The Divorcee (1930)

The Divorcee 

Director:  Robert Z. Leonard

Writers:  Nick Grinde, Zelda Sears and John Meehan; based on the novel "Ex Wife" by Ursula Parrott

Release Date:   April 19, 1930




Synopsis:  Jerry and Ted, members of the New York social elite, fall in love and marry after a somewhat raunchy party.  Things appear to be going swimmingly for three years until on the night of their third anniversary, Jerry finds out that Ted had a brief affair with Janice, who has been unknowingly brought along by their friends for the anniversary celebration.  Jerry is crushed, Ted makes excuses about how sex doesn't mean anything without love and Jerry decides to "balance their accounts" while Ted is away on a business trip, resulting in Ted refusing to forgive Jerry and the two deciding to divorce.   Jerry then becomes a footloose and fancy free divorcee.

Flick Facts:

*     Robert Z. Leonard is listed as "producer" and not "director" of this film.  At that time, MGM often listed directors' names as "A _______ Production" on the same card as the film title.   Leonard was solely a director though and not a producer. 

*     Norma Shearer was married to Irving Thalberg at the time The Divorcee was filmed and released.  Archrival Joan Crawford complained that Shearer got roles like those of Jerry in The Divorcee because she slept with the boss.

*     Prior to this film, Norma Shearer had played primarily "proper" ladies.  Wanting to change her image to a sexier one, she campaigned for the role of Jerry by posing for provacative photos clad in lingerie for notable photographer George Hurrell.  Husband Thalberg agreed to give her the role. 

*     The character of Helen was played by actress Florence Eldridge - - better known around town as Mrs. Frederic March.  

*     Shooting wrapped in only 22 days, with no retakes necessary.  

*     Shearer won the only Oscar of her career for this film.

*     The Divorcee cost $340,691 to produce in 1930, with a healthy return of $1,218,000.

She Said, He Said: 

* "I've heard of platonic love but I didn't know there was such a thing as platonic jewellery. "

* "From now on, you're the only man in the world that my door is closed to."

* "A man should be willing to lay down more than one wife for his country."

* "The truth?  The last thing any man wants to hear from any woman!"

* "All men are fair game from now on!"


Chic Chick Sounds:

Being as how The Divorcee was filmed and released in 1930, there is no soundtrack per se.    However, a catchy rag tune (1918's "Tiger Rag") plays during a nightclub scene, "Happy Days are Here Again" plays during a wedding scene and "Singin' in the Rain" is played from a radio. 

   

 

The Women was the first film I saw with Norma Shearer but it was The Divorcee that cemented my cinematic crush on her.   Sure, there are shades of Mary Haines in Jerry Martin but where Mary is prim and proper and takes the so-called high road, Jerry is more fiery, passionate and decides that what's good for the goose is most certainly good for the gander. 


While certainly not news today, a philandering husband and a wife that paid him back in kind was big news in 1930. This movie was considered scandalous in its day and Miss Shearer was rewarded for her lovely, genuine performance with an Oscar, the only one of her too-short career. Chester Morris plays the cheating husband to perfection, with the usual chauvinistic excuses of the other woman meaning nothing and then expresses outrage when his wife decides to play along, to see if a casual encounter really means nothing.   Robert Montgomery (future father of Bewitched's Elizabeth Montgomery) is in one of his first film roles, a friend that thinks perhaps too highly of Jerry.


All in all, The Divorcee is a fantastic movie that hasn't been as horribly dated as one would think and it perfectly demonstrates why Miss Shearer was considered Queen of MGM at the start of the 1930s.  Because she makes what would have been a routine, cookie cutter film of the early 1930s a little gem worth repeated viewings.  Be prepared to fall in love with Miss Shearer. 


Best Parts of The Divorcee:  Norma Shearer, Norma Shearer, Norma Shearer.  Honestly, I'm not sure any of the other leading ladies of the time could have given Jerry the sweetness, the naturalness and the sexiness that Miss Shearer did. 


Worst Parts of The Divorcee:  The makeup on Chester Morris.  Really.  Even while bearing in mind that both actors and actressess sported some hideous off-camera makeup that showed well in the black and white films, Mr. Morris' liberal makeup can be distracting.  And just between you and me, I thought Jerry was far too good for Ted.


Spawns and Sequels:  Following the the success of The Divorcee, Norma starred in Let Us Be Gay, an essential remake of The Divorcee, this time with her playing wronged wife Kitty Brown who leaves her cheating husband and becomes the female embodiment of the cad, teasing men from coast to coast.  She also starred in Strangers May Kiss as the "modern" (for the times) Lisbeth, who claims to be just happy with sleeping with her boyfriend without benefit of a wedding ring.  The Divorcee, with its adult subject matter, discourse on sex and sexuality and overall success, also most certainly paved the way for Jean Harlow's Pre-Code classic Red Headed Woman, where Jean played a sultry and sensual girl who sleeps with her married boss (Chester Morris once again!) to get ahead.  


The Final Word:  The Divorcee is required viewing for serious connoisseurs of classic movies.  Norma is lovely, the script and story are engaging, Robert Montgomery looks so darn young and charming and it's amazing to think that movies had only been "talkies" for a mere two years.  There are certain aspects of the film that are dated to today's viewer (this was on the tail end of the flapper era) but the movie pushes equality and sexual equality, even though in 1930 audiences were expected to find Jerry's actions somewhat unforgivable (Ted, after all, was just being a man).  In fact, Jerry could be partly to blame as she is a professional, a working woman in an era where women stayed home and cared for the house and family.   To the 1930s audience, Jerry didn't put her marriage first and fight for it -- a realization that Jerry cinematically comes to, even if this modern viewer doesn't.  In the end, regardless of her choices, Jerry is represented as a strong, self-serving woman.

