When Joan Crawford did Rain and in my opinion not badly in 1932, she contended with the memory of Jeanne Eagels who did the original Broadway production. As we know Jeanne died way too young and we never got to see her do this on film. She was supposed to be nothing less than brilliant. Crawford suffered by comparison no matter what she did.Rita Hayworth may have suffered in comparison as well to Eagels as well as Crawford because Joan's version was done before the Code was put in place. A part which Hayworth should have scored a huge triumph laid a big old ostrich egg because of all the restrictions firmly in place courtesy of the Code. W. Somerset Maugham's story which was about some really brutal facts of life including sexual desire and sexual oppression was a sensation in the Twenties. This version water downed the guts right out of Maugham's work. Jose Ferrer who also should have been brilliant as Davidson does what he can with the part, but is ultimately defeated. In fact Davidson is supposed to be a clergyman as was Walter Huston in the Joan Crawford version. Here he's some kind of overseer of a religious/medical mission. The Code forbade any bad depiction of religious figures.Lester Lee and Allan Roberts wrote the score for Miss Sadie Thompson and the film given its subject matter reached incredibly ironic heights when Rita with Jo Ann Greer's singing voice does a number with kids like you would find in a Bing Crosby film. Ironically the rest of the musical part of the film is the best thing about it with Blue Pacific Blues winning an Oscar nomination for Best Song. But this film also includes a number forever associated with Rita Hayworth with The Heat Is On. Now that WAS in keeping with the subject matter.They should have waited to do a remake of Rain once the Code had been lifted. A G rated version is ludicrous on its face. But then we would not have had Rita Hayworth at the height of her star power.

Old Willie Maugham got a lot of mileage out of one short story. Under it's original title, Rain, it was produced on Broadway with Jeanne Eagels, and filmed twice, once with Gloria Swanson and once with Joan Crawford. They even had a shot at a Broadway musical version with a fine score by Vernon Duke but June Havoc (the real 'Baby June' from Gypsy) couldn't draw flies at the box office. Now Rita Hayworth has a stab at it, opposite Jose Ferrer as the religious zealot who has the hots for her. Director Curtis Bernhardt squanders a good five minutes of film getting over the fact that we're on a hot, humid and boring island in the Pacific, before bringing on the two leads. Rita Hayworth was a finer actress than she was given credit for, more or less trapped as sex on legs she was always able to project the vulnerable, insecure child just below the surface but though she does her considerable best she is manacled hand and foot to a dull, portentous, unimaginative script, matched in every detail by the direction. Catch it on TV or perhaps as a freebie with a newspaper but don't go out of your way.

Personally, I almost wish the Hayworth, Ferrer movie had never been filmed, as it allows no opportunities through scripting or direction for these talented actors to perform. I shall avoid any discussion of RAIN, the Summerset Maughm novel upon which this dismal, disappointing screen play was based. There is no legitimate justification for so doing.Ferrer performance seemed self-conscious, rigid and unbelievable. T here was no preparation for his transition from self-righteous clergyman to impassioned, sexual attacker.While I am well aware that MISS SADY THOMPSON was made back in the 1950s, I still find Rita Hayworth's costuming inappropriate and rather distracting. Red is definitely a useful and effective cultural symbol, suggesting far more than mere prostitution. Red also symbolizes anger, blood, and aggression, elements readily apparent within the actions and behavior of Hayworth's character.Having said this, Hayworth's continuous use of red clothing became stridently obvious and,therefore, rather silly and insipid. I would never identify this movie as the worst film I have ever seen. Nevertheless, I would not, under any circumstances, regard this failed effort as worthy of recommendation.

I was very surprised to find that Rita Hayworth was very much better than Joan Crawford in the same role (in "Rain"). Crawford always played Crawford, and had a lot of baggage she brought to the role. Hayworth was able to be flirty and vivacious with a "don't cross this line" under it that was very well done. And her changes of feeling over the course of the movie were as convincing as the script would allow, I think.Jose Ferrar was also great in his part... he also had to undergo change, and did it well.Aldo Ray was the weak point, convincing at the beginning as an eager Marine, but not really someone she could spend the rest of her life with... she way outclassed him.Overall, though, an excellent movie, and definitely better in 3D!