack of action, Sadie Thompson was apparently a massive popular success. In his autobiography Raoul Walsh quotes several letters he apparently received from prostitutes of various nationalities which, while they may well have been fabricated or exaggerated slightly, are probably accurate at least in tone. By contrast the 1932 talkie version was a flop, despite an equally great cast, testament to Walsh's talent as a director of powerful cinematic drama.

Stunning Swanson!

[David-240 · 9/10 · 6 June 1999]

What a performance - Swanson bursts out of the screen, as Somerset Maugham's prostitute heroine trapped on a tropical island with a crusading parson and a sexy sergeant. And Lionel Barrymore as the parson and the director Raoul Walsh as the sergeant are her match. This is silent acting at its best.

Yes the piece is a little stagey and the action too confined for a silent picture, but when the photography is as brilliant as it is here - who cares? It deservedly won the first ever Oscar for cinematography.

This is a passionate and beautiful production. What a tragedy that the last few minutes have been lost. They have been reconstructed using titles and stills - but how I would have loved to have seen the scene when Barrymore rapes Swanson. It must have been breathtaking. Don't miss this film.

Gloria Swanson is Sadie Thompson

[wes-connors · 9/10 · 30 September 2007]

Gloria Swanson (as Sadie Thompson) is a prostitute bound for Pago Pago, "in the sultry South Seas, where there is no need for bed clothes" as "the rain comes down in sheets." Ms. Swanson is contemplating a change in lifestyle, but has her thinking derailed by hypocritical preacher Lionel Barrymore (as Alfred Davidson). The two are among those quarantined together, due to an outbreak of small-pox. Watch for Swanson's exclamation after being told she's quarantined! It isn't, "Oh, sugar!"

AND, that's only the beginning. Gloria Swanson is Sadie Thompson. This is one of her best performances, and it certainly surpasses the Sadies essayed by Joan Crawford and Rita Hayworth. Swanson creates a marvelous Sadie - clear, precise, and believable. Her eye-to-eye contact with Blanche Friderici (as Mrs. Davidson) is the first sign you have that a truly riveting characterization is in the works. Swanson uses her eyes magnificently throughout, but is also skillful chewing gum, wiping her hands, and striking a pose… she inhabits the character.

Director Raoul Walsh does double duty by playing Swanson's "Handsome" love interest Tim O'Hara. The photography and sets are superior, though the film is damaged in some places. The symbolism is just right - watch how Swanson gets into a TIGHT black negligee and gets caught in a web. Subtle. Yet, the heavy-handed, rain drenched symbolism is easier to take in a "silent" rather than a "talking" picture. The characters to watch are Swanson and Barrymore, as the film progresses; they have a psychological war, which offers some dramatic surprises. Barrymore is, perhaps, less captivating than Walter Huston in the Crawford re-make, which was re-titled "Rain" (1932); it would have been nice to see a version with Swanson and Huston.

Sadly, the very end of "Sadie Thompson" is lost. There is a relatively well-done "reconstruction". Most of the missing footage is successfully imagined with stills; this might have been an interesting way to end the film, anyway. However, there is one lost scene, essential to the story, sorely missed; but, you will have no trouble figuring out what has happened.

********* Sadie Thompson (1/7/28) Raoul Walsh ~ Gloria Swanson, Lionel Barrymore, Raoul Walsh, Blanche Friderici

The concept of wolves in sheep's clothing . . .

[cricket30 · 7/10 · 4 November 2014]

. . . 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.

Gloria is Magic!

[ducdebrabant · 10/10 · 29 March 2007]

