THE DIVORCEE
US, 1930, 84 minutes, Black and white.
Norma Shearer, Chester Morris, Conrad Nagel, Robert Montgomery, Florence Eldridge.
Directed by Robert Z.Leonard.
The Divorcee is the film for which Norma Shearer won the Oscar for Best Actress, the third in Oscar’s history. She portrays Jerry, a rather carefree woman, who has many suitors, deciding on Ted, Chester Morris, the man she loves, passing over Paul, Conrad Nagel, who is devoted to her but who marries Dorothy, disfigured, on the rebound. As the years pass, it emerges that Ted has an affair which he passes off in a rather carefree manner. On an impulse, and angry, she has a one night stand with Ted’s best friend, Don, Robert Montgomery.
Ted is unable to accept her behaviour while excusing his own. Jerry wants to tell the truth. They divorce, she decides to go on a rather promiscuous spree while he goes to Paris. Don avoids the situation. Paul returns, declaring his love for Jerry, but Jerry changes her mind during a visit from Paul’s wife. She decides that she really loves Ted and goes to work in London, going across to Paris, to meet him again, affecting reconciliation.
One of the dramatic difficulties is that Chester Morris is rather stolid as Ted, and audiences may find it hard to appreciate Jerry’s love him.
The film was directed by Robert Z. Leonard, the director of many dramas at the time and into the 1940s with When Ladies Meet and Pride and Prejudice.
1. A drama/melodrama of 1930? The morals and mores of the time? Marriage, fidelity, the perspectives of men, the perspectives of women? Divorce?
2. MGM production values, black-and-white photography, the skill of the director? The cast? Norma Shearer and her Oscar?
3. The story of Jerry, popular, wealthy, carefree, the many suitors? Her friend Helen and her divorce? The holiday, the suitors, Paul and his wanting to marry Jerry? Her choosing Ted?
4. The marriage, the anniversary, the party, Janice and her sinister presence, Teddy having an affair, his covering it up, confessing the truth, his downplaying it, Jerry and her being upset?
5. Ted going away on business, the friendship with Don, Ted’s friend, his approach to Jerry, the one night stand, its effect on her, on him – careless?
6. Ted’s return, Jerry wanting to tell the truth, Ted being upset, his own infidelity and his inability to accept his wife’s behaviour? Leaving?
7. The effect on Jerry, moving into a more promiscuous way of life, society, men, the International suitor? The divorce?
8. The importance of many of Jerry’s speeches, the marriage, love and fidelity, about divorce, about the status of men in the situations, about women? Her defiance? A working woman and her situation?
9. Ted, upset, going to Europe to work? His encountering Don, the threats to the man with whom Jerry was unfaithful – and Don’s reaction?
10. Paul, his finding Jerry, his wife, her disfigurement, the tension in the marriage, and knowing that he loved Jerry? Jerry responding to him, the possibilities for marriage, Dorothy’s visit, the discussion, Jerry being hurt, trying to do the honourable thing?
11. Jerry going to work in London, visiting Paris, the encounter with Ted, the confession, the reconciliation?
