Review of Nora Prentiss (1947) by Chuck N — 13 Jul 2010

For pulp melodrama, NORA PRENTISS has one hell of a premise. Never-you-mind that the story would ever fly in real life - considering the art of modern crime forensics...but back in the 1940's - well, just possibly...maybe?!? It's best to view this film in a 1940's perspective to better appreciate the film's denouement - but if you enjoy the occasional pulpy crime melodrama as much as I do, well NORA PRENTISS may just be your cup of tea.

Dr. Richard Talbot (Kent Smith) is a successful doctor living in San Francisco who has settled into a comfortable daily routine. Every morning he gets up at the usual time and eats breakfast with his wife, Lucy (Rosemary DeCamp) and two teen-aged kids, Greg and Bonita (Robert Arthur and Wanda Hendrix). He arrives promptly at his downtown office every morning at 9 and goes home every evening at 6:30.

His routine is interrupted one evening when a woman, Nora Prentiss (Ann Sheridan) is injured in a traffic accident just outside of his office. Dr. Talbot treats Nora's injuries, which prove to be minor. Nora happens to live in an apartment across the street from Talbot's office and Nora confesses, "I've seen you before...from my apartment window...as a matter of fact, I set my clock by you" - Talbot is surprised to find that Nora is familiar with his daily routine.

...and so begins the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Talbot incorporates Nora (who works as a nightclub singer) into his daily...err, make that NIGHTLY routine. Talbot's wife notices the change in her husband - who comes home later and later in the evenings.

This goes on until Nora decides that she has had enough of being "the other woman" - especially when Talbot tells her that he might see her less often:

- "I...I may not be able to see you as often as I have...", Talbot tells Nora.

- "Oh...wouldn't it be better if you stop seeing me altogether"?

- "No...of course not. It's...it's just that... until I can work something out...".

- "You mean you'll see me when it's convenient.".

- "I didn't say that"!

- "That's what you meant.".

- "Nora please...it's difficult for me. Don't you understand"?

- "Sure I understand. But this concerns me as much as it does you. You're tired of sneaking around corners...making excuses. Well, so am I...".

I like Ann Sheridan...but I just can't picture her ever playing a truly evil character. Not in a Bette Davis type of evil, anyway. Even when Sheridan plays "tough" or "sassy" - she comes off sweet too. I'm not sure I can classify her role as "femme fatale" in NORA PRENTISS. We just feel too much sympathy for her character for that (as exemplified in the above exchange).

On the other hand - it is Dr. Talbot who will make the drastic decision. Unable to tell his wife he wants a divorce...a scheme literally falls into his hands when one of his patient suffers heart failure. A scheme that will enable him to leave his wife... and live happily ever after with Nora...or so he thinks.

The film contains some nice archival footage of the streets of San Francisco circa 1940's. I recognize a lot of the streets and always get a kick seeing how much the city has changed since then. I had to rub my eyes upon seeing NO TRAFFIC whatsoever on the upper deck of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.

8.