La sentencia

A shy family man (Kent Smith) meets a sultry but classy nightclub singer (Ann Sheridan), and despite the man's lovely wife (Rosemary DeCamp) and two sweet kids, he soon begins having an affair. It's a pretty standard set up, but the strength of the film is in its first hour, where we see the tension between family and lover, get shots on location in San Francisco from James Wong Howe, and enjoy strong performances from the cast.

Sheridan especially is delightful, with the perfect mix of flirtation and principles, romance and world-weariness. At one point she tells the doctor that "I may not have been handled with care, but I'm not shopworn," meaning she's been around and had lovers, but she's not easy. Seeing her perform her first number in a flouncy little sheer top, and warbling lines like "As long as he desires his arms about me, who cares what people say?" between a few tears in her second is wonderful; I love her voice. Her hats are pretty wild too, especially late in the film.

The film has a softness to it for a noir, but that's something I kind of liked, and there's certainly darkness in just how quickly the family man begins forgetting his own kids. There's another man involved (Robert Alda, Alan's father), which adds an interesting wrinkle. Unfortunately, however, the film scuttles itself with a ludicrous ending. The final 15 minutes defy belief and the film tries to put a happy face on them besides, both of which were mistakes, which dropped my rating a bit. It's still enjoyable though, and if for nothing else, watch it for Ann Sheridan.

The forgotten Warner Brothers melodrama "Nora Prentiss" was one of the biggest hits of Ann Sheridan's career. Finely directed by Vincent Sherman who guided Joan Crawford and Bette Davis in several hit films, this is a sad, haunting yet somehow realistic story about a married doctor (a great performance by Kent Smith) who fatefully bumps into a nightclub singer (Sheridan) and soon falls madly in love with her. His illicit love of Sheridan leads to his downfall. Some may find the plot a bit contrived but an excellent script and the superb heartfelt performances of Sheridan and Smith make it work beautifully. THe ending is quite a knockout.

**SPOILERS** Straight laced at his practice as a big city, San Francisco, doctor and wonderful family man Richard Talbot, Kent Smith,has never done anything more serious in his life then being late at his doctors office. That was all to change when one evening going to his car he ran into singer Nora Prentiss, Ann Sheridan. Nora has a fainting spell falling on the street and bruising herself. Bringing Nora up to his office Richard after treating her starts to slowly fall madly in love with Nora. That leads to him throwing away his very successful practice his family, wife and two children, and later even his life, which in the movie he loses twice. Where in the end Richard faces the California gas chamber for first degree murder. The movie "Nora Prentiss" is about a mans obsession. That obsession leads him into such depths of depression and depravity that he destroys everything he held near and dear to himself in order to keep the woman, Nora Prentiss, that drove him into this madness and in the end loses her as well. Nora for her part is totally unaware of how far her lover was willing to go to keep her from disappearing out of his life. Spending money like crazy on Nora and using the excuse of working late at the office so that his wife Lucy, Rosemary DeCamp, won't suspect his almost nightly lateness from home Richard is still very reluctant to divorce his wife, on what possible grounds? Then like heaven sent a patient of his Walter Bailey, John Ridgely, who not only fits Richards hight and weight but is even Richard's age,43, pops into his office one night and collapses and dies from a heart attack! Going to call the police to pick up the body Richard get this bright idea to switch identities and thus bury his past, as Dr. Richard Talbot, and start a new life as whoever he chooses with who he feels is the love of his life Nora Prentiss. Nora who was leaving for New York for a job as a singer at the Sea Gull Cafe run by her very close friend and former employer Phil Dinardo,Robert Alda, runs into Richard who excitedly tells Nora that he's divorcing his wife and within weeks when his divorce papers go through they'll be able to get married. Rchard in fact disposed of Bailey's body with his wedding ring on him to make it look like he was the one who was killed. In New York living like a fugitive from the law Richard has Nora becomes a bit annoyed of his constant secrecy and avoidance of people. It soon gets to the point where she's forced to live with Richard in a hotel room and only having her job at Phil's nightclub as the only contact with the outside world. Richard, now calling himself Robert Tompson, for his part constantly keeps up with the news back home in San Francisco and learns that his "death" is being investigated by the police as a murder suspect with evidence found at his office; The cops found a letter of divorce that he partly burned that's interpreted as a blackmail note. Also at the accident scene the police found a can of gasoline with his fingerprints on it. Richard finally lose it when he finds Nora, who by then he already confessed what he did, in her dressing room with Phil! That has him go into a jealous rage and attacks the startled nightclub owner. This causes the police to chase Richard all through the streets of Manhattan ending up in a fiery accident in Central Park with his face badly burned. With Phil not pressing charges and Richard getting a face-over, plastic surgery, it now looks like he and Nora can finally get married and put his life as Doctor Richard Talbot behind him. It's then his being fingerprinted by the police for car theft and those fingerprints matched those back in San Franciso on the can of gasoline come up as a match! This made Richard the number one suspect in his own murder! how's that for ultimate justice. Now with nothing to look forward to with his wife and family as well as Nora out of his life forever Richard, or as he's known now as Robert Thompson, can only sit in his dark prison cell and count the days leading up to his scheduled execution. He can also see what a mess he made of his life by reaching for something that he should have known was well out of his reach Nora Prentiss.

