RAIN

US, 1932, 92 minutes, Black and white.
Joan Crawford, Walter Huston,
Directed by Lewis Milestone.

The second film version of Somerset Maugham's story. Maugham visited Pago Pago in 1916 and wrote a short story about Miss Sadie Thompson in 1920. It was dramatised for the theatre, especially for actress Jeanne Eagles in the mid-twenties (echoes of this are seen in the biography of Jeanne Eagles starring Kim Novak.) It was filmed with Gloria Swanson as a silent film.

It was then directed by Lewis Milestone, who had achieved fame as the director of All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) with the emerging actress Joan Crawford in the lead. An early as 1932 Joan Crawford shows all the characteristics of the strong kind of women that she was to play over many decades. Walter Huston in very good as the tormented missionary. There was an up-dating of the story to the World War II period and songs were added to make it a Rita Hayworth vehicle in the mid-fifties. The title reverted to the main character, Miss Sadie Thompson. Jose Ferrer in very good as the tormented missionary this time. Aldo Ray has a good role as an ingenuous sailor. The story was set at a time when the missions were spreading in the South Pacific and there were mixed reactions of people, Maugham taking a view critical of the missionaries imposing their ideas and behaviour on the people of the South Seas and making them change. He shows this by the valid dramatic presentation of a missionary betraying his ideals and becoming a victim of conscience even as he is trying to convert the saloon and dance-hall girl from Honolulu. The story has a valuable message for any time - the clash between pride and sensuality and the danger of hypocrisy. The earlier version is the more straight forward one, the second version has the essence of Maugham's story but in geared towards presenting Rita Hayworth.

1. The reputation of this story over the decades? The reputation and status of Somerset Maugham? The quality of his story? The reputation of the play, the various film versions? As a vehicle for strong actresses?

2. How evident was this screen play based on a play? The contrived dialogue, sequences and scenes? Style of acting? Did this detract from the impact of the film?

3. The film as an example of early sound film-making? Styles, photography, acting, the use of sound? Does the film seem too dated now, can it be accepted on its own terms?

4. The moralizing tone of the film? The moralizing against moralizers? How incisively was this message portrayed via the character of Davidson and his impact on Sadie? The critique of religion, religious types, hypocrisy?

5. The significance of the title, as a symbol, realism? The varieties of ways in which it was visualized, the collages of cloud and rain? The rain imprisoning the people on the island? The lifting of the rain and the shining through of some kind of hope? An appropriate symbol for the film?

6. Pago Pago as the location, part of a group of islands, the remoteness of the South Pacific? Popular attitudes towards the South Pacific and the Paradise Islands and their way of lift? Yearning for freedom, isolation, escape from home? The portrayal of the Samoans and their genial style of life, Joe Horne's wife? The ordinary people at their occupations, fishing etc.? The style of life? The influence of religion and missionaries? For the good for bad? The American influence in Samoa? That Americans could go to Samoa to escape, to work, to make money? How were these influences incorporated into the plot?

7. Joe Horne as representing the Americans settled in Samoa, his relationship with his wife? The trading store, making money, welcoming everyone, welcoming Sadie, the critique of the Davidsons? His ordinary human values?

8. The significance of the presence of the Marines and their military way of life, a contrast with the native Samoans? O' Hara within the Marines, the typical gallant naive American? The Marines and their easy way, especially with Sadie? O' Hara and his infatuation, his absence, his decision to help Sadie? An ordinary hero?

9. The contrast with the Davidsons and the Mc Phails? The technique of indicating their arrival via the passports? Their personalities? Their values as people involved with religion, anthropology? How righteous? Mrs Davidson and her prim manner? The Mc Phails and their loyalty to the Davidsons but their not sharing so many of their convictions? Mr Davidson and his self-appointed ministry, justifying it in the name of God, mouthing pious words? A typical religious man of that era? The strengths and weaknesses of his character? His dominance, pride before a fall?

10. Joan Crawford's style as Sadie presented within this context? The first introduction, the music and the flapper attitudes of the twenties? Her appearance, dress, shoes, make-up? Her presence on the island? Indications of her background and profession? Her taking overt responding to the attention of the Marines? The contrast with the Davidsons? Mc Phail and his being courteous to her? The complaints of Mr Davidson and the lengths to which he went to get Sadie sent from Pago Pago? (The contrast with other interventions?) What happened to Sadie in the confrontation with Davidson? Her fears, desperation, telling the truth about herself, the possibility of prison? How did this seem to her when Davidson ground the nature of guilt, repentance, reparation into her? How convincing was her change of attitude over the days, change of heart? Appearance, manner of speaking? O' Hara and his attitude? Her decision to go back? Was this credible for this kind of woman?

11. Sadie and the background of evil? The contrast with Davidson? What was driving Davidson in making him return to help Sadie? Why did he have such a conviction about his mission? Why was he so blind to what was happening?

12. How convincing was the final confrontation with Sadie? The beating of the drums, the rain? The use of close-ups and the transformation of Davidson's face to make him look devilish? his grinning, his succumbing to his passions? Sadie and her lack of awareness of what was happening? Her disillusionment and her playing her records again? The contrast with the natives discovering Davidson's body and his throat being cut?

13. The various attitudes towards Davidson's death: the Mc Phails, Mrs Davidson and her realization of what had happened, Sadie and her being sorry? How genuine was Sadie?

14. Disillusionment and O' Hara offering her some hope? How convincing was this? What was the audience left with at the end?