In a number of different ways, "Sadie Thompson" shows how much guts Gloria Swanson had. In the first place, it wouldn't even exist if she hadn't turned down an extremely lucrative contract from Famous Players/Lasky in order to become her own producer at United Artists. There had been a gentlemen's agreement among the major Hollywood producers that none of them would buy the play "Rain," but Swanson was of course not a party to it. What she actually did was very clever and sneaky. She bought Maugham's original story "The Fall of a Leaf" -- not the stage adaptation by Clemence Dane -- and thus stayed under the radar. The theatrical producers didn't control movie rights to the story. Then she got Will Hays to approve an adaptation of that short story, keeping the wool over his eyes a bit and using all of her feminine charm. Hays was a Swanson fan (most men, I gather, were) and the lady got her way and put it over on Mayer, Laemmle, Zukor, et al. She did make some concessions, however, the most important one being that Lionel Barrymore not play a clergyman. If you notice, he's not called Reverend Davidson here, but Mister Davidson. It hardly matters, since nobody who saw the film ever thought of him as anything but a minister. Swanson's instincts were right on target in every department. She had hired Walsh to direct and suddenly realized he should be her leading man, and he's stupendous. They had a delightful, easy rapport, and although Walsh has sex appeal he's no movie Adonis, keeping it real. Swanson also dared to wear becoming but flashy and inelegant clothes, which was risky for the movies' most notable clotheshorse (the last time she had dressed dowdy, while under contract, the audiences stayed away, and the studio never let her do it again). Swanson's Sadie is able to live her life with good cheer because she genuinely likes men. This was certainly true of Swanson, whose father was out of the picture early, and who was always looking for a strong man. She was extremely curious, and always gravitated to the people at parties who knew the most -- usually the guys. Gloria Swanson as Sadie is kinetic. Her gaiety and charm are so incandescent that the biggest sin as you are watching the movie would have to be anything that dimmed her light. Davidson makes it go out, and that's exactly what happens to Swanson. When she "reforms," all the light goes right out of her. Barrymore is great, and we are so fortunate to have the movie in any form. It's probably Swanson's best performance outside of "Sunset Boulevard," and it's a great movie performance by any standard. Which brings to mind another point. No actress in Swanson's lifetime up to that point had ever given a more celebrated performance than Jeanne Eagels in "Rain," and Gloria dared to risk comparisons that would inevitably be made. We can't make those comparisons now, but you can't watch the movie and not feel that this lady, so made for the camera, so perfectly in control of all the tools of silent movie acting, gave Jeanne a run for her money.

(Despite another comment here, Swanson's liaison with Joseph Kennedy did not give her "the clout to become her own producer." At the time Swanson went to UA, she hadn't even met Joe Kennedy, and she didn't meet him until after she had already produced "Sadie Thompson." Kennedy was a very minor player in the movies, and Swanson was one of the biggest stars in the world. If anything, she gave HIM clout. Indeed, when he did become her partner in Gloria Productions, he seems to have robbed her blind, even billing her production company for his own gifts to her. Kennedy, staunchly Catholic if hypocritical, strongly disapproved of "Sadie Thompson.")

Wow

[fredrock-08169 · 9/10 · 30 March 2017]

I had only seen Gloria Swanson in her more mature role in Sunset Boulevard and not in her heyday. She is gorgeous downright hot and very convincing as Sadie Thompson. The version of the W. Somerset Maugham story is superior to the better know Joan Crawford version Rain. Lionel Barrymore does a fantastic job as the self serving preacher. Raoul Walsh the well know director appears here as the serviceman who is in love with Sadie.

Gloria Swanson, Movie Star

[evanston_dad · 8/10 · 16 September 2011]

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+

Gloria Swanson In Her Glory Era

[DKosty123 · 8/10 · 10 June 2007]

This was made in one of the last years years of totally silent films. While it is slow moving it does do an excellent job telling a tragic story, with Lionel Barrymore providing a solid male lead performance to Gloria Swanson's title role.

Sadie Thompson is the woman of ill reputation who needs to be saved. This film centers around this story. She has escaped from San Francisco to an island where she is heading to Australia to escape a prison sentence for what she has done. The rest centers around her decision on what she decides to do.

Gloria & Lionel are both shown in a good light as the photography in this film is very well done. This is a silent well worth checking out for a student of how silent drama should be done.

It's Time for Your Close-Up, Miss Swanson!

[lavatch · 9/10 · 25 February 2017]

Based on the Somerset Maugham short story "Rain," this silent film version of "Sadie Thompson" was daring for its era in the film's prurient content.

An apparent "fallen women" attempting to escape her past, Miss Sadie Thompson arrives in the South Pacific only to encounter a stern cleric, Mr. Davidson (Lionel Barrymore), who attempts to save her soul.

The early part of the film portrays the flighty, flirtatious Sadie, as she dances to music and starts a relationship with a sailor named O'Hara, who is played by director Raoul Walsh. But it is the repressed Davidson, who takes it upon himself to "rescue" Sadie by sending her back to San Francisco, where she faces certain imprisonment for a crime she did not commit. It doesn't matter to Davidson whether or not she is innocent. His single-minded purpose is to rob Sadie of her spirit in order to save her soul.

