The Miracle Woman

Another of TCM's spotlights from some months back was a comparison of pre- and post-Code films, looking at a particular subject and how the studios had to make films about it -- if they could mention the topic at all -- that were rather different after the enforcement of the Code started in July 1934. One such subject is religion; after 1934 the suggestion that there might be a bunch of con artists in religious clothing was given more of a soft-shoe treatment. For the example of how you could be harsher toward organized religion, or the abuse of it, the movie that was selected was 1931's The Miracle Woman.

The woman in the title is played by Barbara Stanwyck. She's Florence Fallon, daughter of a minister in one of those small-city churches of no named Protestant denomination, but of the sort it seems like everyone in town attends. Think David Niven in The Bishop's Wife, although there his character is explicitly Episcopalian. Anyhow, Florence's father is about to give his final sermon, because the congregation has decided to hire his replacement. Dad is unwell and can't deliver the sermon, so Florence does. But she has a shocking message for the congregation: their callousness broke Dad's heart and killed him, and can anybody really believe in God when faced with a congregation of such venal hypocrites? Florence drives the congregation away, with one exception.

That exception is Hornsby (Sam Hardy), a PR guy, who has the idea that somebody like Florence, now clearly bitter, should use the congregation's hypocrisy against them. Rather than true Christianity, just give them what they think they want, which is feel-good Christianity, and they'll bang down the doors to donate to her. So Florence becomes one of those radio evangelists, TV not being a thing yet. It's obviously dishonest, but a lot of people want to believe.

One such person is John Carson (David Manners), although his belief is somewhat different from that of others. He's a songwriter now, but used to be a flyboy until an accident left him blind and just as bitter as Florence, albeit in a different way. He's gotten to the point where he's ready to kill himself, until he hears one of Florence's radio sermons. This changes his life, and he shows up at Florence's revival, willing to be a "witness" when the shill doesn't show up. John also falls in love with Florence, not knowing anything about Florence's hard edge.

John's faith stirs pangs of conscience in Florence, but here's the rub. She's been working with Hornsby, and Hornsby has been far more dishonest than even Florence. Hornsby has been taking all the money the rubes are donating and embezzling it, while cleverly having the books be in Florence's name so that when the financial crash does eventually come, Florence will be the one left on the hook. Hornsby's blackmail becomes more strident when he learns Florence loves John. He announces, without telling Florence, that the two of them are going to go to the Holy Land. This is a lie, of course; Hornsby is just going to take her away from John, but to Europe to live the high life.

As you can guess, things don't end that way, but to see how they do end, you're going to have to watch The Miracle Woman.

The Miracle Woman was directed by Frank Capra, who had some very dark movies in the early part of his career, despite what many people may think considering his optimism for the American spirit. It's the sort of hard edge that Barbara Stanwyck was excellent at portraying, and it comes as no surprise that she's a standout here. David Manners does well, although he's definitely not on the level of Stanwyck. He probably should have had a better career, but never got good enough roles from the studios.

The Miracle Woman is a very good early talkie, and a fascinatingly cynical one.