Runtime: 87 minutes
Directed by: Frank Capra
Starring: Barbara Stanwyck, David Manners, Sam Hardy, Beryl Mercer, Russell Hopton
From: Columbia
I talk about religion, but it won’t be done in a way that will kick over a hornet’s nest & create a gigantic controversy. I’ve known of this motion picture for awhile; via visiting a “less than ethical” site, I was able to see this Frank Capra movie starring Barbara Stanwyck; I should seek out more from those two in general. The reason why this was selected: it delves into a topic still relevant today: those that use religion to line their own coffers and become rich instead of helping others & other good deeds like God would want from someone preaching His word.
Stanwyck was shown to be taken advantage of as a preacher’s daughter. Her father passes away soon after his congregation lets him go due to old age. She delivers a hellfire & brimstone promo on the lousy hypocrites who cast off her dear dad. During this vulnerable moment, huckster Bob Hornsby sinks his claws in and convinces her to become a media star by leading bombastic productions and ripping off their followers for the sake of greed & avarice. She isn’t entirely happy in this role, then she falls in love w/ a blind former fighter pilot…
The movie may sound schmaltzy and some may wish for more satirical barbs against those using religion for their own gains. Me, I was entranced throughout due to the great performance from Barbara Stanwyck’s Florence Fallon and cared about her romance with genuine nice guy John Carson (David Manners)… even if he uses a ventriloquist dummy uncomfortably often (!) while it is easy to dislike that SOB Hornsby. It was also nice to see some faces I knew from other 30’s films-like Beryl Mercer, Manners and Charles Middleton-but the direction and Stanwyck’s stirring performance was what made this a delight.
One last note: in reviews of other Pre-Code pictures-none of which I’ve seen-there have been mentions of people giving the middle finger to someone! Yes, this could be done back then. Well, I wasn’t expecting to see one here, but that’s exactly what occurred.
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