Starring Rita Hayworth, Jose Ferrer, Aldo Ray, and Russell Collins
Directed by Curtis Bernhardt
Music by Ned Washington and Lester Lee; Lyrics by Allan Roberts
After 1948, Hayworth was off the screen for three years. Her divorce from Orson Welles and marriage to - and subsequent divorce from - Prince Aly Khan made headlines around the world, but it also attracted a lot of negative publicity. Her two movies after returning to Columbia, Affair In Trinidad and Salome, were huge hits.
Striking while the iron was hot, Columbia rushed her into this reworking of the 1921 short story and play Rain. Gloria Swanson played prostitute Sadie Thompson a 1928 silent version, while Joan Crawford took the role in its sound adaptation Rain. It was even remade as an all-black "race" movie in 1946, Dirty Gertie from Harlem USA. How does the first version in color, widescreen, and at one point, 3D look nowadays? Let's begin with the title character (Hayworth) on the way to American Samoa after World War II and find out...
The Story: Sadie's on her way to Apia, but she's stranded in Pago Pago when the ship is quarantined. The Marines in the area, especially crude but kind Sergeant Phil O'Hara (Ray), think she's gorgeous. She comes complete with a sexy wardrobe and a loud record player that offends missionary Alfred Davidson (Ferrer) and his wife (Peggy Converse), who are staying at the same hotel as her.
Davidson knows about her sinful past in Hawaii and is determined to steer her away from an un-heavenly life. Sadie's just as determined to push back at first. As he wears her down, she wonders if she'd be better off giving in. He thinks he has her beaten, but then one night, he really listens to the natives playing their drums. That sets off his own repressed desires...including the desire for Sadie.
The Song and Dance: Whoa. Rain is still not the first story you'd think of for musical treatment, and this is fairly dark for 1953. Hayworth puts in one of her best-ever performances as the good-time girl who just wants to enjoy herself and get the heck out of town. Ferrer's repressed missionary who makes it his personal mission to save Sadie from herself nearly matches her decadent energy. The color cinematography is radiant weather in sunny Pago Pago or the constantly pouring rain.
Favorite Number: We open with "The Marine Song," as the military boys sing about their lives on Pago Pago. Sadie tells the part-native children of hotel owner Joe Horn (Harry Bellaver) to "Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil" in a cheerful song after she's settled in there. "The Heat's On" is her wild number with the Marines during their big bash, as she dances with every man in the place, then shakes and shimmies like she's on fire. "Blue Pacific Blues" is a languid ballad she performs later at the party, when they've calmed down a little and she's feeling more introspective. The native performance that drives Davidson to reveal his lust is brief but fairly interesting, with scantily dressed beauties shaking their hips wildly.
Trivia: This wasn't the first attempt to turn Rain into a musical. A Broadway stage show with June Havoc as Sadie debuted in 1944. It did even less well, barely lasting a month and a half.
Was shot in 3D, but it was a flop in that version, so it was released "flat" with no effects.
What I Don't Like: As dark as the film is, the earlier film versions went even darker. They didn't just hint that Davidson sexually assaulted Sadie; they insinuated it as much as possible. Davidson was also more obviously a priest, instead of just a missionary. I suspect they didn't want to get on any church's bad side. The Production Code was still in full effect at the time as well, and it banned religious leaders being seen as anything but saintly. Despite the Oscar nomination for "Blue Pacific Blues," the songs are neither numerous, nor very good. And given Hayworth was mainly known as a dancer at this point, I'm surprised she didn't have more than one dance number.
The Big Finale: Interesting mainly if you're a fan of darker musicals or the stars in question. Other adults would be better off seeing the original non-musical films.
Home Media: Very easy to find on disc and streaming. The limited edition Blu-Ray in 3D is in print, but is rare and extremely expensive when it does appear. The solo DVD is from Columbia's made-to-order Sony Choice Collection.
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