Monday, May 17, 2010

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 WordThe 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.

4 comments:

  1. Oh wow! Awesome review! I can't wait to see this.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Question (Chick Flick Heaven request): Have you ever seen Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day? It's quite fab and I think you would like it :)

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  3. Thanks for the enthusiastic posts, Juju!

    I just realized I missed your last one, with the request. I have not seen "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day" so I will need to put that one in my Blockbuster queue and feature it here. Thanks for the request!

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