Rain, 1932 (Grade C+)

Director: Lewis Milestone
Stars: Joan Crawford, Walter Huston

sez says: this version of Somerset Maugham's sort story is a good example of what happens, too often, when a literary work is made into a film.  Don't read this if you don't want to know what happens in this movie. It may mostly be the fault of the censors..but I imagine it is also the result of the work being tossed about from person to person, each making some 'improvement' of their own, till, in the end, the film is only a show of the original story. In this case the Maugham story does not necessarily say Sadie Thompson (Crawford) is a prostitute..but the movie certainly suggests she was.  In the book Thompson and Rev Davidson (Huston) spend days alone, at which time Davidson falls victim to temptation--which causes him to kill himself.  This being the only way Thompson has (ie her only power is her sexual attraction) to protect herself from his manipulation of power (power men control).   Anyway. must I say it-the book is better than the movie.  But wait....the movie has merit too.  Joan Crawford, a young and talented actor, does her part with style and conviction.  Huston plays a fine fanatic, full of himself, having no need for human kindness in his self assured ignorant-arrogance.  The story is muddled but it is still full of sultry images and full tilt 1930s style. Grade C+)