THE MIRACLE WOMAN
US, 1931, 90 minutes, Black and white.
Barbara Stanwyck, David Manners, Sam Hardy, Beryl Mercer.
Directed by Frank Capra.
The Miracle Woman is a very striking film. However, it was not a box office success in its day. It took up the theme of religious revivalists and evangelists, their reputations, their double-dealings, hypocrisy and greed. In the 1920s, the evangelist Aimee Semple Mc Pherson was a popular preacher and then disappeared, subject to great criticism. This theme was taken up in the popular novel, The Day of the Locust (filmed in the 1970s with Geraldine Paige as the evangelist. There was a telemovie about Aimee Semple Mc Pherson with Faye Dunaway in the title role and Bette Davis as her mother.).
Barbara Stanwyck was only twenty-three when she made this film yet she is a strong screen presence and was at the beginning of a very long and successful career. David Manners appeared in a number of films at this era, a sturdy but unremarkable leading man.
Frank Capra was to go on to make The Bitter Tea of General Yen, It Happened One Night for which he won an Oscar, and the series of social films Mr Deeds Goes to Town, Mr Smith Goes to Washington, and his greatest success, It’s a Wonderful Life.
1.A film of the early 30s? The development of sound filming techniques? The story of Aimee Semple Mc Pherson and evangelists? The lack of success of the film in its own time? A classic now?
2.The work of Frank Capra, his perspective on life, social concerns, religion, optimism? His work of the 1930s?
3.Religious issues in the United States, established churches, evangelical preachers, tabernacles and tents, healing ministry, conversion? Hypocrisy, money and greed? The end and the Salvation Army as authentic?
4.The black and white photography, the fluid camera work, the sets, the church, the hotels, the tabernacle? The range of Christian hymns? The musical score?
5.The introduction to Florence, her age, confronting the congregation, their waiting for her father, delivering his sermon, quoting Matthew 23, ousting the hypocrites and condemning them? Her vigour?
6.Hornsby and his visit, applauding her, talking with her, persuading her to become an evangelist? His being a conman? His work with Welford, the accounts, the collecting of the money, after the weekends and the gatherings? His threats, his death? The staff, the range of actors and performance, Hornsby’s lustful attitude towards Florence? The end, with the boxer, seeing Florence in the Salvation Army, his final comment about her being satisfied with this rather than what she had?
7.Barbara Stanwyck as Florence, in herself, age, experience, working for her father, admiration for him, her religious devotion, her anger, performance in the church? As an evangelist, clothes, the tabernacle, the lights, her sermons, exhortations to faith, in the lion’s den, John and his going in, her being persuasive? The conversions, the miracles? The tricks? The collection of the money, her not knowing the details, her father’s photo, living in luxury, her chauffeur?
8.Her loneliness, Hornsby organising the party, her revulsion from it? Waiting in the rain, John and the umbrella, going to his apartment, sharing, talking, his carnival tricks, Al and the ventriloquism? The continued meetings, the bond between them, Al and his talking, the proposal? Hornsby and his pressure, the headline threats, going to the Riviera, persuading her to leave?
9.Al, his background, aviator, his injuries, blindness? His use of Al and talking through him? Mrs Higgins and her sayings? Going to Florence’s office, memorising the details, pretending to Florence, her tricking him with the clock? Florence and her compulsion to tell the complete truth to John? His accepting this?
10.Florence upset, on stage, Hornsby, the reaction, the fire, panic, Florence urging people to sing, the band to play? The collapse and John rescuing her?
11.The six months passing, her joining the Salvation Army, John and his telegram with some hope for his sight?
12.Authentic religion, American religion, the quotation about false prophets and wolves in sheep’s clothing?
