Adapted from William Faulkner’s controversial novel, Sanctuary, The Story of Temple Drake stars Miriam Hopkins in the titular (and one of her best) roles as a wild Southern femme who falls into a gang led by the brutal Trigger (Jack La Rue).
Though watered down, the movie was still scandalous, serving as one of the reasons for the introduction of the Hays Code a year later, in 1934.
The film was poorly remade in 1961, under the book’s original title, Sanctuary, directed by British filmmaker Tony Richardson, featuring Lee Remick as Temple Drake and French star Yves Montand as Trigger (renamed Candy in this version).
Rarely seen, except in bootleg 16mm prints, The Story of Temple Drake was restored by the Museum of Modern Art in 2011.
