W. Somerset Maugham’s 1921 short story of the same name, Lewis Milestone rain Revolves around the violent clash of Puritanism and Hedonism. By moving this age-old battle for the human soul to the remote island of Pago Pago, rain This book explores the pervasiveness of America’s tyrannical and often hypocritical brand of religious fundamentalism, and the distance those persecuted by the judgment of its practitioners may, and perhaps must, seek to escape it. Both distances must be sharply examined.
W. Somerset Maugham’s 1921 short story of the same name, Lewis Milestone rain Revolves around the violent clash of Puritanism and Hedonism. By moving this age-old battle for the human soul to the remote island of Pago Pago, rain This book explores the pervasiveness of America’s tyrannical and often hypocritical brand of religious fundamentalism, and the distance those persecuted by the judgment of its practitioners may, and perhaps must, seek to escape it. Both distances must be sharply examined.From the opening montage, which recalls the fragmented style of Joris Ivens’ 1929 avant-garde work of the same name, rain is present throughout. It’s a natural ambience that audibly and visually reinforces the moral strife that continues between two of the dozen people stranded on the island until the cholera epidemic on the ship subsides. Power. Mr. Davidson (Walter Huston), a vulgar missionary;
The two archetypes are starkly contrasting, not only in their morals and appearance, but also in their movements and manner of speaking. Crawford’s legendary entrance instantly announces that Sadie is a force of nature. Five quick cuts of her show her bejeweled hands, her legs in high heels, and finally, in a wider shot, her head as a cigarette hangs dangerously from her lips. is swinging in the frame. While Crawford moves around almost instinctively, almost cat-like, drawing men to her with her voluptuous voice and charming eyes, Houston is always rigid and carefully measured. Even Davidson’s strongly worded plea to repent of his sinful ways conveys nothing like the passion with which Sadie persists.
rainThe sometimes dull portrait of the familiar conflict is compounded by a milieu that, as a whole, is indifferent to Davidson and his wife’s (Beulah Bondi) demands of piety. The ugly soldiers stand up for her, and the island’s general store owner, Joe (Guy Kibby), is a Nietzsche-quoting bohemian, lamenting the fact that Americans are now “made to act.” I’m here. This is perhaps a reference to the post-Jazz Age comedown and the rise of the Reformation, which seeped into Hollywood only two years later with the Hayes Code fully implemented. Joe’s remark that the point is “they won’t leave you alone” plays out both inside and outside the film’s reality.
As much as Crawford played the role of Sadie, the actress disliked her performance, but critics and audiences who were previously repeat fans of the character played by Jeanne Eigels and Gloria Swanson. It’s easy to imagine her perception being shaken by – Kibby’s comic relief character and Brasé’s demeanor are the film’s true secret weapons. The man’s ironic, world-weary humor cuts through the didacticism and acerbicness that occasionally permeates both hands between Crawford and Houston, giving the film the levity it needs.
Joe sees countless men like Davidson and sees him as a hypocrite from the start. But just as the man was prepared to patronize Sadie, he was ultimately powerless to defend her and went to Davidson to antagonize the young woman and deliver her punishment. Caught off guard by the ridiculous length. How wily Davidson is, and how the movie slowly reveals his ties to American politicians, brings a shocking shift in how we perceive him. Where Sadie brushed off many of Davidson’s intimidating attacks earlier in the film, his growing display of unbridled power makes him a truly terrifying and timeless foe. In essence, his actions expose his hypocrisy, but like most men of his kind, it doesn’t prevent him from leaving a maelstrom of destruction in his wake.
Image/sound
VCI Entertainment has transferred a new 4K restoration that is virtually perfect. The image is rich in detail and texture, from the opening shot of raindrops falling into the sand, leaves and buckets of water. Contrast is equally impressive, with characters and objects clearly visible even with the slightest flicker of light, especially in nighttime outdoor scenes. The dialogue is clean and crisp, with only the slightest hint of sound typical of early 1930s films, and the near constant rain doesn’t affect the clarity of the soundtrack.
extra
The two audio commentaries included here are fun to listen to and cover different areas. In his track, film historian Mick LaSalle discusses the hugely successful Broadway play starring Jeanne Eigels and analyzes the film’s various performances, including supporting roles played by Guy Kibby and Beulah Bondi. spending a lot of time. In a second commentary, author and historian Richard Barrios pays homage to the film’s visual style and the way director Lewis Milestone uses camera tricks, editing, and location shoots to push the film away from its stage origins. represents. The disc also contains an unrestored version of his 76-minute cut of the film released in 1938, the 1932 Betty Boop cartoon “Poor Cinderella”, and the original trailer. The package concludes with a bound booklet containing a brief essay about Joan Crawford’s involvement in the film and its failure at the box office.
whole
VCI’s Blu-ray with two compelling audio commentaries and a stunning new restoration rain A must have for fans of the Joan Crawford and Pre-Code movies.
Score:
cast: Joan Crawford, Walter Huston, Guy Kibby, Beulah Bondi directed by: Lewis Milestone Screenwriter: Maxwell Anderson Release date: September 13, 2022 buy: video