Afouotos Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

Humaira Grant It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Brenda The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Logan By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

LeonLouisRicci Infamous Pre-Code Movie that is often Cited as one of those that brought the Hays Code as the Predeterminer of all Things out of Hollywood. It was Banned in Pennsylvania and Ohio, and once the Code Took Effect, the Do-Gooders made it Clear that this one was Never to be Re-Released in Any Form. Thanks a Bunch.Because of all the Hoopla this was a Rarely Seen, until recently, Film that was "Lost" for Decades. Then when it did Resurface in Bad Prints and were a Disappointment at Best and Impossible to Watch at Worst. But Recently, thanks to TCM and others, a New 35MM Print has been Restruck and Pre-Code Fans were Salivating to get a Glimpse at this Faulkner Story that was Considered Unfilmable. But Paramount did Film it and Release it with a Title Change, because the Book was as Infamous as the Movie would Become. The Book, "Sanctuary", was considered Lurid Trash. The Movie, "The Story of Temple Drake", was considered Lurid Trash. So Everyone Wins, so to speak.It is Quite a Ride with Miriam Hopkins Playing the Lead, a Late Teen Southern Belle with a Family History on Her Side and a Beau always at Her Side who were Always Invited but Never let into "The Temple". A Scrawl on the Bathroom Wall says it All..."Temple Drake is a Fake...She Wants to Eat and Have Her Cake".The Movie is Divided Distinctly in Two Parts. First are the Fancy Free and Gay Party Scenes where Temple Bounces from Boy to Frustrated Boy, comes in at Dawn and is Happy just to Dance and Drink the Night Away.Part Two is a Gothic Horror Story that Pulls Few Punches. The Fantasy Daydream has become a Nightmare when Temple Finds Herself Stranded in an Old Dark House with Hillbilly Horrors.There are Filthy, Sweaty Men Lusting after Her Disrobed, Pre-Code Female Form and this Climaxes with a Barnyard Rape and a Stockholm Syndrome Situation. Jack La Rue is the Bootlegger, Pimp, Murderer, Rapist, that has Temple Under His Spell and after Spending some Nights in a Brothel, the Final Act of Capitulation, the Courtroom Conclusion is brought about so Things can be Set Righteous. This is a Racy, Raunchy, Sordid Story of Sex, Murder, and Drunks. All Surrounding a Southern Family. Class Structured Elitism Exposed in the William Faulkner Way with a Heaping of Pre-Censorship, Expressionistic, Hollywood.Note...This is one of the most written about Pre-Code Films and there is much more information to be found elsewhere with in depth discussions about the Film's History.

mr-jon-hope Faulkner dismissed his novel Sanctuary as a "pot-boiler", although he liked the character of Temple Drake well enough to bring her back in a later novel (Requiem for a Nun). Both novels have greater complexity and moral ambiguity than the screenplay for The Story of Temple Drake could possibly capture in 70 minutes of film. The movie lacks Faulkner's depiction of how rich and poor don't have equal access to justice, but does portray how those who enjoy an elevated social standing aren't always more virtuous than those they look down upon. The elaborate film sets illustrate this when Temple crosses the divide between the elegant party scene and the bootleggers' foreboding farmhouse. In the novel, the lawyer Benbow (whose first name is Horace) is less enamored of Temple and much more concerned with defending his client Lee Goodwin (and Goodwin's companion Ruby Lemarr) from prejudices both legal and social. In the film, Ruby briefly alludes to prostituting herself in order to get Lee out of prison.SPOILER: The sudden ending of the film is the opposite of what happens in the book. Suffice it to say that in Sanctuary, Temple is untroubled by conscience and unswayed by Benbow. The bad guy gets away, and the good guy doesn't. It's my favorite of Faulkner's early novels.Miriam Hopkins does well portraying the two sides of Temple Drake (with a stronger Southern accent than anyone else in the film). Florence Eldridge convincingly conveys her contempt for Temple. Jack La Rue shoots daggers with his depthless eyes, but the screenplay can't possibly capture the complexity of Trigger's character, known as Popeye in Faulkner's underrated novel.

