THE MIRACLE WOMAN (1931)

 “And she gave up a million bucks for that. The poor sap.”

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When you hear the name Frank Capra, what’s the first movie you think of?

For many people, it’s his 1946 Christmas classic It’s a Wonderful Life or his patriotic 1939 hit Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.

          

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In The Miracle Woman, one of Capra’s earlier and lesser-known films, one can see the style which he progressively popularized in his films begin to blossom onscreen. His themes of optimism and goodwill would later become synonymous with his very name and if you’re familiar enough with at least some of his other films, you will see that, indeed, there is a Capra touch.

The well-cast Barbara Stanwyck plays a con artist disguised as a popular traveling evangelist named Florence Fallon. After Florence’s elderly father – the longtime minister of a church – is cast aside by the parish to make way for a newer and younger preacher, Florence addresses the congregation and informs them that her father has just died and was heartbroken by the way he had been treated by the church’s members.

She makes the speech of all speeches to disavow their iniquity and literally runs them out of the church.

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Ultimately, because of the church’s behavior, she becomes bitter, turns her back on God and – with the help of a seasoned conman – seeks to avenge her father by packing the house in her own traveling temple and scamming Christians around the United States.

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The conman, named Bob Hornsby (Sam Hardy), becomes – in a sense – her boss. He gives Florence a total makeover, changing her name to Sister Fallon, training her on how to act, and dressing her in white, angelic gowns. She takes on the persona of a faith healer and plays it like a pro.

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Sister Fallon invites Christians around the nation to her “Temple of Happiness”, which is where she performs her spirited (and 100% scripted) religious ceremonies and performs phony “miracles”. She and Hornsby hire actors who are planted in the audience to appear as enthusiastic Christians in order to make it that much more believable.

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Her resentment toward Christians is tested when she meets a blind World War I veteran named John Carson (David Manners).

John is the antithesis of everything Florence presently stands for: He is kind, honest, and faithful.

Ironically, John was saved from committing suicide when he heard fabricated words of hope spoken by “Sister Fallon” in a sermon via a neighbor’s radio as he was about to jump out of a window in his apartment.

When he tells Florence that she saved his life, she is floored and humbled. John is a genuinely good man and his renewed faith makes Florence realize that there are still good people in the world and that, deep down, she is one of them. However, she keeps up the persona of Sister Florence but begins to feel more and more guilty about it.

The two become fond of each other and quickly fall in love. John (and his ventriloquist dummy, Al) make Florence laugh at a time when she didn’t think she could anymore.

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Finally, Florence stands up to Hornsby and decides that she’s going to tell her “followers” the truth about who she really is and that she has deceived them.

While all of this is going on, John selflessly pretends that his sight has been miraculously restored so that Florence will gain back her own faith. However, when his plan slips and he has a mishap, Florence bursts into tears of gratitude, hugs him tightly, and reassures him that he has shown her that miracles are real.

“You’ve made me see.” – Florence

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Of course, Hornsby won’t give up without a fight. Out of anger, he knocks John out in Florence’s dressing room and makes a move to shut off the lights while Florence is making her confession, but he accidentally sets the place on fire.

When the entrance becomes blocked, everyone panics – except for Florence. With her newfound faith, she begins to sing hymns and urges everyone else to join her. With her singing, she guides them out of the building and into safety.

The fire begins to spread throughout the entire structure and it becomes engulfed with flames. Fortunately, John regains consciousness in the nick of time and follows Florence’s voice to find her. She passes out just before he reaches her but he picks her up and rushes out of the building just before its total demise.

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The ending is totally Capra and it makes my heart happy.

Six months after the devastating fire, Florence is seen proudly working for the Salvation Army by none other than Hornsby.

She also receives a telegram from John…

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“And she gave up a million bucks for that. The poor sap.”

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Indeed, the poor sap…