Miss Sadie Thompson (1953)

Director:

Curtis Bernhardt

Writers:

Harry Kleiner (writer)
W. Somerset Maugham (story)

Release Date:

23 December 1953 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

RITA TURNS ON THE HEAT IN 3D (original print ad - all caps)

Plot:

At a lonely military outpost on American Samoa, sticky heat alternates with torrential rain. A ship quarantine strands here Sadie Thompson...

Plot Keywords:

3 Dimensional | South Seas | Character Name In Title

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Rita Hayworth	...	Sadie Thompson
José Ferrer	...	Alfred Davidson (as Jose Ferrer)
Aldo Ray	...	Sgt. Phil O'Hara
Russell Collins	...	Dr. Robert MacPhail
Diosa Costello	...	Ameena Horn
Harry Bellaver	...	Joe Horn
Wilton Graff	...	Governor
Peggy Converse	...	Mrs. Margaret Davidson
Henry Slate	...	Pvt. Griggs
Rudy Bond	...	Pvt. Hodges
Charles Bronson	...	Pvt. Edwards (as Charles Buchinsky)
Frances Morris	...	Mrs. MacPhail
Peter Chong	...	Chung
John Grossett	...	Preacher

Also Known As:

Rain (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Sound Mix:

3 Channel Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M (original rating) | Australia:PG (cable rating) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #16538, Adult Audience) | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Kaua`i, Hawaii, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Aldo Ray sits in a hut with natives, trying to find a place for Rita Hayworth in the village. The language used is Samoan. The native says, "Leai se potu," meaning "no room." Ray replies politely but then ends the conversation with, "Alu," which doesn't mean "good-bye" but rather something like, "Get out of here." It's what Samoans say when they shoo animals away from the food or chase children out of the house.

Goofs:

Continuity: Sergeant O'Hara's shirt is wet with sweat as he leaves the radio tent but dry as he exits.

Quotes:

Sadie: Funny how I'm always running out of cigarettes. Sometimes I don't even know I'm smoking. I guess when something becomes a habit you don't think what you're doing.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Pappoudes en drasei: (#1.2)" (2000)

Soundtrack:

HEAR NO EVIL

disappointing

I was so excited to find this movie...two of my favorite actors together! But the movie just doesn't work. It can't get the spirit of its author (and what a sour spirit) because of censorship, nor does it try to get into the minds of fundamentalist Christians (I don't think the filmmakers could). It's very sad because you see glimpses of greatness. Ferrer and Hayworth seem to be struggling without a director to deliver, but the soundstagey mess of a film overtakes them. The supporting actors aren't very good. If this film had been made with some grittiness, maybe it would have succeeded. But as it is, it's a messy hodgepodge.(the story is definitely not obsolete. we can see versions of it with Jessica Hahn and Jim Bakker, etc.)