Possessed

Poor factory girl (Joan Crawford) goes to New York to find fame and fortune. She quickly becomes a "kept" woman for a rich lawyer (Clark Gable--without his moustache). But she can't keep her past away forever and things start to go terribly wrong.

Strong (for 1931), short (71 minutes) pre-Code drama. The script is sharp and believable, the direction good and there are some incredibly lavish settings. Also Crawford and Gable are just great in their roles and both of them look incredibly beautiful. There was a brief part at the end that I didn't buy, but that didn't destroy the picture at all. Well worth seeing for anybody, but a definite must for Crawford and Gable fans.

Joan Crawford made two films, both with the title; "Possessed." This is the 1931 version (the other was made in 1947) and the two stories are nothing alike. Clark Gable is in this one, and it's a delight to see the two superstars together. (Supposedly, they were having a torrid affair at the time this was filmed).

This movie goes to prove that pre-code Hollywood was much more mature and knew how to make movies of good taste on socially relevant issues. The theme of the woman who lives as a 'mistress' of the man she loves because he prefers not to get married was very daring in those days. The social background was also cleverly handled. One scene is particularly impressive and intelligent: when J. Crawford, just about to cross a railroad, stops to wait a train go slowly by and, through each window that passes, she has a glimpse of how the other half lives, just as though she were watching a movie. A visually very inspired moment.

I am not a Joan Crawford fan, but I have come to appreciate her acting, especially in her early career. This film, released in 1931, shows her promise as an actress (not to mention Gable, who always displayed a magnetism that lit up the screen). Joan would star in another film titled "Possessed" in 1947, but they are two different stories. In this pre-Code story, adapted from a play, she is Marian Martin, a small-town girl who works in a box factory, but is determined to get ahead, though she sees no prospects locally.

A train passing through town slows and stops in front of her. Through the windows, she sees highlights of the high life, the life of the big city, promising wealth and romance. It is a wonderful scene. As a result, she makes her way to New York City, where she meets Mark Whitney (Clark Gable), a wealthy, unmarried attorney who immediately likes her no-nonsense honesty. They become involved, but he has no plans to marry her.

Crawford is vivacious and convincing in the role, showing a wide range of emotions. The film spotlights her beauty and her talent. In one scene, she sings in French, German and English. The song is "How Long Will it Last?"--an appropriate choice. The script is intelligent and the directing is clever and inventive.

There is only one section of the film that did not ring true, but it sets up a scene that is the dramatic climax of the film. As a whole, this film is well worth seeing.

In 1931, rising star Clark Gable & already established star Joan Crawford made three films together at MGM. This is probably the best of those three, and maybe the best of all eight they did over a nine-year period (STRANGE CARGO in 1940 follows second best). Crawford is a poor Pennsylvania factory worker, who decides to go to New York to find fortune and happiness, eventually with married lawyer Gable. The plot relies on the familiar "Crawford formula" of a rags-to-riches story. 3 out of 4 stars.