Rain (1932)

Writers:

John Colton (play) and
Clemence Randolph (play) ...

Release Date:

12 October 1932 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A prostitute finds redemption in some Hawaiian isle thanks to a hard missionary man.

Plot Keywords:

Missionary | Cholera | Soldier | Porch | Bible

Cast

Fred Howard	...	Hodgson (as Frederic Howard)
Ben Hendricks Jr.	...	Griggs (as Ben Hendricks)
William Gargan	...	Sergeant Tim O'Hara
Mary Shaw	...	Ameena
Guy Kibbee	...	Joe Horn
Kendall Lee	...	Mrs. Robert MacPhail
Beulah Bondi	...	Mrs. Alfred Davidson
Matt Moore	...	Dr. Robert MacPhail
Walter Huston	...	Alfred Davidson
Walter Catlett	...	Quartermaster Bates
Joan Crawford	...	Sadie Thompson

Runtime:

94 min (Turner library print)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Wide Range Noiseless Recording)

Certification:

Canada:G (Ontario) | USA:Approved (PCA #1318-R, 29 August 1935 for re-release) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-PG (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Santa Catalina Island, Channel Islands, California, USA

Company:

Feature Productions

Trivia:

The play. "Rain," opened on Broadway in New York City, New York, USA on 7 November 1922 and closed in June 1923 after 256 performances. The opening night cast included Jeanne Eagels as Sadie Thompson. A revival in 1924 (also with Eagels) ran for 648 performances. There was also another revival in 1935 with Tallulah Bankhead as Sadie.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Camera's shadow falls across the backs of the missionaries as they sit around the table in the general store.

Quotes:

Mrs. Davidson: I'm sorry for him and I'm sorry for you
Sadie Thompson: And I'm sorry for the whole world, I guess.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Going Hollywood: The '30s (1984)

Soundtrack:

St. Louis Blues

A basically underrated movie

Unlike most people, I like both this movie and Crawford's performance, though the sudden and complete change to and from her religion-inspired catatonic state is a bit too rash and unconvincing (not due only to her acting: the film is so constructed). Huston plays a very sinister character. His brainwash on Sadie Thompson is appalling, and the scene when she succumbs while he recites the Lord's Prayer is most disturbing. Milestone's dynamic camera work is indeed overdone, but it is clear that it was a somewhat naïve attempt to counteract the tendency to sluggishness of the early talkies (compare with 'Anna Christie' with Garbo, for instance). The director gives the rain an important role as a powerful surrounding element of nature, almost trying to treat it as a living character, much like what Sjostrom did in 'The Wind'(1929); it doesn't entirely come through, but it was a worthy effort. The quick editing on Crawford's entrance (repeated in the end) is also impressive.