SPOILER FOLLOWS: The closing of the film reveals the hypocrisy of Davidson, who has confessed that he has been dreaming of Sadie. He crosses the line when he calls her "radiant" and "beautiful." It is at that moment that Sadie recognizes the hypocrisy of a "pig." The film's denouement reveals that Davidson has slit his throat out of his own guilt and repressed feelings.

A silent film that is eminently watchable, "Sadie Thompson" demonstrates the dangers of an overly repressive and zealous man, who succumbs to his own human frailty. Swanson is unforgettable in her character transformations and her luminous presence.

Swanson's Finest Silent Performance in the Classic Maugham Story

[gftbiloxi · 8/10 · 22 March 2005]

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.

my thoughts

[wolfmagena · 3 May 2012]

this was my first silent movie and i have to say i liked it. the music didn't change as drastically as i thought it would. i loved the character Sadie Thompson she was funny and was loving life and this new adventure she was about to have starting her life over. then stupid Mr. Davidson had to go and brain wash her thinking having fun was a sin and that she needed to repent if she wanted to be saved. and thinks that anyone who is different then him is evil. when in fact we find in the end he was evil and weak. but it got a little confusing because the end of the film was a little confusing due to the fact that it was lost and they remade it with stills. but in the end i guess he tried to sleep with her and she saw that he's wasn't as holy as he said. so she turns into her self again and falls in love with her handsome friend and Mr Davidson gives in to his dark thoughts and commits suicide.

Sadie Thompson review

[JoeytheBrit · 8/10 · 4 May 2020]

A gorgeous Gloria Swanson turns from vivacious party girl to repentant sackcloth-and-ashes sinner under the wrath of Lionel Barrymore's puritanical missionary in Raoul Walsh's adaptation of W. Somerset Maugham's short story. Walsh also appears as Swanson's romantic lead just months before his acting career was cut short when he lost an eye due to a jackrabbit jumping through the windscreen of his car. He's pretty good, too, although Swanson takes the prize with Barrymore running a close second.

The best version of the story.

[xan-the-crawford-fan · 8/10 · 20 September 2021]

What a film- just what a film. Excellently acted, so much so that Gloria Swanson and Lionel Barrymore could probably be in movies today and they would fit right in (ha, ha- they're WAY too good for the tripe that is put out today, but you know what I mean).

Jeanne Eagels may have been the definitive Sadie Thompson (there is no recorded version of the play version of this film, titled Rain, but it has been quoted that "When Jeanne Eagels died, Rain died with her").

Nevertheless, Swanson gives said Jeanne Eagels a very, very, VERY good run for her money. I've always been in awe of her magic eyes, and how she was able to convey emotion sans sound without descending into typical silent movie histrionics (not that I mind typical silent movie histrionics). I do agree that this is probably her best silent movie performance- she isn't heartbreaking, but you do feel sympathy for her. Her character of Sadie Thompson is washed-up, older, and it shows, but she still has a sort of wry, tired outlook on life. Swanson was on the tail end of her career by this point (or so she thought), but you'd never guess it. She was nominated for an Oscar at the first-ever ceremony, and in my opinion, she was more Oscar-worthy than Janet Gaynor was (although I did enjoy Gaynor in all three of her silents that she was nominated for).

Nice to see Lionel Barrymore in a role that isn't a feeble old man- he's almost as good as Swanson. Director Raoul Walsh also has a role in this film- this was BEFORE Orson Welles apparently invented doing this with Citizen Kane. Walsh is pretty good in his role, would have liked to see him act in more roles, but unfortunately an injury left him behind the camera full-time. He manages to capture a dreary mood throughout the entire film, and his cinematography is very good.

The basic plot of the film is that Sadie Thompson (Swanson), an ex-prostitute wanting to go straight, ends up on an island with a bunch of woman-hungry soldiers after the boat she is supposed to be traveling on ends up having to quarantine. One in particular (Walsh) falls in love with her, but a Protestant minister (Barrymore) doesn't approve of her ways and demands that she be deported. He also wants her to face her sins and pray for redemption and things like that, and she initially refuses, but he somehow makes to get her under his spell. One night, however, he is consumed with lust and breaks into her room, then rapes her and kills himself. It's alright for Swanson and Walsh, because they end up together (sort of) happily ever after.

