A Sentença

. . . Ann Sheridan, that is. And they didn't call her the "Oomph Girl" for nothing.

She's worldly (mostly underworld) straight- forward, knows the score, and completely direct. What's more, you believe and trust her . . . nothing underhanded here.

At one point she, as Nora Prentis says, "I may not have been handled with care, but I'm not shop-worn." That about sums her up.

There's no other quite like Sheridan, and she can make a wisecrack in a flash, partly for levity and partly to hold off wolves. Furthermore, it works pretty much all the time.

In "Nora Prentis" Sheridan's perfectly cast as a nightclub singer who walks into an affair with a married man. Kent Smith is fine as her suitor. Vincent Sherman's the competent director, and James Wong Howe's the fine photographer.

We're treated to Ann's beautiful contralto voice (in a lovely ballad, "Who Cares What People Say") and to the rest of Warner Bros. stock company, including Robert Alda.

"Nora Prentis' " characters work because they're endowed with both strong and weak qualities. No one's clearly victim or villain here, just quite ordinary people who get trapped in tragic circumstances.

'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?

Dr. Richard Talbot's teenage daughter runs to the kitchen window one morning and joyfully declares "It's Spring. Something's stirring." Later, when the good doctor is applying a bandage to the injured knee of a shapely chanteuse named Nora Prentiss, we are left in little doubt as to what that 'something' is!

This film is yet another variant on the theme of 'amour fou' which is capable of raising one to the heights and dragging one to the depths. As this tragic but highly implausible tale unfolds, credibilty is stretched to the utmost but Vincent Sherman somehow succeeds in covering most of the plotholes. Mr. Sherman is an extremely capable director and he is fortunate here to have Anton Grot's production design, the evocative cinematography of James Wong Howe and Franz Waxman's dramatic score.

It is customary to dismiss actor Kent Smith as being rather bland but he surprised me in this and engages our sympathy as the hapless doctor whose slow descent into the abyss is painful to behold. Suffice to say this is essentially a vehicle for Ann Sheridan whose role was expanded by order of Jack Warner. What can one say of Miss Sheridan? She combined oodles of 'oomph' with what one critic has described as 'no nonsense pragmatism.' She left us far too early but is still here thanks to the magic of film.

Awfully frank thriller about a chance meeting between a doctor working late one night and a singer who gets a bad scrape in a minor accident hooking up into a extra-marital(for the doctor) relationship that heads South in a hurry. Kent Smith, the male lead from Cat People and Curse of the Cat People, plays Dr. Talbot rather nicely I thought. He portrays a man who has worked hard his whole life and sacrificed his "life" for his job and family. Ann Sheridan plays the genuinely nice singer who appeals to the doctor not only because of her beauty but her ability to see him for who and what he is. She does a phenomenal job in what really is a complex role. The rest of the cast is pretty decent. Bruce Bennett may come off miscast as a doctor, but Robert Alda as a night club owner and Rosemary DeCamp as Talbot's wife both excel. While not really a mystery - or a very ingenious one as we know what is going on early on, this picture really depicts what at once seems quite harmless and its transformation into something very harmful. Director Vincent Sherman is more than adequate behind the camera. Some might say this really isn't film noir - I can see some of their points - but this is noir all the way for me: the suggestive black and white cinematography, the voice-over narrator, the man being changed by the "dame," and the ending that is bittersweet. The biggest problem with Nora Prentiss is the title. Ann Sheridan was the box office grab - and this grabbed a lot of tickets - but she is not the star of the movie nor is her character the central character. Kent Smith is the star and a more appropriate title should have been selected. Hmmm...maybe, "The Cheating Surgeon" or "The Doomed Affair." Definitely needs more thought!