Customer Reviews

Sadie Mckee [VHS]

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4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
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This is a very entertaining, depression era film. It is a rags to riches story. Sadie Mckee (Joan Crawford) is a beautiful, working class young woman whose mother works as the cook in a wealthy household in upstate New York. The master's son, Michael (Franchot Tone), a lawyer, is on very friendly terms with Sadie, until he disparages her true love, Tommy (Gene Raymond), a ne'er do well scoundrel, with a penchant for crooning, "All I Do Is Dream of You".

She runs off with Tommy one night to New York City and believes that they will be married. He, instead, runs off with a blonde bombshell night club entertainer, who offers him a job crooning. Sadie, despondent and dead broke, gets a job in a clip joint, where she meets the million dollar man (Edward Arnold), a rich alcoholic who becomes totally besotted by her. On the rebound, she consents to marry him after a whirlwind courtship, over the objections of Michael who is legal counsel to the millionaire. You see, Michael now thinks that she is nothing but a cheap, little gold digger.

After Sadie and the millionaire marry, she has everything her heart could desire, except for Tommy. Yet, she is genuinely fond of the alcoholic millionaire, whose drinking is legendary. No enabler she, Sadie invokes some tough love in order to save him from an early death from drinking. She also comes to a cross road in her own life and makes a decision that will forever change her destiny. To find out what it is, watch the movie, you will not be disappointed.

A young Joan Crawford is exquisitely beautiful and delivers a powerful performance as sexy Sadie. Franchot Tone gives a pleasant and appealing performance. Gene Raymond, a Rudy Vallee sort of crooner, is engaging as Sadie's childhood sweetheart, whose life takes an unexpected turn and is not dealt kindly by fate. Edward Arnold, as the alcoholic millionaire, gives a poignant and compelling performance and almost steals the show right from under Joan Crawford.

All in all, this is a film that will keep the viewer riveted to the screen. It will appeal to all Joan crawford fans, as well as those who have an appreciation for vintage, classic films.

This is one of my very favorite Joan Crawford movies because it was so entertaining and Sadie was such a likeable character. As she often did, Joan plays opposite one of her husbands (2nd husband Franchot Tone played Mike Alderson) in this classic Metro picture.

Sadie is tired of working as a maid with her mother for the stuffy Aldersons. When Mike badmouths her love-interest (Gene Raymond plays Tommy) one time too many times Sadie decides to hop a train with him.

Armed with just a few dollars (even in the 1930's that wasn't a lot of money to start your life on) Manhattan seemed like a daunting city for small-town Sadie. But with a help of a new friend Sadie and Tommy find a small room to rent and decide to get married the following day.

As is par for the course for any 1930's picture with Ms. Crawford, Sadie's lover gilts her and leaves the Big Apple! Sadie decides to stay in the City and do what she was born to do, dance. She gets a job as a show-girl and soon meets and marries fat-cat Jack Brennan (played by Edward Arnold.)

Joan was so beautiful in this picture, her huge eyes really light up the screen. Anyone that appreciates classic cinema will surely adore "Sadie McKee!"

While enjoying a late night snack, I happened to switch on my favorite cable channel, Turner Classic Movies. The introductory credits were rolling for a movie entitled "Sadie McKee". I was curious about the title so I decided to watch a few minutes of this movie before turning in.

So much for a good night's sleep! This movie had me transfixed for its entirety. It is the story of a working class girl, Sadie McKee, admirably played by Joan Crawford, who is the daughter of a cook who works for the wealthy Alderson family. Franchot Tone plays Mike, son of the Aldersons. Mike has always liked Sadie and vice versa.

However, when Sadie's boyfriend Tommy, played by Gene Raymond, is fired by Mike and not given a second chance, Sadie's attitude towards Mike changes. She follows Tommy to New York City where he goes in search of a job. Sadie and Tommy plan to marry until Tommy falls prey to the temptations of the Big City.

Sadie and Tommy's marriage is off when Tommy fails to meet Sadie at City Hall for their marriage license. To support herself, a girlfriend finds Sadie a job in a dance hall where she meets a kind-hearted, alcoholic millionaire, Jack Brennan, brilliantly played by Edward Arnold. Coincidentally, Jack is a good friend of Mike Alderson's.

