Tonight's Movie: Sadie McKee (1934) - A Warner Archive Blu-ray Review

Joan Crawford shines in the title role as SADIE MCKEE (1934), just released on Blu-ray by the Warner Archive Collection.

In this enjoyable melodrama, Crawford's Sadie is the daughter of the cook (Helen Ware) for a wealthy family on their country estate.

Michael (Franchot Tone), the family's son who's a New York City attorney, has known Sadie since they were children and is clearly taken with her, but they have a falling out over his treatment of ne'er-do-well Tommy, with whom Sadie is in love.

Sadie elopes with Tommy to New York City, but after a single night together he fails to meet her at the marriage bureau for their intended noon wedding, having instead run off to perform with Dolly (Esther Ralston) as part of her musical act.

Sadie meets Michael's client Jack (Edward Arnold), a wealthy man who is drinking himself to an early death. Sadie agrees to marry Jack, who despite his perpetual drunkenness is good to Sadie and gives her a secure home.

In return Sadie eventually helps Jack in his battle with the bottle, but she's still hung up on Tommy, despite his cruelty in dumping her. And Michael, suspicious of Sadie's motives in marrying Jack, is always waiting in the wings to alternately help and criticize Sadie.

SADIE MCKEE has been on my "to watch" list for a while now, and I'm glad I finally caught up with it. It's an imperfect yet highly diverting 93 minutes, with Crawford at her most beautiful and sympathetic.

It's perhaps a bit of a stretch that Sadie remains so hung up on the man who did her wrong, but Crawford's sincere performance sells it all the way. Similarly, her strength in the scene where she confronts Jack's household staff over enabling his drinking is a genuinely exciting moment of triumph.

The movie was released in May 1934, just a few weeks ahead of Production Code enforcement, and it definitely has some pre-Code moments, especially concerning Sadie and Tommy being intimate "without benefit of clergy," as the saying goes.

The film's imperfections chiefly revolve around Arnold's alcoholism, as his drunken scenes go on incredibly long; I wish they'd been trimmed just a bit. When he's sober he's a much more interesting and admirable fellow.

I also felt that Franchot Tone's character got short shrift in the late going. A couple of stills found online, including one seen here, hint that some of his scenes surrounding finding Tommy may have been left on the cutting-room floor; one example is seen here. Although Michael fights with Sadie frequently, it's pretty clear that much of what is motivating his anger is jealousy. He loves Sadie so much he can't see straight, yet he finds himself playing third fiddle behind Tommy and Jack.

That said, I liked the film's ambiguous yet positive ending with Sadie and Michael. Crawford and Tone were very good together, and in real life they married the following year. Though the marriage didn't last, they remained lifelong friends and Crawford cared for Tone near the end of his life.

The supporting cast is tops, starting with favorite Jean Dixon as Sadie's best friend. Leo G. Carroll plays Jack's butler, and many other great faces are on hand including Akim Tamiroff, Samuel S. Hinds, Mary Forbes, and Minerva Urecal.

SADIE MCKEE was directed by Clarence Brown and filmed by Oliver T. Marsh. The screenplay was written by John Meehan and the uncredited Carey Wilson, based on a story by Vina Delmar.

The Warner Archive's Blu-ray print is lovely, with good sound.

Disc extras include the trailer, which unusually features the original story's author, Vina Delmar. The Blu-ray also contains the cartoons WHY DO I DREAM THOSE DREAMS (1934), SHAKE YOUR POWDER PUFF (1934), and POP GOES YOUR HEART (1934).

This is an excellent buy, especially for fans of the cast and glossy MGM melodramas.

Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray. Warner Archive Blu-rays may be ordered from Movie Zyng, Amazon, and other online retailers.

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