I don’t know if you could call it a good performance in any strict sense of the word, but this is definitely one of my favorite Crawford turns as Sadie Thompson, a hilariously foul-mouthed hooker and drifter who “just like[s] to keep friends with everybody.” Walter Huston is frankly terrifying as the fire-and-brimstone preacher descending into madness and determined to save Sadie’s soul. In saving her soul, he strips her of it; the transformation is devastating. Between its rather dark and daring message and fast, mannered wit — and of course, drag queen inspiration Sadie herself — it’s easy to see how this has achieved cult status. Praise, I love pre-code women.