The Sin of Nora Moran

Two viewings, the first on 9/3/2018 at the suggestion of YouTube. The initial experience was such that I revisited the film on the tenth. "The Sin of Nora Moran" is one of those not-quite-of-its time (or place) movies, with its use of layered flashbacks, contrasting first person narratives, and use of fantasy. In a little over an hour the movie delivers the narrative fullness expected from a much longer work. The contrasting stories, told in Rashomon-like fashion, deepen the reality of a paradoxically realistic (melo-)drama. A major artistic work, with techniques to be seen in "Citizen Kane" (1941), "Wild Strawberries" (1957) and even "Zentropa" (1991 - e.g., the two-scene featuring what appears to be a projected head of the heroine conversing with her governor-paramour). Apparently the film fared poorly with audiences at the time of its release. While its reputation has grown over the years, I must confess I had never heard of it before YouTube suggested it, and I'll guess that it remains unjustly obscure. If the film were from Europe it would probably be better regarded today, perhaps belonging on a double bill with Joe May's "Asphalt" (1929). This was one of many important cinematic discoveries I've made in the last few years on YouTube. I may see this again.

THE SIN OF NORA MORAN (Majestic, 1933) directed by Phil Goldstone, with title inspiration to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's THE SIN OF MADELIN CLAUDET (1931) featuring Helen Hayes, is a low-budget production with high production values. Starring Zita Johann, a notable stage actress with few films to her credit. her characterization of Nora Moran offer her a very rare opportunity in a feature film performance.

The plot opens as John Grant (Alan Dinehart), a district attorney, is visited by Edith Crawford (Claire DuPrey), his sister, regarding a handful of unsigned love letters belonging to her deceased husband and governor of the state, Dick Crawford (Paul Cavanagh). Grant reveals the woman to be Nora Moran, age 21, in prison on death row awaiting her execution. Through flashback, Grant relates the sin of Nora Moran, Crawford's mistress, starting as a child of six where young Nora (Cora Sue Collins) is adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Moran (Harvey Clark and Aggie Herring). Following their deaths, the teenage Nora (Zita Johann) faces life of uncertainty. With the help of her good friend, Father Ryan (Henry B. Walthall), Nora goes on her own searching for work until eventually working for the King Brothers Circus under Paulino (John Miljan), a lion tamer. She leaves the circus after Paulino forces himself on her. While in New York, Nora becomes a chorus girl in musical shows, attracting attention of Dick Crawford (Paul Cavanagh), a man with political ambitions. She learns through Grant that Dick has a wife, but continues to show her love for Dick by preventing Paulino from ruining his political career through blackmail. Grant's story further reveals why Nora ended up in prison and awaiting execution. Also in the cast are Sarah Padden, Ann Brody, Syd Saylor and Otis Harlan.

I first saw THE SIN OF NORA MORAN when presented during the after midnight hours on New York City's WOR, Channel 9 back in 1982 under another title, VOICE FROM THE GRAVE. With Zita Johann, best known for co-starring opposite Boris Karloff in THE MUMMY (Universal, 1932), I assumed this to be another horror movie. I have never heard of VOICE FROM THE GRAVE and wanted to see what it was all about. After many years in obscurity, THE SIN OF NORA MORAN (title restored) not only turned up on DVD, but made its Turner Classic Movies premiere May 3, 2020, by this viewing refreshed my memory. Following the original theatrical title and opening credits, THE SIN OF NORA MORAN predated those film elements used frequently during the 1940s through its grand mix of film noir narrative, montage sequences, voice over thoughts, split screen changeover, non-stop underscoring, and slight dose of supernatural overtones. Coming from an independent movie studio as Majestic, THE SIN OF NORA MORAN works surprisingly well through its then unique method of storytelling told during its 64 minutes. Aside from THE POWER AND THE GLORY (Fox, 1933) starring Spencer Tracy, it makes one wonder if there are any other flashback narratives of this sort that have become virtually unknown to film scholars?

Regardless of this newfound rediscovery and interesting premise, it appears Zita Johann's legacy continues to remain more for THE MUMMY than THE SIN OF NORA MORAN. (**)

Here is a decent film from Majestic Pictures from 1933. Zita Johann plays a girl in desperate circumstances who gets embroiled in a murder. The structure of this film is quite unique for it's genre. The direction by Phil Goldstone and the performances are excellent. Many offbeat touches are present and there is a decent music score, rare for a little poverty row production like this. Films like this make me appreciative of the little studios that put these out. This probably played small houses or the bottom half of a double bill. It really is well done and the brief running time (just over an hour) goes by pretty quickly. The print I saw running on YouTube was decent, with good picture and sound. The clever montages and effects really add to the enjoyment of this film.

I like (many) pre-code movies, simply because you never know what might happen. Quite a contrast to the formulaic stuff that was produced after 1935 (approx.) and, for those who think the 'Hayes' code is dead, the assembly-line production of rom-coms since 1990 rigidly stick to the same drivel: about 20 minutes from the end, a disagreement causes the intended couple to split, but miraculously re-unite by the final curtain. Nauseating.

Sins of Norah Moran is a bit melodramatic in places, esp. in the early going, but Majestic Studios (one of the so-called 'Poverty Row' film-makers, who rented space and equipment from the mainstream guys to keep costs down) weaved a melancholy tale here of a sad-sack orphan who grows up only to have the 'system' beat her down. She stands accused of murdering a former co-worker at the circus (he sexually assaulted her - a modern screenplay might have her nominated for Congress), and facing a death sentence. Her recent 'governor' boyfriend probably did it, but will Nora blow the whistle? I was struck by how the 'governor', a married man, cavorts so openly with this pretty young girl - were the 'Press' so under control during this era or was there just so much of this 'running-around' going on that the gov could hide in plain sight?

In time, he sees her at a 'kept' home every Friday & Monday - it kind of blows up when his wife finds a stack of unsigned love letters. The script makes no effort to condemn Nora or the Governor for their dallying, but, of course, it's poor Nora who will face severe consequences when the villain is suitably dispatched. Dang it-where's Perry Mason when you need him?

But that's pre-code: anything can happen. That's what makes it so interesting. Great camera work & use of flashbacks & voice-overs. Experimental. Unorthodox. Compelling. Kudos to TCM for reviving interest in this era. 8/10

This film is a great surprise. Apart from being thematically unusual (murder, suicide, corruption, capital punishment, rape, etc) it is visually astonishing and years ahead of its time, anticipating lots of stuff from 40's film noir to art-house European cinema (Bergman's Wild Strawberries for instance).

The film uses the `narratage' technique first used the same year by Preston Sturges in `The Power and the Glory' (also a very interesting film, directed by William K. Howard and a clear precedent of `Citizen Kane') which consists of voice-over narration and flashbacks and flashforwards, but if takes it much further with a very complex structure that includes flashbacks within flashbacks, dreams, hallucinations, flashforwards and characters appearing in scenes where they were not originally present and commenting the action with the main character.

The film is also extraordinarily shot with quasi expressionistic photography, lots of tracking shots, montages and very imaginative use of stock footage. To make all this even more admirable the film was produced on a very low B budget and it runs only 65 minutes.