Sadie Thompson

Audience Reviews

View More

12/21/2021 Smart and sophisticated silent movie well worth your time to plod through! See more 12/11/2021 This was a racy film for a time, and it was praised by critics as was her Swanson's performance. This was perhaps the best performance of her career. It was a financial and critical success and was the only silent film of hers to do well at the box office. See more Steve D 07/23/2020 The acting and story are great for its time. The moral message might be better. See more 02/13/2019 I was born in 1956 and I have seen lots of black and white movies until color arrived along with awesome advances in technology. And thanks to TCM I have take. On a great respect for the silent movie era. Not enough credit is given in that film making had to begin somewhere and sometime. As for this movie, forget its flaws because of it being worn out. Swanson and Barrymore are awesome in this movie. Anyone who does not appreciate it because it is a silent movie has no business rating any movie at all. Thank you TCM for never allowing us to forget! See more 02/02/2019 The best romance movie ever made! See more 04/01/2017 Religious hypocrisy is the main theme of 'Sadie Thompson', based on a short story by W. Somerset Maugham. Sharing the same hotel in Pago Pago, a religious reformer (Lionel Barrymore) takes a dim view of a 'loose' woman (Gloria Swanson), and after failing to get her to change her ways, lobbies the local governor to get her shipped back to San Francisco. I liked this version a bit better than the 1932 version with Walter Huston and Joan Crawford because Barrymore is so brilliant, so harshly upright but at the same time, hinting at a demonic side as he glowers away. Despite the movie being silent, director Raoul Walsh (who also plays Swanson's love interest) delivers a couple of compelling scenes with Barrymore trying to exert his will, Swanson resisting, and the rain coming down, unrelenting. Swanson also lets loose with her anger, and in one funny moment it's obvious she's cursed a blue streak, as the ladies around her cover their ears and scamper off. 1928 was the first year for the Oscars and Swanson would be nominated for her performance. I admire her for it, but admire her more for producing the movie despite pressure because of its content, and considered a slightly higher rating. The film itself is not in that great a shape, and while the last couple of minutes are mostly gone forever, we're fortunate that Dennis Doros restored it as best possible mostly with carefully selected stills. Watching this one has you clearly thinking you're getting a window into the past, but at the same time, aren't these themes of religious overreach still so prevalent today? Thank you Gloria Swanson. See more Read all reviews

Sadie Thompson

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW