The Miracle Woman

Stanwyck lets ‘er rip against the pious hypocrites of her father’s church and decides to get famous, get rich, and get even. As a big-time evangelist, she can “pull nifties out of the Bible like raisins” but has her own faith challenged by a hunky, blind ex-aviator.

The 1920s were rich with religious charlatans, and best of all was Sister Aimee McPherson. Sinclair Lewis’ biting “Elmer Gantry,” about a fictional faker, was banned from the screen, but a flop play based on Sister Aimee could evade the censors. The corruptibility of successful evangelists is still a hot topic. Does Sister Florence believe or doesn’t she? How guilty is she of fraud? This Pre-Code exposé of the sin racket is as relevant now as in 1931.