The Divorcee (B or 3/4 stars)
Norma Shearer won an Academy Award for her role in 'The Divorcee' (based on a racy 1929 novel & directed by Robert Z. Leonard, Ziegfeld Girl, Pride & Prejudice), an early 'talkie' melodrama about the double standard regarding sexual mores; to say that this film is pre-Code is an understatement, haha. Jerry (Shearer) is a successful NYC ad writer who marries newspaperman, Ted (Chester Morris), which disappoints her jealous ex-boy toy, Paul (Conrad Nagel) so much so that he gets drunk when it's announced & crashes his speeding car that causes his date, Dot, to be disfigured. Wracked with guilt, he marries her even though he loves Jerry. Jerry's marriage is wonderful for 3 blissful yrs. 'til she discovers that Ted had an affair with 'fast' divorcee, Janice.
While Ted is away in Chicago for a week, Jerry balances things out by having an affair with Ted's rich bestie, Don (Robert Montgomery). After Ted tells Jerry that his affair with Janice "doesn't mean a thing", she tells him that SHE had an affair {won't name him}, & ALSO tells him it that ... "it doesn't mean a thing". Ted's pride is damaged, & he divorces Jerry. After being apart, Jerry then meets Paul again on a train by accident. Paul wants to divorce Dot ... to marry Jerry. She allllllmost agrees, but Dot confronts her & Jerry realizes it would be a mistake. Everything culminates on New Year's Eve in London where several of the main characters in this story they meet in a nightclub; coincidence, much!? I won’t divulge what occurs in the final scene.
The story is slight, fairly ludicrous, & very soapy. But I enjoyed 'The Divorcee' for what it's worth. Norma Shearer has a all-American good girl image that she tried to shatter a bit with this role and, not only did she achieve that, but audiences continued to love her, & she won that Oscar. Her performance is high-strung, emotionally. But she does it very well. I also really liked Chester Morris as Ted. And Robert Montgomery impressed in the supporting role of Don. The production is handsome (stellar camerawork, great sets, beautiful gowns, etc). I liked watching the upper-crust live the 'good life'; even if you wanted to slap 'em, at the same time, haha. I'd have liked the movie to be a bit more grounded, funnier & sexier. But as is, it's a solid, if slightly ridiculous early '30s melodrama to savor.
While Ted is away in Chicago for a week, Jerry balances things out by having an affair with Ted's rich bestie, Don (Robert Montgomery). After Ted tells Jerry that his affair with Janice "doesn't mean a thing", she tells him that SHE had an affair {won't name him}, & ALSO tells him it that ... "it doesn't mean a thing". Ted's pride is damaged, & he divorces Jerry. After being apart, Jerry then meets Paul again on a train by accident. Paul wants to divorce Dot ... to marry Jerry. She allllllmost agrees, but Dot confronts her & Jerry realizes it would be a mistake. Everything culminates on New Year's Eve in London where several of the main characters in this story they meet in a nightclub; coincidence, much!? I won’t divulge what occurs in the final scene.
The story is slight, fairly ludicrous, & very soapy. But I enjoyed 'The Divorcee' for what it's worth. Norma Shearer has a all-American good girl image that she tried to shatter a bit with this role and, not only did she achieve that, but audiences continued to love her, & she won that Oscar. Her performance is high-strung, emotionally. But she does it very well. I also really liked Chester Morris as Ted. And Robert Montgomery impressed in the supporting role of Don. The production is handsome (stellar camerawork, great sets, beautiful gowns, etc). I liked watching the upper-crust live the 'good life'; even if you wanted to slap 'em, at the same time, haha. I'd have liked the movie to be a bit more grounded, funnier & sexier. But as is, it's a solid, if slightly ridiculous early '30s melodrama to savor.