Possessed

(Clarence Brown, US 1931, 76 min., 35mm)

National Endowment for the Arts. Joan Crawford leaves small-town Pennsylvania for the bright lights of New York City, where she meets and falls in love with Clark Gable, a successful and wealthy lawyer. Gable is separated and has his heart set on political office, so Crawford masquerades as a Park Avenue divorcee and the two carry on their lovemaking in secret. But things can’t stay this way for long. . . . A tale of glamour and sacrifice, with an added treat: Joan singing “How Long Can It Last?” in three languages.