The Sin of Nora Moran

Zita Johann is 21 year old "nora", hiding some deep secret. she is wrapped up in a murder. she knows stuff, but she's not saying much. made in 1933, so even the posters for the film are pretty naughty. convicted of a murder, nora lets us see things through her flashbacks. she starts out in her jail cell, but now we're retracing the events. co-stars John Miljan as Paulino. she gets a job with the circus, and is happy until.. she is brutally attacked by the lion tamer. she leaves, and starts dating someone running for governor. more flashbacks. some twists and turns along the way. Directed by Phil Goldstone. he had produced many films, but only directed thirteen. original story by w.m. goodhue. Pretty good stuff!

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.

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 is a 1933 "talkie" picture. Why it's legendary has more to do with the camera effects used, the movie poster, and the use of flashbacks and talk-overs more than the actual plot of the film itself. That's the hard part to put yourself into in the 21st century. You can imagine all the oohs, and aahs, and confusion & shock of movie-goers in 1933, but after almost 90 years it's hard to feel that way yourself. The movie concerns itself with Nora, and the reason she is on death row awaiting execution. There are double and triple twists aplenty. Probably the most shocking thing in the film that I noticed was an implied rape. I can imagine how controversial this must have been back in the day, if I can tell what the implication was meant to be today. Another impressive feat of the movie is how well the story is told, despite all the time changes that happen during the course of the movie. At 65 minutes it doesn't lag at all, and it also serves to show how well an almost lost film can be brought back to life to breathe again on our small screens at home. Worth a watch to experience a revolution in '30's movie-making.

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