CHILD OF DIVORCE
US, 1946, 62 minutes, Black and white.
Sharyn Moffat, Regis Toomey, Madge Meredith, Walter Reed.
Directed by Richard O.Fleischer.
Child of Divorce is the first film directed by Richard Fleischer, who was to show skills in a wide range of films for 30 years, ranging from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, to Compulsion, to Barabbas, to The Jazz Singer.
In the brief running time, and in the style and manner of the 1940s, the film is fairly frank about parents, adultery, divorce, settlement for the child, the effect of all this on the child, the solution of boarding school, and the parents managing their lives as well as trying to relate well to their daughter.
Sharyn Moffat is quite effective as a little girl – a touch precocious. Her career extended from 1944 to 1951.
1. The short supporting feature, human interest story, focus on children, parents, divorce?
2. 1946, the title, the prevalence of divorce at the time, the status, the stigma? Parents falling in and out of love, the consequences for themselves, for their children, multi-parenting? These issues in succeeding decades? In the US? Elsewhere?
3. Black-and-white photography, the lesser-known cast, the director at the beginning of his career?
4. The focus on Bobby, her age, a touch precocious? Love for her mother? Devotion to her father, his absences? At school, with her friends, the discussions about divorce, second fathers et cetera? Seeing her mother with the boyfriend, the kiss, Bobby denying it and angry with her friends?
5. The father, absences, making deals, loving his wife, her feeling abandoned, taking up with another man, planning to leave? How to handle the situation with Bobby?
6. The father’s return, early, the mother surprised, trying to make the phone call? The attempted celebration on his return?
7. Sensing the difficulties, talking plainly, the fight and slaps, the reactions, going to court?
8. The mother with her daughter, the daughter wanting to be with her father, disliking the new father? In the court, the judge and his friendly manner, getting
the information about the quarrel between her parents, the father slapping his wife? The defence counsel? The brutal questioning of the prosecutor? Her
being upset?
9. The decision, the school year with her mother, her politeness towards her stepfather, not liking him? The effect on her? The gift of the dollhouse? Her altered dollhouse and the gift of the piano?
10. Going to see her father, the summer months, meeting Louise, her suspicions? Her being upset with her father?
11. Her parents, the discussion, the advice of sending Bobby to boarding school?
12. At boarding school, her roommate, their discussions, divorce, four parents…?
13. The father’s visit, late, the mother coming to see her, the effect on her, how she would get over it? But the reality of the impact of divorce on children?