We then witness Jack's quick marriage to Sadie and the events that follow.

In 1934 when this movie was made, Joan Crawford was already a huge star at MGM. Yet she completely and miraculously sheds her glamorous image in her portrayal of Sadie. You believe Joan as the honest, down to earth working girl out on her own struggling to find happiness and security. And you continue to believe Joan as Sadie when Sadie becomes a rich man's wife. Sadie shows toughness and compassion as she fights to save Jack's alcohol abused life in spite of suspicions that she is just after his money.

I have always had ambivalent feelings about Miss Crawford since watching the supposed "true" story of her terrifying relationship with her daughter Christina in "Mommie Dearest". Whether or not this was true, Crawford still has many fans and lifelong friends who adore and defend her. They describe her loyalty, generousity, and her earnest commitment to her craft.

And indeed, that commitment is quite evident in her role as Sadie McKee. Joan realistically displays a full range of emotions through the different stages of Sadie's life. With skill and spirit, Crawford makes you care about our tenacious and tender heroine, Sadie.

"Sadie McKee" is a first rate production in every department. Good show!

Joan Crawford hit another peak in her 1930's career with this production and her previous effort "Dancing Lady" and really she has never been better than in this effort with the full MGM production team backing her up to perfection.

Alot of people might just dismiss this story as yet another piece of magazine fiction rescued by another valiant effort by Joan Crawford.In reality it is an engrossing drama that produces some excellent acting by the major characters. Joan Crawford I feel is always dismissed as more of a personality than an actress but in the role of Sadie she manages to project a multi dimensional character of warmth, conscience, drive and in the end, principle. Hers is a wonderful depiction and very deserving of the success she enjoyed in this role.

Another revelation in "Sadie McKee" is Edward Arnold who I feel has one of his most challenging roles here as the wealthy drunk who marries Sadie on a whim but learns alot about where his life is going and ultimately gets things on track. He is marvellous and manages to turn his character from one we could possibly have no sympathy for, to one who we ultimately admire. I have seen little of Arnold's work except his equally great performance as Tyrone Power's father in "Johnny Apollo". His drunk scenes are both sad and very disturbing and the scene where we knocks Joan Crawford's character out in a drunken rage will shock you. It never fails to disturb me with it's realism.

Franchot Tone (in reality Joan's second husband) even shines in his performance as the rich lawyer who has loved Sadie since childhood and eventually wins her over for a happy conclusion to the story. I find him rather wooden in most of his MGM work but here he finally has a role with a bit of body to it, nothing marvellous, but just enough to indicate to us what he might have been capable of.

Being a Joan Crawford vechicle of the 1930's the production would not be complete without the MGM production team . Adrian's creations for Joan after her climb up the ladder are a sight to be seen. "Sadie McKee" also boasts the expert attention to detail so typical of MGM whether it be depicting Edward Arnold's long Island mansion or the seedy boarding house where Joan along with real love Gene Raymond first live in NewYork.

Clarence Brown, a great MGM director of some of the studios great classics like "National Velvet" as always provides solid direction which keeps the story moving and shows up well the frustrations that the characters experience whether it be disillusionment, un requited love, failure or death.

"Sadie McKee" is terrific entertainment and one of the crowning achievements of Joan Crawford's MGM years. You will see that she was an actress of great intensity and skill in this role

This really has to be my favorite Joan Crawford movie. "Sadie McKee" is the very first movie I ever saw with Miss Crawford and ever since I saw it I completely fell in love with this screen queen!

It was such a mesmerizing picture and Sadie was such a likeable person. As she often did, Joan plays opposite one of her husbands (2nd husband Franchot Tone played Mike Alderson) in this classic Metro picture.

Sadie is tired of working as a maid with her mother for the stuffy Aldersons. When Mike badmouths her love-interest (Gene Raymond plays Tommy) one time too many times Sadie decides to hop a train with him to the Big Apple! Armed with just a few dollars (even in the 1930's that wasn't a lot of money to start your life on) New York seemed like a daunting city for small-town Sadie. But with a help of a new friend Sadie and Tommy find a small room to rent and decide to get married the following day. As is par for (m)any 1930's picture with Miss Crawford, Sadie's lover gilts her and leaves the City! Sadie decides to stay and do what she was put on this earth for; dance! She gets a job as a show-girl and soon meets and marries fat-cat Jack Brennan (played by Edward Arnold.)