Michael_Elliott Story of Temple Drake, The (1933) *** (out of 4) Notorious pre-code tells the story of Temple Drake (Miriam Hopkins), a Southern Belle who uses her beauty to turn men on only to quickly throw water on them. To Temple turning men on is just a joke but when a date takes her to a dangerous bar, she's quickly held hostage by a bootlegger named Trigger (Jack LaRue) who will stop at nothing to feed his lust. THE STORY OF TEMPLE DRAKE was highly controversial when it was first released and in large part it was one of the main reasons that the Hayes Office would have to finally stand up and keep on eye out for the "products" being released by Hollywood. Seen today the film is certainly less shocking but there's no doubt that the subject matter is still rather touchy and especially the "wannabe" bad girl who finally gets broken down when sexually, physically and mentally abused by an evil man. I think the best thing going for the film is the performance by Hopkins who was clearly born to play this role. Even though the film runs a very short 70-minutes and a lot of the material from the William Faulkner novel has been left out, the character of Temple Drake still goes through quite a bit of developments. Hopkins nails all of them and I really loved the early scenes where she was just playing the men to get them worked up so that she could just dump them and then move onto the next. These scenes with the actress are perfectly done but she also handles the later moments when she's terrified of what's going to happen to her and then of course at the end when she's broken down. I was also impressed with LaRue who gets to shine even if the screenplay doesn't do too much justice to him. William Gargan plays the lawyer who also just happens to be in love with Drake and he too is pretty good. Flrence Eldridge really stands out in her role and those with a quick eye can spot John Carradine in the courtroom. The pre-code elements are somewhat strong with a rape and several sexual moments with Hopkins either stripping down or showing off her legs. The most notorious scene happens when she strips down to her bra and panties only to have one of the thugs rip off a coat that she's wearing and the viewer gets even more of a glimpse of her. At 70-minutes the film moves extremely fast and there's no question that film buffs will want to search this one out.

wes-connors In the steamy South during Prohibition, sexy blonde Miriam Hopkins (as Temple Drake) likes to party but won't put out. The granddaughter of respected judge Guy Standing (as Sir Guy Standing), Ms. Hopkins declines marrying lawyer William Gargan (as Stephen "Steve" Benbow) because she wants to continue living the wild life. Admittedly, she has a wicked streak. Out with a drunken William Collier Jr. (as Toddy Gowan) one night, Hopkins is stranded with gangsters at an old plantation mansion being used as a speakeasy, after their car crashes. Mother of the house Florence Eldridge (as Ruby Lemarr) realizes one of the men will soon find his way into Hopkins and doesn't want it to be her man Irving Pichel (as Lee Goodwin). She arranges for Hopkins to be taken to the barn for safekeeping, guarded by slow-witted James Eagles (as Tommy)...After her "lingerie scene" for theater viewers, Hopkins is raped by head bootlegger Jack La Rue (as "Trigger"). Mr. La Rue memorably plays almost his entire villainous part with a just-lighted cigarette in his mouth. This film's lighting and photography by Karl Struss is excellent, by the way. The story is based on the novel "Sanctuary" by William Faulkner. Therein, "Temple Drake" is known as an easy lay; but here, her bathroom wall advertisement is altered to "Temple Drake is just a fake. She wants to eat and have her cake." That she enjoyed her sexual encounters with her abductor is downplayed; in the book, those where accomplished with a corncob and other men, since the novel's character was physically unable to perform. Many viewers familiar with the book imagined those events simply took place off screen, and this film welcomed the thoughts.******* The Story of Temple Drake (5/6/33) Stephen Roberts ~ Miriam Hopkins, William Gargan, Jack La Rue, William Collier Jr.