before she be mildred pierce and joan crawford play the role of sadie thompson base on somerset maugham story entitle rain . she be a prostitute or too loose with the men especially the sailor . when she and others be strand on pago pago in the samoa and they have to stay there before they can go anywhere else . walter huston play a devout religious hypocritical merciless minister who try to steer sadie in the right direction . anybody else could have make sadie either laughable or one dimensional and crawford show her talent in keep u to like and dislike her character . crawford first and final appearance be simply impressive . you can not take your eye off her . she want to be the star of the film and she be because she have the talent in order to succeed and she do to legendary status . crawford knack for be comical and cruel and vulnerable all at once in this role . beulah bondi have a supporting role . for one of the first film in the early thirty and it an entertaining film .