The print of this silent film is actually in rather good condition, save for the final reel being lost. This invokes slight frustration, as just when the film is getting majorly intense, there is a disclaimer that pops up and the rest of the film is told in stills and newly made intertitles.

I've seen all three film adaptations of Somerset Maugham's short story, and I have to agree that this one was the best, although Rain (1932) was pretty good as well- oh, heck, I even enjoyed the Rita Hayworth 3D one Miss Sadie Thompson (1953). But in terms of technicality and acting by the entire cast, this one is the best.

Very highly recommended, even if you don't like silent films.

David Jeffers for SIFFblog.com

[rdjeffers · 14 March 2010]

Monday March 15, 7pm, The Paramount, Seattle

"I guess I'm sorry for everybody in the world - Life is a quaint present from somebody."

A struggle between tolerance and zealotry takes place in a south-seas backwater when a religious fanatic, bent on her conversion confronts a woman attempting to hide her identity. Sadie Thompson (Gloria Swanson) languishes in a seedy hotel with the local detachment of bored marines as her only entertainment. The tropical rains fall and Sadie's fellow steamship passengers pass the time, while Alfred Davidson (Lionel Barrymore) determines to alter the social climate.

At the twilight of Hollywood's silent era and the zenith of Swanson's stardom, she chose Somerset Maugham's immensely popular short-story as her ultimate vehicle. Directed by and co-starring Raoul Walsh, filmed by legendary cinematographer George Barnes, with art direction by the great William Cameron Menzies, Sadie Thompson is an overlooked masterpiece. Barrymore's malevolent sneering was never better. Aside from being lost in the wake of Hollywood's greatest year, the greatest tragedy of this film is the missing final reel.

South of Pago-Pago

[lugonian · 9/10 · 26 February 2019]

SADIE THOMPSON (United Artists, 1928), a Gloria Swanson production adapted and directed by Raoul Walsh, stars Gloria Swanson in the silent screen adaptation to a story made famous by W. Somerset Maugham. First popularized as a stage play titled "Rain" starring Jeanne Eagles, who, interestingly did not reprise her role in the screen adaptation, this edition offers Swanson a challenging role good enough to earn her an Academy Award nomination as Best Actress.

Opening title: "Pago-Pago, in the sultry South Seas - when there is no need for bed clothes - yet the rain comes down in sheets." The story opens with United States Marines stationed in the South Seas of Pago Pago in exile from white men and women. They watch a steamer boat from San Francisco, California, docking, with passengers including Alfred Davidson (Lionel Barrymore), his wife (Blanche Frederici); Doctor Angus McPhail (Charles Lane) and his wife (Florence Midgely); and Sadie Thompson (Gloria Swanson), a woman with a questionable past. Almost immediately, Sadie attracts the attention of the Marines, making the acquaintance of Sergeant Timothy O'Hara (Raoul Walsh), whom she affectionately calls "Handsome." Because her boat to Apia is delayed for ten days due to small-pox quarantine, Sadie finds herself being made comfortable in a hotel cabin run by Joe Horn (James A. Marcus) and his native wife, Ameena (Sophia Artega). Other than the constant sheets of rain keeping the passengers indoors, Sadie's biggest problem is Mr. Davidson, a reformer, who disapproves of her actions with the male population, and his intentions on saving the lost woman's soul by turning her to religion and the hope of sending her back to San Francisco where she will have to serve prison time.

For anyone who has seen its remakes, RAIN (United Artists, 1932) starring Joan Crawford and Walter Huston, and MISS SADIE THOMPSON (Columbia, 1953) with Rita Hayworth and Jose Ferrer, would be very curious about watching this 1928 original more simply for comparison reasons. Naturally the original was well-received, while Crawford's talkie released four years later, proved to be one of the year's biggest flops. Yet it would be the Crawford edition that has stood the test of time due to its frequent television revivals, as opposed to the Hayworth Technicolor updated carnation. Crawford's heavy make-up shows Sadie's toughness and strength, while Swanson's lack of heavy-dose make-up presents her Sadie still tough yet in softer tone. Aside from her heated arguments (through title-cards) between her and Davidson with strong language known only to lip-readers, there's also an interesting scene involving lighting cigarettes with Sadie and O'Hara pressing them lighted together while resting on their lips. Also interesting is seeing director Raoul Walsh in one of his few acting roles of his long and distinguished directorial career.

