KnotMissPriceless Why so much hype?

Spoonixel Amateur movie with Big budget

HottWwjdIam There is just so much movie here. For some it may be too much. But in the same secretly sarcastic way most telemarketers say the phrase, the title of this one is particularly apt.

Derry Herrera Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

calvinnme I just rewatched this one last night. This 1930 MGM film tells the story of a happily married couple, whose marriage crumbles under the taint of infidelity.Norma Shearer portrayed Jerry Martin, a happily married New York socialite, who discovers that her husband, Ted (Chester Morris), had a drunken one night stand with some blowsy woman. She tried to pretend that it was water under the bridge and openly forgave him. But his infidelity continued to bother her. And when he leaves New York for a business trip to Chicago, she has a one night stand with his best friend, Don (Robert Montgomery). Jerry confesses her infidelity and discovers that as far as Ted is concerned, what was good for the goose, was not for the gander. Furthermore, Ted is not so concerned about the pain of the infidelity as he is about his pride and that someone in "their set" is laughing at him. This is the last straw for Jerry, and a divorce follows with what must be a pile of alimony because Jerry seems to lack no luxury even though she lacks a job. Not bad work for a fairly short marriage.I understand that the Jerry Martin role nearly evaded Norma Shearer, because husband and MGM production chief Irving Thalberg did not feel that the role suited her. She used a series of sexy photographs taken by George Hurrell to convince Thalberg that she could do the role. And she certainly proved that she was the right woman for the role. What I liked about Shearer's take on Jerry was that she was a complex woman who discovered that she could not hide her feelings - whether she was disturbed by her husband's infidelity and hypocrisy; or her longing to reconcile with him, despite enjoying the company of other men. Shearer certainly deserved her Oscar.Although he had some moments of over-the-top acting as Ted Martin - Jerry's husband, Chester Morris did a pretty good job portraying the newspaper man, who tried to dismiss his own infidelity and discovered how his wife truly felt in the worst possible way. What I found interesting about Ted is how alcohol led to a great deal of his troubles. It was booze that encouraged him to cheat on Jerry. And it was booze that he indulged in following the breakup of his marriage and loss of his job.Robert Montgomery was at turns rather funny and sexy as Don, Ted's best friend with whom she cheated. There's a funny midnight scene in a deli where everybody is in top hat and tails, and Ted is talking to Don about how he would still like to kill the guy that broke up his home, if only he knew who that was. Don makes a polite but speedy exit.Many have dismissed Conrad Nagel as a boring actor, who performance in the movie was not worth mentioning. Mind you, his role as Paul, Jerry's former boyfriend was not as splashy as Morris or Montgomery's role, Nagel still managed to invest quite a bit of angst in his role as a man who is dealt a double blow in life when the woman he loves (Jerry) marries another man and he finds himself in a loveless marriage to a woman (Judith Wood), whose face he had disfigured due to a drunken car accident.The attitudes and personalities of most of the major characters seemed relevant today. Despite the late 20s/early 30s wardrobe and slang, the so-called "Bright Young Things" were not really different from the Twenty and Thirtysomethings in the dating scene, today. Do remember,also, that though this film was post stock market crash, that it was still pre Depression. Things were still rolling pretty good for most people at this point.I realized that the movie had a "happy ending" that many modern viewers might not care for. But for me, it was an ending in which both husband and wife were humbled. They not only forgave each other, but forgave themselves. I bought it.

MissSimonetta Norma Shearer went very much against type in this 1930 drama. Usually saddled with ingénue roles or the occasional con-woman/woman of ill repute, in The Divorcée she plays Jerry, a mature married woman who decides to retaliate when her husband has a one night stand. When hubbie finds out she's slept with his best friend, he spews nothing but contempt while feeling his unfaithfulness is natural since he is a man with uncontrollable urges after all. Thus begins Jerry's erotic adventures, in which her door is open to every man but the one she married.The film does have the awkward qualities of many early sound films and some of the actors are clearly ill at ease with the microphone, but nevertheless this is a gem of pre-code Hollywood. And it's not all naughty bed hopping and innuendos; there is genuine, relevant drama about love, faithfulness, and marriage. There are haunting, thoughtful moments in what could have otherwise been sleaze and I appreciate the filmmakers for including them, not taking the easy way out.Of course, much has been said of Norma Shearer and she is excellent: sexy, charming, vulnerable, and whip smart as Jerry. If you have never watched her in anything else, then this film is not a bad introduction. In the early 1930s, she was at her peak as a star and you should not miss Shearer in her prime for all the world.

atlasmb "The Divorcée" might be seen as a rather formulaic drama about infidelity and marriage, but at the time of its filming, it was a racy representation of changing mores, especially regarding gender roles in society. It revolves around a wife's discovery that her husband was unfaithful.The role of the wife, Jerry, won the Best Actress Oscar for Norma Shearer. Her performance is very emotional and believable. She is the central character who must decide whether to stand up for her dignity or to be the "good wife" and swallow her pride. Her husband, Ted, is played convincingly by Chester Morris. Though the ending is rather predictable, still the film treats the male and female characters with equanimity.It was released during the first wave of talkies, but it displays an economy of exposition (at 90 minutes running time), blending the spoken word with action quite well. The director, Robert Z. Leonard is skilled in camera movement--as he shows in this and other films. Still, "The Divorcée" is, thematically, one dimensional.

JLRMovieReviews Norma Shearer is the title character, The Divorcée. She was happily married to Chester Morris, when an ex of his shows up to rock the boat. Not believing in the adage, two wrongs don't make a right. She promptly goes out and has an affair with Robert Montgomery, a supposed good friend of Chester's. But Bob always liked her anyway. When Chester finds out about her affair they split up and file for divorce. That's essentially the plot. Will they get back together? Will love, understanding, and common sense win out? I had seen this years ago and didn't like it then; maybe I didn't like the stupidity of the characters. But, upon seeing it again recently, I found it to be surprisingly well made, realistic, and very risqué in parts. Not that I like what each other were doing any better, but I think this time I saw beyond the actual plot and recognized good acting. What's so terrible! about the film is the double standard that is implied (or is it stated right out) - that Chester didn't like her affair and had to have a divorce, but wanted her to forgive and forget his. What makes his pride so important? Why couldn't she demand a divorce! The fact is she loved him. True, if she hadn't had her affair and just let things ride, things would have gone on the same. But the main point of her affair, I think, is that she couldn't be walked over and was taking charge of the situation by being in the driver's seat. I would think the sheer idea that he was affronted by her affair would be just too much for average woman watching the film. The Divorcée is one mature film that needs to be seen more often. Norma Shearer won an Oscar for it. What was that saying about the 1930s values? That they endorsed her affair? That they felt she changed and learned her lesson? Or that, Ms. Shearer simply turned in a good performance? They did tend to give out Oscars back then for more sentimental reasons. See the film and judge for yourself.