Joan was so beautiful in this picture, her huge eyes really light up the screen. Just for you, I've added some pics of Joan, as Sadie here!

Here are the basics of this movie:

Sadie Mckee (May 9, 1934) (Studio: MGM)
Runtime Listing: 90 mins.
(Joan played: Sadie McKee Brennan)
Color/BW: Black and White
Brief Synopsis:
A working girl suffers through three troubled relationships on her road to prosperity.

And here's what Miss Crawford said about this film (much later in her career, during the 60's): Everything about "Sadie McKee" was right - Gene Raymond, Franchot Tone, the script, Clarence Brown's direction, Adrian's
customs, the works.

As you know the movie also included the famous song, "All I do is Dream of You." This song was also sung by Debbie Reynolds in Singin' in the Rain , as well. But I much prefer how it sounds in "Sadie McKee." The Lyrics are by Arthur Freed and the melody is by Nacio Herb Brown. These are the lyrics to this song:
All I do is dream of you the whole night through
With the dawn I still go on and dream of you
You're every thought, you're everything
You're every song I ever sing
Summer, winter, autumn and spring
And were there more than twenty four hours a day
They'd be spent in sweet content, dreaming away
When skies are grey, when skies are blue
Morning, noon and night-time too
All I do is dream of you the whole day through

Anyone that appreciates classic cinema will surely adore "Sadie McKee!" This is one of those sweet and sad love stories that Joan was so famous for during her MGM days. I can watch this movie over and over again and still be totally amazed at Joan's talent and ability to light up the screen with her huge eyes and pretty smile!

Why was Miss Crawford such a fascinating and unconventional star...?

Miss Crawford was a first-rate star, who worked her a-s-s off to get to where she was! And, do you know what she did once she got there? She worked 10 times harder...! Joan had the longest and most impressive film career of any star during Tinseltown's famed Golden Age of Cinema! Joan's career lasted 5 decades! And her career proved to be more loyal to her than any lover or husband! Miss Crawford was always known for her fashion-sense, classical beauty and the ability to constantly re-invent herself (half a century before the Material Girl was a household name!)

Joan Crawford started her career in 1925 as a flapper, playing in bit parts as a contract-player for the most glorious studio in town, MGM. She was nothing more than a glorified prop, unbilled in her first film, "Lady of the Night." Soon, Joan was promoted to leading-lady, appearing in such critically-acclaimed pictures as, Harry Langdon's Tramp, Tramp, Tramp, and Lon Chaney's The Unknown. But it wasn't until Joan accepted the role of Diana Medford, in Our Dancing Daughters that she became a bona fide star! By the end of the decade Joan had more than 20 pictures under her belt!

In the 30's when many silent stars were bowing out gracefully, Joan was back with a vengeance! This time Joan was the little shop girl that Depression-Era American ladies (and maybe even some boys, too) could really identify with. Miss Crawford could be seen acting in such famed movies as, "Letty Lynton," Rain, Sadie Mckee, Grand Hotel , and one of my personal favorites, Forsaking All Others . Some of the 25 classics that Joan also made during the 30's include: Dancing Lady, Laughing Sinners, Dance, Fools, Dance, Chained, "No More Ladies," The Gorgeous Hussy, Love on the Run (1936), The Bride Wore Red, Mannequin (1938) and of course one of her most popular ever, The Women !

"No more goddamn shop girls," Joan was once quoted as saying to MGM chief-honcho, Louis B. Mayer. In the 40's Joan yet again came back in another one of her many incarnations, this time as the society matron in such movies as, When Ladies Meet (1941), Reunion in France and Susan & God. In 1942 Miss Crawford donated her entire salary from Columbia's They All Kissed the Bride to charity and then she turned around and fired her agent when he didn't do the same! After 18 years of being a member of the MGM family, Miss Crawford took a huge gamble and decided to branch out, this time working for the actor's studio, Warners. Joan's first film for Warners, was her most famous movie, and it garnered her the Oscar for Best Actress; playing the title role in her defining-film, Mildred Pierce . Joan also made a slew other first-rate pictures during this period, such as: Humoresque, "Daisy Kenyon," and Flamingo Road (1949). Moving to Warners really paid off for Miss Crawford, because she also received her second Academy Award nomination for Possessed, playing the harried Louise Howell! Of course, Miss Crawford had all the time in the world to donate to the war-effort. Joan was often seen at the Hollywood Canteen entertaining our boys; ...how many of today's movie stars get off their pedestals to do this?