Unavailable for viewing due to unavailability as being a lost movie, SADIE THOMPSON was later discovered. Aside from acid stains noticeable in certain scenes, the final reel, which has decayed, was substituted with still photos and title cards cased on its scripting. Availability incomplete can be found in both Kino Home Video VHS or DVD editions, along with cable television broadcasts presented on Turner Classic Movies (TCM premiere: October 13, 1996), equipped with new and somewhat satisfying musical score conducted by Joseph Turrin. Though it would have proven better viewership with original music soundtrack, however, this is the best and only way to get to see Gloria Swanson and Lionel Barrymore at their primes the way movie audiences watched them back in 1928. (***)

Gloria Swanson's Finest Performance

[springfieldrental · 8/10 · 28 April 2022]

Actress Gloria Swanson was in a quandary. As owner of her own film production company, she was financially obligated to bring the eventual release of January 1928's "Sadie Thompson" to the screen. After forking over $100,000 for legal rights of the story, Swanson witnessed a boatload of problems arising once filming started on Santa Catalina Island, California. Her cameraman, George Barnes, was yanked away to another project by producer Sam Goldwyn, who owned his rights. Several cinematographers followed, but all failed to match the quality of footage Barnes had already shot. In the meantime, the actress sold her New York State Cronton-on-Hudson estate and was about to sell her New York City penthouse. MGM came to the rescue and lent veteran Oliver Marsh to complete the filming.

The camera operator story was indicative of the myriad problems besetting "Sadie Thompson." Swanson had seen the stage version of the W. Somerset Maugham short story twice and loved it. But getting the rights to the 1922 play "Rain" proved an ordeal in getting the plot passed by censors. The hero of the story is Sadie Thompson (Swanson), a hooker stuck in transit in a Pacific island hotel with a religious couple (Lionel Barrymore and Blanche Friderici) while a smallpox quarantine is in effect. She's quite the entertainer with a group of United States Marines, also forced to stay on the island. Oneof them, Sergeant Timothy O'Hara (Raoul Walsh, also the director), falls head-over-heels with Sadie.

Theater chains said they weren't going to show the picture. Even Joseph P. Kennedy (yes, the father of the future United States President), who had entered the Hollywood movie business in the mid-1920s by gobbling up several smaller film production companies and theaters, joined the group blacklisting "Sadie Thompson." This was the first time Swanson heard of Kennedy, but it wouldn't be the last. To the rescue came Marcus Loew and his string of theaters willing to show the film.

Swanson approached Raoul Walsh to direct "Sadie Thompson," knowing he had tackled a bushel of controversial themes and tastefully presented them. She also wanted him to play the romantic Marine in love with Sadie. He was apprehensive about the prospect of acting since he hadn't done it in eight years. By the second day, though, he knew he could handle both directing and acting duties comfortably. Lionel Barrymore, however, was a different story. His acting was superb, but by the second week he hadn't changed his clothes nor took a bath. Swanson, who was in close proximity of him throughout the shoot, went through secondary channels to inform the actor he was stinking up the joint-and it wasn't because of his delivery. He became a habitual bath taker from that day forward.

"Sadie Thompson" was a huge hit for Swanson. She earned a nomination for the Academy Awards Best Actress category (she lost out to Janet Gaynor). George Barnes was also nominated for Best Cinematography for this and two other films during the year. Swanson's role has been cited by many critics as her best acting performance. Two remakes of the W. Somerset Maugham story, 1932's Joan Crawford 'Rain" and 1953's Rita Hayworth's 'Miss Sadie Thompson' are considered inferior to Swanson's. The American Film Institute has recognized its superiority, nominating "Sadie Thompson" as one of the 100 Most Passionate Movies Ever.

The movie raked in millions, but Swanson saw only a fraction of that. Once filming finished, she heeded the advice of Joseph Kennedy, whom the two were becoming close despite his marriage to Rose, and sold her distribution rights to friend and producer Joseph Schenck. Kennedy felt the movie was going to be a financial disaster and said she would be better off taking the money Schenck was offering rather than be sunk by disappointing ticket receipts.