# The Miracle Woman > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/The_Miracle_Woman > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/The_Miracle_Woman.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Miracle_Woman > Source revision: 1339470668 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) 1931 film by Frank Capra The Miracle Woman theatrical release poster Directed by Frank Capra Written by Dorothy Howell (continuity) Screenplay by Jo Swerling Based on Bless You Sister 1927 play by John Meehan and Robert Riskin Produced by Harry Cohn Starring Barbara Stanwyck Cinematography Joseph Walker Edited by Maurice Wright Production company Columbia Pictures Distributed by Columbia Pictures Release date August 7, 1931 (1931-08-07) (US) Running time 90 minutes Country United States Language English ***The Miracle Woman*** is a 1931 American [pre-Code](/source/Pre-Code) [drama film](/source/Drama_(film_and_television)) directed by [Frank Capra](/source/Frank_Capra) and starring [Barbara Stanwyck](/source/Barbara_Stanwyck), [David Manners](/source/David_Manners), and [Sam Hardy](/source/Sam_Hardy_(actor)). Based on the play *Bless You Sister* by [John Meehan](/source/John_Meehan_(screenwriter)) and [Robert Riskin](/source/Robert_Riskin), the film is about a clergyman's daughter who becomes disillusioned by the mistreatment of her dying father by his church. Having grown cynical about religion, she teams up with a con man and performs fake miracles for profit. The love and trust of a blind veteran, however, restores her faith in God and her fellow man. *The Miracle Woman* was the second of five film collaborations between Capra and Stanwyck. Produced and distributed by [Columbia Pictures](/source/Columbia_Pictures), the film was reportedly inspired by the life of [Aimee Semple McPherson](/source/Aimee_Semple_McPherson).[1] ## Plot Florence Fallon, the daughter of an elderly clergyman, is outraged when the church elders have chosen a younger preacher to replace her father after twenty years of ministry. She angrily states her father has died from a broken heart, and chastises the congregation of what she thinks of their ingratitude and hypocrisy. As the congregation leaves, her bitter, impassioned speech impresses Bob Hornsby, a promoter, who convinces her to use her religious faith so they can squeeze donations out of gullible believers. Florence, billed as "Sister Fallon", becomes a traveling evangelist for the "Temple of Happiness" and her sermons are broadcast on the radio. John Carson, a blind aviator veteran, contemplates suicide but becomes intrigued with Florence's radio sermon. John and his caretaker Mrs. Higgins attend Florence's crusade, where she preaches from inside a cage of lions. She challenges a congregant to come inside with her as an expression of faith, to which John takes the offer. Afterwards, Hornsby guilts the shills for not answering Florence's calls during the sermon. As Florence prepares to leave for Hornsby's party, John waits outside and takes her to his apartment, where he treats her with music and his ventriloquist dummy. Before she leaves, Florence hires John to write religious hymns. When Florence arrives at Hornsby's party, their manager Bill Welford threatens to publicly reveal their con unless he receives more money. After Florence finishes a sermon, Hornsby shows a newspaper article reporting that Welford has died from an apparent suicide. He pleads his love for Florence and forcibly kisses her, to which she rejects. Before he leaves, Hornsby takes her house key. Florence returns to John's apartment for a romantic evening and the two kiss. At Florence's house, Hornsby sneaks in and shows her the newspaper with planted stories, stating Florence is ending her crusade for her health and will travel to [Palestine](/source/Mandatory_Palestine), which is actually a trip to [Monte Carlo](/source/Monte_Carlo). Florence demands a retraction, but Hornsby blackmails her, or he will report her for embezzlement and have her held liable for Welford's suicide. Shortly after, as they exchange their goodbyes, Florence tells John the truth but he states he still loves her. Before Florence is to deliver her farewell sermon, John unsuccessfully tries to convince Florence that he has regained his sight. As Florence leaves to tell the congregation the truth, Hornsby punches John in jealously. When Florence divulges the truth, Hornsby tells a stage hand to shut off the lights. However, this backfires and creates a fire, and the congregation flees in panic. As the building erupts in flames, Florence encourages the congregants to sing. Meanwhile, John is revived and rescues Florence from the fire. After six months, Hornsby finds Florence is working for the [Salvation Army](/source/The_Salvation_Army). She receives a telegram from John stating his eyesight could be restored. Florence marches with her faith restored, as Hornsby looks on with contempt. ## Cast - [Barbara Stanwyck](/source/Barbara_Stanwyck) as Florence Fallon - [David Manners](/source/David_Manners) as John Carson - [Sam Hardy](/source/Sam_Hardy_(actor)) as Bob Hornsby - [Beryl Mercer](/source/Beryl_Mercer) as Mrs. Higgins - [Russell Hopton](/source/Russell_Hopton) as Bill Welford - [Charles Middleton](/source/Charles_B._Middleton) as Simpson - [Eddie Boland](/source/Eddie_Boland) as Collins - [Thelma Hill](/source/Thelma_Hill) as Gussie ## See also - *[Leap of Faith](/source/Leap_of_Faith_(film))*, a 1992 film with a similar plot - *[The Miracle Man](/source/The_Miracle_Man_(1919_film))*, 1919 film starring Lon Chaney, with a plot generally identical to *Leap of Faith* starring Steve Martin. Only a few minutes of the 1919 film are known to still exist. ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-nytimes_1-0)** Judd Blaise. ["The Miracle Woman (1931)"](https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/102467/The-Miracle-Woman/overview). Movies & TV Dept. *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. Retrieved January 31, 2013.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service)) ## Further reading - Capra, Frank (1971). [*The Name Above the Title: An Autobiography*](https://archive.org/details/nameabovetitleau00capr). New York: Macmillan. pp. [130–134](https://archive.org/details/nameabovetitleau00capr/page/130). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0306807718](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0306807718). - McBride, Joseph (1992). [*Frank Capra: The Catastrophe of Success*](https://archive.org/details/frankcapracatast00mcbr/page/228). New York: Simon and Schuster. pp. [228–230](https://archive.org/details/frankcapracatast00mcbr/page/228). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0671734947](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0671734947). ## External links - [*The Miracle Woman*](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0022153/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier)) - [*The Miracle Woman* at AllMovie](https://www.allmovie.com/movie/the-miracle-woman-am47653) - [*The Miracle Woman*](https://web.archive.org/web/1/https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/83572/enwp) at the [TCM Movie Database](/source/Turner_Classic_Movies#TCMdb) (archived) - [*The Miracle Woman*](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/4725) at the *[AFI Catalog of Feature Films](/source/AFI_Catalog_of_Feature_Films)* v t e Frank Capra Filmography Films directed Fultah Fisher's Boarding House (1922) The Strong Man (1926) Long Pants (1927) For the Love of Mike (1927) That Certain Thing (1928) So This Is Love? (1928) The Matinee Idol (1928) The Way of the Strong (1928) Say It with Sables (1928) The Power of the Press (1928) Submarine (1928) The Younger Generation (1929) The Donovan Affair (1929) Flight (1929) Ladies of Leisure (1930) Rain or Shine (1930) Dirigible (1931) The Miracle Woman (1931) Platinum Blonde (1931) Forbidden (1932) American Madness (1932) The Bitter Tea of General Yen (1933) Lady for a Day (1933) It Happened One Night (1934) Broadway Bill (1934) Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936) Lost Horizon (1937) You Can't Take It with You (1938) Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) Meet John Doe (1941) Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) It's a Wonderful Life (1946) State of the Union (1948) Riding High (1950) Here Comes the Groom (1951) A Hole in the Head (1959) Pocketful of Miracles (1961) Why We Fight series Prelude to War (1942) The Nazis Strike (1943) Divide and Conquer (1943) The Battle of Britain (1943) The Battle of Russia (1943) The Battle of China (1944) War Comes to America (1945) Other works Know Your Enemy: Japan Here Is Germany Tunisian Victory Your Job in Germany Two Down and One to Go The Negro Soldier Army–Navy Screen Magazine The Fallbrook Story The Bell System Science Series Our Mr. Sun Hemo the Magnificent Rendezvous in Space Related Bibliography Liberty Films Frank Capra Jr. (son) Five Came Back (2017 documentary) Frank Capra: Mr. America (2023 documentary) v t e Jo Swerling Screenwriting Humor Risk (1921) Ladies of Leisure (1930) Madonna of the Streets (1930) Dirigible (1931) The Miracle Woman (1931) Platinum Blonde (1931) Forbidden (1932) Behind the Mask (1932) Love Affair (1932) Attorney for the Defense (1932) The Defense Rests (1934) Lady by Choice (1934) Once to Every Woman (1934) Love Me Forever (1935) The Whole Town's Talking (1935) Pennies from Heaven (1936) Double Wedding (1937) Made for Each Other (1939) The Real Glory (1939) Gone with the Wind (1939) The Westerner (1940) Blood and Sand (1941) Confirm or Deny (1941) The Pride of the Yankees (1942) Crash Dive (1943) Lifeboat (1944) Leave Her to Heaven (1945) It's a Wonderful Life (1946) Thunder in the East (1952) Guys and Dolls (1955) The Big Bankroll (1961) Other Guys and Dolls Family Peter Swerling (son) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [The Miracle Woman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Miracle_Woman) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Miracle_Woman?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.