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Divorcee (1930)
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by MGM (Warner)
Sales Rank: 10628
Price: $14.98
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These early thirties films labelled as "Pre Code", are always most interesting to watch from a historical perspective as only a few years after this film was made such a topic would never have been able to be presented as it is here. The passage of time of course makes the subject matter of MGM's "The Divorcee", seem tame however back in 1930 this story was considered very adult and almost ahead of its time in its fairly honest examination of the "expected", roles for husbands and wives in the marital situation. Norma Shearer who today is sadly not well known really proved her acting chops in this vehicle and went home with the Best Actress Oscar that year for her troubles. Often labelled quite restrictively as the dignified first lady of MGM resulting from much of her later work in this decade in husband Irving Thalberg's prestige productions; here proves what she was capable of doing on screen when given meaty roles to tackle. Her other effort from this time "A Free Soul", makes a nice companion piece to "The Divorcee", in illustrating the range of roles Shearer was capable of handling when examining her overall career.
Viewer Reviews
"The Divorcee" is a movie that risks a lot and rewards us with much more. The movie tackles some big issues in a most frank way, at least for 1930. Had the movie been made a few years later, we would have seen a vastly different picture.
Most people have only heard of this movie, few have seen it. Film buffs have only know the movie as "that one Norma Shearer won the Oscar for". But it is a little more than that.
The movie looks at double-standards in society. Jerry (Shearer) and Ted (Chester Morris) are young and in love. They surprise everyone at a pasrty when they announce they are going to be married. This news especially upsets Paul (Conrad Nagel) whom had planned to marry Jerry himself.
Three years later, while celebrating their anniversary Jerry discovers that Ted had an affair, he assures her it was only once, but once is too many. He tries to talk her into understanding that it didn't mean anything, it's just the way men are. Ted then goes out of town on business.
Jerry can't get her mind around Ted's confession, and so with the help of a mutual friend, Don (Robert Montgomery) the two paint the town red. But we then find out Jerry and Don had spent the night together. This is all revealed to Ted when he arrives home.
Now the movie is about how these two people are going to cope with this information. Ted is outraged. How could his wife, whom he thought was respectable, committ such as act? After all, as Ted explained, he's a man, it's okay for him, but for a woman to act as a man does, unthinkable.
This theme was pretty bold for a 1930's movie and as I said surprisingly tackles the issues as frank as possible. Their are however a few faults with the movie. First of all near the end of the movie it starts to lose its nerve. The issue is never really resolved between the two. This can lead one to then interpret the movie as saying absence makes the heart grow fonder. But the underlying dilemma confronting the two is never fully addressed head on. Given that a majority of the movie doesn't take this approach I found the ending disappointing.
Shearer though was no stranger to acting in movie that dealt with controversial issues. "Their Own Desire", made a year ealier, also with Montgomery, had done it, and Shearer's "The Women" would also.
The movie was directed by Robert Z Leonard, a studio director, who received an Academy Award nomination for this picture, had also directed Shearer in a Noel Coward adaptation called "We Were Dancing", with Melvyn Douglas. Leonard also directed "Pride and Prejudice" with Olivier and Greer Garson and a Myrna Loy comedy "Third Finger, Left Hand". So his name has been associated with entertaining films that took interesting views of society and in mild attempts challenged the norm.
"The Divorcee" will probably have the most entertainment value if watch by filmbuffs, though it doesn't have to be that way. The movie is boldly acted, and has some very convinving performances,. It is well-written and manages to get its point across by not being vulgar. It merely makes subtle hints. All of this lead the movie to earn four Oscar nominations for "directing", "picture", "writing" and "actress (the only award it won)". I don't mean to lessen the movie's worth, but it shold been seen as an example of what Hollywood could have been had there been no production code in effect. Try and think how different the entire history of movie might have been. That, if anything, should intrigue you to watch this. *** 1\2 out of *****.
p.s. If you're interested in seeing amovie that deals with the issue of women's role in society played for comedy, track down the Kay Francis comedy "Man Wanted" which deals with women's place in the work force and what would happen if a man had a woman as a boss.
Bottom-line: Well acted, well written early Hollywood melodrama that is way ahead of its time. Shearer and Montogery are quite good. Bold example of what the movies were once capable of.
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Divorcee (1930)
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