Miss Sadie Thompson (1953)

"Movies used to be weird." -- Somebody's entire Letterboxd review.

Is this movie "weird"? Yeah, but there's quite a bit to unpack. 

Different groups inhibit this Pacific island. First, you have the natives. Second, you have the white Christians who came to civilize them -- and with them, the other white people who govern the island, offer support services, like the doctor, and their wives. Third, you have the U.S. Marines, either there to protect the island, or simply leftovers from past hostilities with Japan. 

Then, enter Sadie Thompson. Why is she there, and where is she going? She's in transit, but her temporary presence disrupts the balance. All the Marines want to be with her, the other white people question who she is -- based on how she looks and acts, and the natives just want to be left alone. 

Rita Hayworth's performance is incredibly annoying.  I mean, I've watched other Hayworth films, and I'm not sure what she's going for in her portrayal of Sadie. Over-the-top confidence? Is she making Sadie into someone who knows how to "protect herself" when she's surrounded by dozens of horny men, who don't really see her as a person, but simply as a release?

For much of the movie, we're not told what Sadie "was" in Hawaii. She claims to be a nightclub singer, but the truth is, she was something else... something that all men, at least Marines, use, but once it's clear that a woman ever "was" that, no one can see her beyond that particular function. 

Davidson (José Ferrer) is the island missionary, and he's the one who convinces Sadie to face her past, to admit who she was, accept her punishment, and then be washed clean by the grace of God.  Earlier in the film, the Doctor (Russell Collins) questions whether Davidson is truthful in his beliefs or just full of it -- that is, if temptation came to his doorstep, would he be able to rebuff it?

Beyond that, there's never really any hint that Davidson is having an inner struggle. He's married and he lives on an island doing God's work. Why would Sadie be able to break his resolve in just a couple of days? Aren't there any other native girls that would have tempted him previously? We do, for example, see him watch the natives dance for the entertainment of the white people... and that must not have been the first time he's watched them dance... although in the movie, it is the first time we get to see him watch, and then in the following scene, he's in Sadie's room, forgetting he's a man of God. 

It's a rather brutal scene, not shown. Everything about Davidson turns out to be a lie, or in the Doctor's more diplomatic assessment, he turned out just to be a man who couldn't practice what he preaches. And then everything speeds up to the ending. Davidson kills himself, and Sadie decides to go to Australia after all and apparently marry the Sargeant (Aldo Ray). 

The Sargeant initially had problems with Sadie's past, but then he took a minute to realize that he was no choir boy, either. This acknowledgement, I think, is a little refreshing, especially for films of this period. It suggests that the past can be the past, and people can "change." It's more clear why he would be in love with her than she with him, but once he commits to her and stops judging her, I can see why she would love the Sargeant... this is all assuming he really can "forget her past" (and that Sadie can as well). 

My main concern about the film is the rushed ending, and the Davidson flip-flop. I mean, I guess we needed Davidson to go sexually coo-coo for Sadie, and if he's going to flip-flop in that direction, it is nice that we have the Sargeant flip-flop the other way... and to have the doctor the whole time not only be the voice of reason, but also the best judgement of character. He is the one who not only confirms that Davidson was weak, but he's also the one who confirms that Sadie is strong. 

For all these reasons, I will go a little bit further than just saying "this movie is weird." Yeah, if you just watch it and turn off your mind when you turn off the movie, that's a thought you might be left with. If you want to go a little bit deeper, however, there's more to it than just "weirdness."

How does this version compare to Joan Crawford's Rain (1932)? That I'd like to find out. Rain came out pre-Code, so I'd be interested to see if they are more direct about Sadie's past. 

Rating: 3/5 stars