The Miracle Woman (1931)

Nice effects though.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

***SPOILERS*** With her father Pastor Fallon collapsing and dying in her arm as he was dictating his final sermon before he was to be unceremoniously fired from his job as church pastor for a younger man Florence in giving the sermon her pop was to give gives the almost standing room congregation holy hell in what a bunch low down selfish hypocrites they are. Left out in the cold with no one to turn to and not having enough money to give her father a decent burial Florence is approached by Bob Hornsby, Sam Hardy, who just happened to drop into church and was greatly impressed by her fire and brimstone speech.With Hornsby managing her Florence becomes the talk of the town in her weekly radio sermons at the packed downtown Temple of Happiness Tabernacle that leaves her audience spellbound. It's the blind WWI aviator and failed song writer John Carson (David Manners), who was about to jump out of his apartment 5th floor window, after hearing Florence on the radio giving a speech about not quitting when the chips are down decided not to kill himself. With the help of his kindly old landlady Mrs. Higgins,Beryl Mercer, John went to go "see" Florence at the Temple of Happiness and thank her for saving his life.From that point on in the movie both Florence & John not only found themselves but the faith that had eluded them for years. Florence in feeling that the religious or evangelist racket was for suckers who don't have the backbone to do things for themselves and need someone strong and in touch with God to guide their lives. With the bitter and despondent John who feels that he left his life and sight behind on the battlefields of France and is now only going through the motions of living.At first cynical at what she's doing, in conning the public with biblical double-talk, Florence soon realizes that she in fact does have the power of the Lord in her not being obsessed with money, like her manager Bob Hornsby is, but in doing God's work which her saving John from killing himself proved! Feeling that he's losing his grip on Florence Hornsby decides to come up with a good reason to check out of town, to Palestine in the holy land no less, before his racket is exposed by one of his disgruntled employees whom he's been stiffing out of their earnings or paychecks.***SPOILERS*** Florene now not at all caring what Hornsby can do to her in framing her for fraud embezzlement and even murder, crimes that Hornsby in fact committed, decides to go on stage at the Temple of Happiness and spill the beans on him as well as herself in what a fraud she's been to the people assembled there ! This has Hornsby in trying to keep Florence quite accidentally sets the entire place on fire, by messing with the electrical equipment, thus jeopardizing all those, some 5,000 persons, present!Despite the biblical like fiery configuration at the end of the movie both Florence and John survived and prospered in their new found faith with John finally getting his songs published and Florence getting a job as the band leader for the Salvation Army. As for Hornsby he ended up like like he always was a two bit hustler trying to con his way through life without any faith in himself or in those,like Florence Fellon & John Carson, who can show him the right and shinning path in life!

In the scene of the fire ladder-truck racing to the scene, the city streets were actually filmed at night.Clearly seen on the left side of the street, the fire truck passes: "The Owl Drug Co." That company had a related past of selling highly suspect "cures" in the 1920-30's when this film was made.Also newspaper articles at the time noted that they had a hand in controlling the prices of drugs sold. The view of the building, brightly lit up at night, does not seem to be completely accidental. Other city streets could have been used.I wonder if the sight was intentionally included by the director/cameraman as a comment relating to "Sister's" "cures". You can read about the The Owl Drug Co. by searching for it on the Internet.

Barbara Stanwyck is "The Miracle Woman" in this 1931 film directed by Frank Capra and also starring David Manners.Stanwyck plays Florence Fallon, the daughter of a religious leader who becomes angry and bitter toward her father's congregation when he is ousted and later dies. She is approached by a promoter who launches her on a preaching career with an audience loaded with shills, while he collects money for an alleged tabernacle and makes payoffs.Meanwhile, a blind composer (David Manners) is saved from suicide by one of Sister Fallon's radio broadcasts and becomes devoted to her. The two fall in love, and Florence, who has never been happy being a fraud from the beginning, becomes less and less enchanted with the business she's in.The character of Florence Fallon was inspired, as was Sharon Falconer in Elmer Gantry, by the real-life miracle woman, Aimee Semple McPherson, a popular evangelist. She founded the Foursquare Church, still in existence today, and had hundreds and hundreds of healings credited to her. Barbara Stanwyck, about 24 years old here, gives a passionate performance as a conflicted woman, and handsome David Manners does a nice job as her blind beau.Very absorbing early Capra, quite different from what he would do in the future. In fact, if you're not a Capra fan, you might like this film of his best of all.

This was indeed a strange curio from the early 1930s. This film was inspired by Aimee Semple McPherson's traveling evangelistic crusades of the 1920s. At first, Aimee (just like Barbara in the film) seemed sincere and over time, the attraction of fame and riches turned this "crusade" into a sleazy business. While not as cynical and amazing to watch as the later and very similar movie, ELMER GANTRY, this film is very daring to take on the topic of fraudulent faith healers. Given that this is one of Barbara Stanwyck's earliest films, she does an amazing job. The script is engaging as well and Frank Capra shows us that he's an excellent director with great things ahead in his career.Fascinating throughout and well worth watching.