The Divorcee is available for purchase as part of a DVD collection through Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Sex and the City (2008)

Picture courtesy of moviewallpapers.net



Sex and the City 


Director: Michael Patrick King

Writer: Michael Patrick King
    (based on Candace Bushnell's book)

Release Date: May 30, 2008



Synopsis: Sex and the City is coming to the big screen in a feature film adaptation of the hit HBO television series. The film will follow the continuing adventures of the series four main characters - Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda - as they live their lives in Manhattan four years after the series ended. Stars Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, and Cynthia Nixon are all on board to reprise their roles, while the film will be written and directed by Michael Patrick King, who executive produced the original television series.



Flick Facts:


* The film originally was slated for production shortly after the end of the TV series in 2004. But production was halted when Kim Cattrall pulled out of the film after being unable to reach a salary agreement with HBO. An agreement was finally reached in 2007 which included a series deal for Cattrall.

* Victoria Beckham was offered a cameo role but had to turn it down due to scheduling conflicts with Spice Girls tour rehearsals.

* Sex and the City was shot in a relatively quick 69 days.

* The flower ring that Smith buys for Samantha during the auction was reportedly worth a cool $50,000.

* We learned that Big's first name was John during the last episode of the series; here, we learn that his full name is John James Preston. 

* Filmed in Silvercup Studios in Queens - the same studio space as in the original HBO series.

* Took in $56,848,056 in its opening weekend in the US alone, nearly covering its estimated $65,000,000 cost.



She Said, She Said, She Said, She Said:


* "The good ones screw you, the bad ones screw you and the rest don't know how to screw you." 

* "The only two choices for women . . . witch and sexy kitten."

* "Marriage ruins everything."

 * "It's like trying to fit a cream puff through a keyhole."

* "Some love stories aren't epic novels, some are short stories.  But that doesn't make them any less filled with love." 




Chic Chick Sounds:


Sex and the City's soundtrack has everything from Fergie to Jennifer Hudson to Captain and Tenille (the latter's "Love Will Keep Us Together" plays during Carrie and Miranda's "date" on Valentine's Day).  And during that impromptu fashion show wehre Carrie is modeling her clothing while cleaning out her closet, Run DMC's "Walk This Way" keeps her to the beat.

Sex and the City was one film that I thought would never see the light of day.  Heck, the movie was being discussed before the final scenes of the series were filmed and there were already rumblings of professional discord between the leads.  When a year, then two and three passed, I figured it was a lost cause.

I am happy that I was wrong.  I am also happy that this movie exceeded my expectations and very surprisingly, left me liking Carrie.

Yes, because I was one of "those people" who never "got" Carrie during the run of the show.  I understand she was supposed to be Everywoman but I didn't get it.  She seemed flighty at times with her guys, she was utterly self-centered during her time with Big and flat out rude to her friends when all she wanted to discuss was her situation with Big, the others' lives be damned.  And let's face it, her so-called fashion looked as though a laundromat had puked on her. 

I think Carrie really irretrievably lost me when she panicked on Aidan and that relationship combusted.  The man could build things.  And cook.  And he was sensitive and understanding.  What the hell, Carrie? 

This movie redeemed Carrie for me though.  She seemed much more sedate and subdued and less about herself.  Her relationship with Big seemed healthy and mature.  Even the difficulties peppered throughout the movie (for Carrie and for Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte) seemed realistic and not just plot points.  And some weren't quickly corrected and wrapped up.  In fact, the movie takes place during the course of a year. 

Sex and the City left me wanting to hang out with the fabulous foursome (and even newbie Louise, who, played by the lovely Jennifer Hudson, provided Carrie with much needed professional and emotional support) . . . something I haven't felt a desire to do in a long while!

Best parts of Sex and the City: The friendship between Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda.  It's as dependable as UPS (go brown!) and the true, consistent relationship that each gal has.  And the fact that I didn't want to rip Carrie's head off throughout the entire movie is made of win.


Worst parts of Sex and the City: Sigh.  During the run of the t.v. show, I always loved Samantha the best.  But I felt she was oddly flat and subdued during this flick.  For any other character she would have still be fun but for freespirited and overly sexual Samantha Jones, she was a letdown. 


Spawns and Sequels: Sex and the City 2 is due out May 2010.  This sequel could be nothing but our main girls sitting around at a New York restaurant gossiping and it would still put butts on theater seats.  Provided that the fashion is fabulous, of course.  


The Final Word: Rarely does a movie based on a television series not only do as well as the original series but satisfy the fan's appetites for further adventures and leave them asking for more.  Despite film leaks galore, along with nearly daily photos of the movie being shot in New York and critics' predictions of an epic sized turkey, Sex and the City recouped its costs during its opening weekend . . . quite an admirable feat.  The Powers That Be behind Sex and the City proved that their movie was more than four 30 minute episodes tacked together and more than Sarah Jessica Parker modeling good and horribly bad fashions.  The sequel is justified and well earned.


Sex and the City is available for DVD purchase at most stores, including Amazon.