Sinful Woman
Cover Artist: not identified
By: Cain, James M.
Publisher: Avon Publishing Co., Inc. (599)
Place of Publication:New York, NY
Catalog #: Kelley Box 212: PS3505 .A3113 S56 1954
Contributor:
S.A. Butwell
General
Era: 1940s
Author as on Cover: James M. Cain
Publication:1954
Original Date: 1947
Setting: urban; gambling casino, western town
Plot Summary
Hollywood starlet Sylvia Shoreham brings love and trouble to the sheriff of Reno, Nevada, Parker Lucas. Shady movie moguls and nightclub owners try to hide the truth behind the death of Sylvia's husband, Baron Victor Adlerkreutz, who was in Reno to divorce Sylvia and marry her look-alike, manic-depressive sister Hazel when he turns up dead. Meanwhile, suspicious insurance investigators try to prove it wasn't an accident in an attempt to avoid paying a hundred thousand dollars on the insurance policy. What appears to be a crime of passion soon involves Sylvia's sister, a conniving Hollywood producer, a forger, and the local sheriff who soon finds himself in love with the beautiful Sylvia -- the same woman he may have to arrest for murder.
Major Characters
Parker Lucas adult male, light blue eyes, six feet, two and a half inches tall, sheriff
Baron Victor Alexis Olaf Herman Adlerkreutz "Vicki", adult male, Lithuanian, large body, small hands and feet, black eyes, Hollywood movie mogul
Sylvia Shoreham adult female, beautiful, blonde hair, slender, voluptuous, actress
Hazel Shoreham adult female, blonde, slender
Ethel adult female, pretty, trim, bright black eyes, round chubby face, casino employee/blackjack dealer
George Layton adult male, small body, red hair, freckles, investigator
Tony Rico adult male, Italian, thick body, rocky face, nightclub owner
Dimitri Spiro "Dimmy", adult male, Hungarian/Lithuanian, short, bald, fat, pale, movie producer
Benny the Nib adult male, small, thin, freckled, blonde hair, shifty lash-less eyes, forger, screenwriter
Gerland La Bouche adult male, tall, lithe, sun-burned, delicate features, luminous eyes, movie production manager
Weapons
gun, fists
Level of Violence
a gun is used as a threat, then goes off accidentally, killing a man. The incident is described in the third person by another character. A woman punches her husband in the jaw; it is described factually. Characters discuss a car that has gone over a cliff, killing a woman; it is described un-explicitly. A man purposely sets fire to a casino. No one is hurt, and some damage is done.
Sexuality
when sex is mentioned at all, it is heterosexual in nature. Some promiscuity is mentioned. No sexual contact actually takes place in the novel, but the sexual tension between some characters is described. Female characters are described in a sexual manner.
Gender Roles
all male and female characters are traditional in their gender roles. The plot revolves around the use of a beautiful woman to make money for her husband and his colleagues. She is forced to dress provocatively against her wishes, and to act in movies which exploit her sexuality. The sheriff, the "good guy," acts on her behalf only because he is sexually attracted to her.
Ethnicity
one racial slur was located in the novel: an Italian man is called a "wop" by another character
Alcohol/Drug Abuse
some light drinking. Excessive alcohol and drug use are alluded to, but don't actually take place in the novel.
Law Enforcement
the plot involves a sheriff, who solves the mystery, and some deputies. The sheriff is comical in appearance, dressed as a cowboy, but is revealed as being quick-thinking, aware that he is being duped, and eventually using the greed of others to his advantage.
Added Features
gambling is very evident throughout the novel, which mostly takes place in a casino. Large sums of money are won and lost, although most of this activity is described in the third person, after it occurs. There is a brief mention of Hitler having caused a main character to lose his family fortune and ancestral lands, before he moved to the United States, but no other mention of World War II.
Subject Headings
Nevada - Reno/ Murder/ Actresses/ Gambling/ Mental Illness/ Motion Picture Producers and Directors
Psychological Elements
the mood is one of seediness and deception, with much irrational and inexplicable behavior. One character is manic-depressive, and much of the action takes place to protect her from harm, or use her instability for advantage. One character is constantly deceptive because of her instinct to protect her sister. Greed is the central motivator for most of the characters.
