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:

Fight | Lip Synching | Kissing | Bar | Doctor

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:

UK:12 (DVD rating) (2005) | UK:A (original rating) (1954) (cut) | 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: Listen, when I want you I'll rattle your cage.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Rita Hayworth: The Columbia Lady (2000) (V)

Soundtrack:

THE HEAT IS ON

Religious hypocrisy in 3-D, whoopee

Imagine Pat Robertson pointing his boney crazy fingers out of the screen at you and you've got the picture.

Just saw this at the World 3-D Film Expo and it was quite enjoyable. The movie has great depth and wasn't filmed in a really gimmicky 3-D style. The transitions between location and sound stage work was fairly seamless and there were scenes I really wasn't certain if they were shot in Hollywood or the South Pacific.

It's always interesting to stumble on old movies like these that resonate more than 50 years later. How much and how little has changed when it comes to religious zealots...hhmmm?