Watch Laughing Sinners

The 1931 romantic drama Laughing Sinners stars Joan Crawford, Clark Gable and Neil Hamilton. Crawford plays a burlesque dancer, Ivy Stevens, who falls in love with wealthy playboy, Jack Newton (Gable). Desperate to leave her troubled past behind, Ivy longs for a respectable life with Jack, but he simply cannot give up his frivolous lifestyle for her. Ivy's emotional turmoil and personal crisis reach a breaking point when she is betrayed by a co-worker and, in a moment of weakness, caught shoplifting by the police. As she faces the consequences of her actions, Ivy must decide whether she will continue to cling to her dreams of a better life with Jack or face her troubles head-on and try to create a new future for herself.

The film opens with a glamorous introduction to Ivy, who is a star attraction at a burlesque theater. Despite her glittering appearance and lively performances, we see glimpses of the loneliness and sadness that plague her. When Jack, a wealthy heir to a hotel fortune, walks into the theater one night, looking for a night of entertainment with his friends, Ivy is smitten with him. Jack, charmed by her beauty and spirit, takes her out for a night on the town, and Ivy is hopeful that she has found her ticket to a better life.

But Jack's affections are short-lived, and he predictably abandons Ivy as soon as he realizes that her dreams of security and stability are at odds with his carefree life. Struggling to make a living and disillusioned with Jack, Ivy starts to unravel emotionally. Her sense of self-worth is further eroded when she is caught shoplifting - an act that is both a symptom of her desperation and a damning verdict on her character in the eyes of society.

In one particularly poignant scene, Ivy is left alone in her shabby apartment with nothing but a record player for company, and we see the depth of her despair as she contemplates suicide. It's a moment that speaks to the loneliness and isolation that characterizes Ivy's life, and Crawford delivers a memorable performance in the scene.

As Ivy descends into a spiral of self-doubt and anxiety, she receives unexpected support from the young minister Roger Corwin (played by Neil Hamilton), who sees past her outward appearance and recognizes her underlying goodness. Through a series of heartfelt conversations, Ivy starts to see a glimmer of hope for her future. The relationship between Ivy and Roger develops beautifully, with Crawford and Hamilton bringing a tenderness and insight to their scenes together.

While the film is anchored by Crawford's affecting portrayal of Ivy, Gable also displays his trademark charm and swagger as Jack, the playboy with a heart of gold. The chemistry between the two is palpable, and their scenes together crackle with energy. Despite Jack's superficiality, Gable manages to give the character depth and nuance, and his performance adds to the film's emotional complexity.

Ultimately, what makes Laughing Sinners such a compelling film is its exploration of universal themes of love, redemption, and self-discovery. Ivy's journey from a lonely burlesque dancer to a woman of strength and resilience is both moving and inspiring, and the film's message of hope and perseverance is timeless. While some of the plot developments may feel melodramatic to modern viewers, they are all grounded in the realism and grit that characterizes many films of the early 1930s.

Overall, Laughing Sinners is a gem of a film that showcases the talents of three of Hollywood's brightest stars. With its vibrant characters, heartfelt performances, and emotional depth, it's a movie that deserves a place in the canon of classic Hollywood cinema.

Laughing Sinners is a 1931 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 12 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.6.