The 50's marked a very pivotal time in Joan's illustrious career. Because in the next chapter of her picture resume, she played the determined and strong matriarch in many wonderful dramatic cinematic masterpieces. Such as, Harriet Craig, Queen Bee, "Female on the Beach," The Damned Don't Cry, "Goodbye My Fancy," The Story of Esther Costello and Autumn Leaves. Miss Crawford also received her third Academy Award nomination playing Myra Hudson in RKO's Sudden Fear. And never one to be typecast, Joan made a big splash in Johnny Guitar, playing a tough saloon owner in the wild-west! Also beginning in the 50's, Joan took up the campaign as official spokeswoman for Pepsi-Cola; a coveted role that she enjoyed for more than 18 years!

In the 60's Miss Crawford didn't slow down for a second! Nope! She came out swinging. Joan made the whole country ask in droves, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? . In one of her most well-known pictures ever, Joan played Blanche Hudson, opposite another very talented actress, Ms. Bette Davis, in this gorgeous Warners film! Throughout all the 60's Miss Crawford was known as the "Scream Queen." She stared in such cult-favorites as, Strait-Jacket, Della, I Saw What You Did and Berserk! It was also around this time, that Miss Crawford penned her autobiography, A Portrait of Joan Crawford.

Even in semi-retirement, Miss Crawford still always kept busy during the 1970's. This time she was the Hollywood Legend, and everyone knew it! When the movie studios weren't knocking on her door, she switched to television. In one of her last television appearances, Miss Crawford played the part of Joan Fairchild in ABC's "The Sixth Sense: Dear Joan: We're Going to Scare You to Death." She also wrote her second book, the best-selling My Way of Life. And, Joan always found the time for some of her favorite charities; donating her talent and time to The Muscular Dystrophy Association and The American Cancer Society. Of course, Joan also made time to speak to her good friend and journalist Roy Newquist. Mr. Newquist was actually the only writer that Miss Crawford chose to speak to during the late 70's, and his thoughtful (and unprecedented) interviews with Joan were published in the 1980 book, Conversations with Joan Crawford.

Miss Crawford perished a second time when the majority of the public threw her away and vilified her as a lunatic. But this death was much more painful. Because not only were Joan's films forgotten, but all of the good she did during her lifetime was also completely erased! Could a violent and crazed-alcoholic have accomplished just half of what Miss Crawford did in her life? And, could they have pulled it off with such perfection, like Joan always did? As far as I'm concerned, it's preposterous to think that Miss Crawford would have ever done anything to put her good name or her livelihood on the line. The true Joan Crawford was kind, compassionate and generous to a fault. Joan was a self-made lady who worked for everything she got. She just wanted to keep her head above water in a man's world where women didn't have a voice or a choice. Miss Crawford never for a second forgot where she came from or who she was, and she never for a moment let her beloved fans down! All Joan wanted was for someone to give her a chance and believe in her.

If you're interested in learning about the true Joan Crawford, I recommend watching some of her pictures. Joan has always said that her true biography is on film. As you may know, Joan has a very detailed movie library that may look intimidating at first, since it is so long and impressive. A good place to start is her boxed set , which includes some of her greatest movies. Miss Crawford also has a second set that will be out next year, too. And, I recommend reading Conversations With Joan Crawford, because this book showed the true Joan Crawford. I also recommend these books, as well: A portrait of Joan;: The autobiography of Joan Crawford , Joan Crawford: Her Life in Letters and Joan Crawford, a biography. And there will be a new book about Joan out by Feb. '08, Not the Girl Next Door: Joan Crawford, a Personal Biography; which is supposed be the most accurate and comprehensive biography ever penned!

Shortly before her death, when asked if she would do it all over again, Miss Crawford bluntly said, "It's difficult to answer that question because part of me believes in Predestination - you know, someone up there is pulling the strings, what ever will be will be." In the end, after all has been said about her, Joan was just a person looking for some happiness; she just wanted to make it through the night, no different from the rest of us.

