| Miss Sadie Thompson | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Curtis Bernhardt |
| Screenplay by | Harry Kleiner |
| Based on | "Miss Thompson" byW. Somerset Maugham |
| Produced by | Jerry Wald |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Charles Lawton Jr. |
| Edited by | Viola Lawrence |
| Color process | Technicolor |
Production company | The Beckworth Corporation |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 91 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $2.9 million (US)[1] |
Miss Sadie Thompson is a 19533-D Americanmusicalromanticdrama film directed byCurtis Bernhardt and starringRita Hayworth,José Ferrer, andAldo Ray. The film was released byColumbia Pictures. The film is based onW. Somerset Maugham's 1921 short story "Miss Thompson" (later retitled "Rain"). Other film versions includeSadie Thompson (1928) starringGloria Swanson,Rain (1932) starringJoan Crawford, andDirty Gertie from Harlem U.S.A. (1946).
The film received a nomination forBest Original Song ("Sadie Thompson's Song") at the26th Academy Awards.
Abar girl from Hawaii, a religious zealot, and a love-struck Marine struggle with sin and salvation just after World War II while Sadie Thompson kicks out several songs, including "Blue Pacific Blues".
In February 1952, producerJerry Wald announced he had the film rights to the play adaptation ofRain from producerLester Cowan. Wald had a production unit at RKO withNorman Krasna and wanted to make it as a musical in color.[2]
In October 1953, Wald left RKO to become a vice president and executive producer at Columbia Pictures. He planned to personally produce two films a year and said one of these would beRain. It would star Rita Hayworth, who was the biggest star at the studio.[3] Harry Kleiner was assigned to write the script.[4] Plans were made to shoot the film in 3-D.[5]
This was Hayworth's third film after her marriage to PrinceAly Khan had kept her off screen for four years. The public eagerly welcomed her return in two previous filmsAffair in Trinidad andSalome soColumbia gaveMiss Sadie Thompson an "A" film budget.
"It would give her the chance to not be glamorous", said Wald.[6]
3-D films had become a fad, with some 3-D films drawing huge crowds in major cities, so it was used as well. Exteriors were filmed on the island ofKauai,Hawaii and interiors on the Columbia lot.[citation needed]
The original story of sin and redemption was sanitized to appease theProduction Code and several musical numbers were inserted to spice up the tepid reworked plot. As with her previous films, Hayworth's singing was dubbed; as with the previous year'sAffair in Trinidad, that job was assigned toJo Ann Greer.[7][8][a]
In August 1953, Hayworth and Ray shot some additional romantic scenes.[10]
By the time of the premiere on December 23, 1953, interest in 3-D had died down considerably. After a two-week run, all 3-D prints were pulled. The film was given a national release "flat", in other words, in regular prints, minus the 3-D.[citation needed]
The film was banned in some places, including Memphis.[11][12][13]
Variety wrote, "She catches the feel of the title character well, even to braving completely deglamorizing makeup, costuming and photography to fit her physical appearance to that of the bawdy, shady lady that was Sadie Thompson".[14]The Village Voice wrote, "Although its Hays Code sanitizing is mitigated somewhat by the glorious extravagances of 1950s cinema (it's a Technicolor, 3-D star vehicle with musical numbers), Miss Sadie Thompson (1953) is a scoured version ofRain (1932)."[15] Bosley Crowther ofThe New York Times wrote, "The character of Sadie is drained of considerable point by the prudence of the producers. And Miss Hayworth is left with a role in which she is able to inject very little, outside her own particular brand of appeal".[16]