utgard14 Small town factory worker Joan Crawford wants out of her cramped life and doesn't want to marry Wallace Ford. Can't say that I blame her on either count. So Joan heads off to the big city and eventually catches the eye of up-and-coming politician Clark Gable. The two enter into an "arrangement" but over time that becomes problematic for Gable's political career. Enter Crawford's ex Ford to stir things up.Despite all the talk about feminist themes, this seemed like a pretty ordinary pre-Code programmer to me. At the end of the day, it's still another story about how a woman needs a man and marriage to be fulfilled and happy. That's not feminism last time I checked. The chemistry between the leads is nice but the trappings are dry and creaky at times. Joan gets to sing and is good. Why some seem to dislike the sappy ending I'm not sure. Some people just prefer downbeat endings I guess. Personally, I think the ending saves the movie. This is a decent film of its type and time. Not one of the best but OK. Gable and Crawford fans will like it more than most.

Claudio Carvalho The ambitious box factory worker Marian (Joan Crawford) lives in the countryside and dreams on having a luxury lifestyle, with a comfortable apartment, jewels and money. When her friend and also worker Al Manning (Wallace Ford) proposes to marry her, she goes to the train station and meets the millionaire Wally (Skeets Gallagher) that invites Marian to go to New York. On the arrival, she meets the prominent lawyer and aspirant to politician Mark Whitney (Clark Gable) and becomes his mistress. Three years later, Marian has become a refined woman and her dream has come true, but she falls in love with Whitney. When Manning visits her, he has become a self-made man and he believes that Marion has married a wealthy man. Soon Marian realizes that she is only the perfect mistress but not Whitney's wife. When he runs to governor, Marion sacrifices her relationship with Whitney to avoid a scandal that could damage his image in the elections. "Possessed" is a dated movie with a corny conclusion, but still delightful to see despite the amoral story. Joan Crawford and Clark Gable have a perfect chemistry and there are witty dialogs. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "Possuída" ("Possessed")

rensamuels I love this film and watch it a lot. The ending is a bit sappy, and generally I turn it off after Joan tells Clark that she's not really in love with him. It's funny how many writers say they like it because of the "feminist" issues. Isn't it enough that the acting is good, the comedy is sophisticated and Joan sings a wonderful song in German, French and English? (The writer who said Bing Crosby did it better is just silly; how can one compare the two singers?) Are movies more valuable because they're about "important" themes? Is all the literature we've treasured over the centuries great because of anything other than it reflects the realities of love and life and death?

Piltdown_Man This is a very solid bit of movie-making. Well directed and edited. Little fluff. A script that is generally crisp and moves the plot forward.Crawford is strong and likable as she moves from factory girl to "kept woman," apparently without missing a beat.It's in these early Crawford films that you really see what the shouting was all about. She is beautiful, vulnerable, strong, sweet and, most importantly, a powerful screen presence. And she can show you all those sides of herself in the same scene.Gable too, while playing a somewhat subservient role, gets to strut his stuff. He is at once, a "man's man" and "ladies man." Neat trick. Try it sometime.One aspect of this film that you'll appreciate is its lack of moralizing. The story is out there for all to see, but we don't get it rubbed in our faces. Also, along the lines of Philip Barry ("The Philadelphia Story") we are allowed to see that money and power does not necessarily make a man bad, while struggle and poverty doesn't make him good, either.As with all movies of this era, you have to allow for the changing morals and attitudes that have interceded in the following 70 years, but it's a testament to the writer and director that this still holds up.