This formulaic tale of a shopgirl who moves up is classic Crawford... she looks spectacular and rises above her material to compell and delight the whole way. She is so appealing it is evident why she was such a popular star...more beautiful than most of today's crop of film femmes and talented, too!

This is a charming old Black & White film featuring the young and lovely Joan Crawford. It is of course not the very best visual/audio quality ~ because of its age ~ but is most heart warming, and Crawford gives a very sincere and sweet performance. How lovely and beautiful she was in the early years. A nice film for Joan Crawford fans. It will touch your heart.

Okay, so this is a hokey little story from Hollywood's golden age that would rate no more than a movie-of-the-week if it were tried today. That said, it's also a classic example of the studio star system at its most efficient. This was a "Joan Crawford" movie in the best sense, tailored to her particular talents and appealing to her audience's sensibilities. Crawford was an erratic but nevertheless underrated actress who admittedly gave some amateurish performances in her long career. Still, she improved from a limited performer to a rather accomplished one through years of determination and a professional work ethic. "Sadie McKee" is a prime example of that process in motion. What could have been a tawdry and unbelievable tale is made vivid and involving through Crawford's sincerity in the part. She pulls off both her devotion to the vapid Gene Raymond (you know he's not good enough for her right from the start) and her consternation (meaning her attraction ) to the suave Franchot Tone, who is in fine form himself here. Most memorably, however, is how Crawford handles the tricky premise in her marriage-for-money with Edward Arnold. This could have made her character despicable, but Crawford brings out the character's humanity in rather touching manner. This gives her an opportunity to display her most likeable quality as an actress, her loyalty, and you want to root for her, not reject her, more than ever. It's just right for "Sadie" and saves the movie from mawkishness. Yes, this is a "Crawford" film, but if the uninitiated want to know just what a "Crawford" film really was at MGM, start here. You'll get the point, and maybe Joan Crawford will be resurrected from the demon of THAT BOOK to the classic Hollywood ACTRESS she truly was. She earned the right.

Very entertaining soap opera-deluxe with Joan Crawford at her radiant best -in fact this one must be one of her `30s best and better known films- playing Sadie, an extremely honest working girl, who has all-the-guts.

Although much has been said and blah-blah-ed about Crawford's lack of acting talent, especially in this early stage of her long film career, I must say that the plain fact is that her acting here, undeniably, seems a lot more contemporary and down-to-earth to today's audiences and by nowadays standards, than that of many actresses and stars of the 1930s. The screen doesn't lie, each film is a testimony in itself. And what can one say about those expressive eyes of hers.

In fact, the first time I saw Crawford onscreen, was in one of her earliest movies, all-star "Grand Hotel", I was much younger then (18) and her acting struck me a lot more convincing than Garbo's (the other female star of that picture), whose playing, at first sight, seemed to me rather contrived and mannered and maybe too "theatrical", in spite of the fact that she was playing a doomed Russian ballerina (that's why she was better suited to period films).

Crawford's three leading men in this film, all give strong performances: Gene Raymond, as the irresponsible Tommy, the love of her life; Franchot Tone (her husband-to-be in real life), as the very righteous Michael, whose attitude towards Crawford is unjustly unsympathetic for most of the picture; and great character actor Edward Arnold, as booze addict Brennan, a millionaire with a heart of gold who marries Crawford.

Also in the cast, very pretty silent star of lesser magnitude, Esther Ralston, who also had certain small success in early talkies, in the downhill of her film career, playing a singer who steals away Tommy from Sadie; and Jean Dixon, as Crawford's understanding and ever-helpful friend. Nice supporting too, from Leo G. Carrol as Brennan's butler and Akim Tamiroff as the owner of a joint.

This movie is worth every buck, you won't be disappointed, it'll catch your attention right from the very start, even my 12 year old niece was taken by it and wanted to watch the whole show! That's the living proof of Crawford's screen truth.

Wow! What a beauty Joan was in this production. She falls in love with a nice, but naive young man. When he leaves her to help provide a better future, Joan marries a wealthy man to help him (not sexually) only to realize her one true love is dying. She then emotionally is forced to return to her one love only to watch him die. The future is bright, though, because there is a young Franchot Tone in the wings to pick up the pieces of her life. It is great fun!