'Nora Prentiss' had a lot to it that made me want to watch it. Its biggest draws were that it was film-noir mixed with drama, being someone who has always absolutely loved film-noir, and a very interesting idea for a story, one that had the potential to stir a fairly wide range of emotions if done right. Some good talent in front of and behind the camera, with as good a technical crew as one could get, composer Franz Waxman and lead actress Ann Sheridan.

Found myself really liking 'Nora Prentiss'. It is not flawless by any stretch and one can see where those that weren't so enamoured with it are coming from with their criticisms. 'Nora Prentiss' was one of those films that disturbed, moved and entertained me, and in a good way and not many films recently have made me feel like that in such a way. That's one of the reasons as to why the rating given has been given, as well as it having a good deal to admire elsewhere. With what didn't quite work for me, which was actually not much at all, not being minor criticisms, the rating could have been lower, but couldn't bring myself to do so with the good things being done so well.

Personally do feel that 'Nora Prentiss' was a little on the overlong side by about twenty minutes or so. The story did start to feel slightly over-stretched later on.

It is one of those in a way leave your brains behind kind of films. Genuinely did enjoy the film, but the latter did become a bit too silly and melodramatic, which did increase until it became somewhat ludicrous.

However, 'Nora Prentiss' looks great. The production design is full of atmosphere and is also quite sumptuous, while the editing never felt disjointed or chaotic instead flowing smoothly and even more impressive was the moody and beautiful to watch photography that enhanced the noir-ish atmosphere with ease. Waxman's score is not one of his best, but it is haunting and at times suitably stirring. Vincent Sheridan's directing is more than capable, allowing the film to never become dull.

The script was tight enough and didn't ramble, it provoked thought and was sometimes witty. The story mostly gave me chills when in its more disturbing moments, where there is far from diluted suspense, the chemistry between Sheridan and Kent Smith didn't ring false to me and there are real moments of poignancy. Didn't find myself bored and while the film does lose its way in the latter stages the ending is memorable. The cast are fine with Robert Alda, father of the better known Alan, giving the supporting turn that stuck out the most. Smith may seem bland to some, only from my perspective because Sheridan has the stronger character that dominates quite rightly. Actually think he did very well and brought enough intensity and nuance without being overwrought or too lightweight, the character's descent/degregation required a lot of both and Smith does just about convincingly in that. 'Nora Prentiss' is Sheridan's film and she is just excellent in every regard, she also has two solos in the film and she absolutely sizzles in both.

Overall, well done with many great elements but got over-stretched, due to over-length, and too silly later on. 8/10

Ann Sheridan gives an effective performance as the title character who has not had much luck when it comes to love. Unfortunately her luck only gets worse.

Kent Smith's character Dr. Talbot completely turns his life inside out and upside down in order to be with Ann Sheridan. (If there is anyone worth turning your life inside out for, it's Ann Sheridan ;-).

A worthy entry in the Film Noir canon, Nora Prentiss reveals two characters desperate to find happiness...but at what cost?

This film also has one of my favorite lines from a movie poster:

Would You Keep Your Mouth Shut If You Were Nora Prentiss?