The Miracle Woman
Directed by Frank Capra
Written by Jo Swerling based on a play by Robert Riskin and John Meehan
1931/US
Columbia Pictures
IMDb page
First viewing/My collection
John Carson: Are you a teetotaler?
Florence: No, not annoyingly so.
This false prophet picture is another solid pairing of Frank Capra and Barbara Stanwyck.
Florence “Faith” Fallon (Stanwyck) is the daughter of a devout and holy preacher. His parish gave him the boot in favor of a younger man. He can’t even give his farewell sermon before dying of a broken heart. Florence loses her faith and thinks of believers as hypocrites. She delivers a fierce farewell sermon.
Con man Bob Hornsby (Sam Hardy) approaches Barbara and tells her she can get back at the hypocrites by fleecing them and Barbara becomes a miracle worker and revivalist. The entire operation is based on lies and playacting and is thoroughly corrupt. Bob somehow figures he has an ownership interest in Florence and is very jealous. She refuses to give him a tumble.
One night she chances to meet blind aviator John Carson (David Manners). They begin seeing each other. Can true love reform Florence?
This is an enjoyable movie and Mme. Stanwyck acts her heart out. Not a must-see but one of the better pre-Code movies she made.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1xrg6aWjBI
Clip – Stanwyck lets loose in the opening sequence.
