Perhaps the most remarkable thing about Her Sister’s Secret (1946), which screens tomorrow at the Gene Siskel Film Center, is that the movie contains no villains. The story is about an unwedded mother who’s unable to find the father of her child, yet the filmmakers refuse to demonize either the woman or the man who impregnated her. They present the situation as the result of unfortunate accidents—no one is at fault. Further, they show the people in the woman’s life as being sensitive to her plight, offering solace and help in her time of need. The nonjudgmental, nonhysterical approach to sensitive subject matter makes Her Sister’s Secret feel decades ahead of its time, which is one reason why it deserves to be better known.
The first extended encounter between the two sisters constitutes the heart of the film. After a pleasant conversation with Renee’s husband, who’s about to go off to war himself, Renee confronts Toni over her distressed demeanor. “I don’t know how to say it so it doesn’t sound like something out of a magazine story,” Toni says, before bursting into tears. Renee calmly reassures her and finds out what the story is, refusing to judge Toni as she explains her plight. Ulmer reflects Renee’s attitude in his quiet, patient staging, giving the actresses room to embody their characters fully. The scene is incredibly moving, showing what a bit of tenderness can do at a fraught time. Renee doesn’t judge her sister, and the filmmakers suggest that the audience shouldn’t either.
