Sadie (1980)

1971. Brassy and beautiful prostitute Sade (a delightfully sassy and sultry performance by luscious blonde Chris Cassidy) lives on an island during the Vietnam War. Sadie’s life gets turned topsy turvy with the arrival of devout Christian Senator Daniels (a perfectly uptight and robust portrayal by Joseph Darling), who makes it his mission in life to save Sadie’s wicked soul.

Director Bob Chinn ably crafts a compelling and claustrophobic chamber piece that’s not only rich in groovy early 70’s period atmosphere, but also packs an unexpectedly strong dramatic punch thanks to the surprisingly substantial script, well drawn characters, and plenty of snappy dialogue. Moreover, it’s acted with zest by a capable cast, with especially stand-out contributions by Jerome Daniels as dashing stud Jack, Gary Eberhart as the easygoing Bear ((Eberhart also composed the right-on funky’n’folksy score), Deborah Sullivan as the repressed Mrs. Daniels, Diana Holt as the sweet and virginal Honore, Elmo Lavino as amiable bartender Doc, and Larry Price as slick hustler Harry. Ken Gibb’s sharp cinematography provides a neat polished look. Recommended viewing for both Chinn fans and 80’s porn aficionados alike.