Posted by Sarah<\/b><\/p>\n
Here\u00a0is a summary of the group\u2019s discussion on Lies\u2019 choice of film The Divorcee<\/i>. Do comment or email me on sp458kent.ac.uk to add your thoughts. \u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
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The group\u2019s discussion of The Divorcee<\/i> encompassed several areas including its relation to the \u2018woman\u2019s film\u2019 and melodrama genres; male\/female relations; the film\u2019s \u2018pre-Code\u2019 status.<\/b><\/p>\n
In terms of suffering, one of the prerequisites for melodramas according to the AFI, the main female character Jerry (played by Norma Shearer) experiences anguish as her husband Ted (Chester Morris) has an affair. While he expects forgiveness for his indiscretion, when Jerry admits to her subsequent fling, with Ted\u2019s best friend Don (Robert Montgomery), Ted ends the marriage.\u00a0 Interestingly, he is seen to suffer too \u2013 emotionally and financially. He is unable to move on from her, and he loses his job. Supporting characters are also seen to suffer. Near the film\u2019s beginning Paul (Conrad Nagel) is upset at Ted and Jerry\u2019s engagement. He crashes his car while drink-driving and a passenger, Dorothy (Helen Johnson), is disfigured, causing Paul to be subsumed by guilt. <\/b><\/p>\n
We also noted the importance of costume (designed by Adrian), and hairdressing to Jerry at various stages of her journey. Post-divorce her clothes became more glamorous. (For a discussion of costume and female characters see Jane Gaines, “Costume and Narrative: How Dress Tells the Woman’s Story,” in Fabrications: Costume and the Female Body<\/em>, eds. Jane M. Gaines and Charlotte Herzog (New York and London: Routledge, 1989) pp.\u00a0 192-96)<\/p>\n While the film certainly foregrounds the Double Standard as men are able to engage in extra-marital affairs but women are not, the film handles this in a more complex way.Firstly the husband was seen to suffer too (even if this was largely from his own vanity and pride). And although the film showed the difficulties negotiated by a recently divorced woman in relation to etiquette (and Jerry and Ted ended up back together at the film\u2019s close), it also provided a positive view of divorce for women. Jerry and Ted only reconcile because they love each other, while Jerry\u2019s friend Helen (Florence Eldridge) is happily divorced, independent, and onto her next \u2018rich as mud\u2019 husband.<\/p>\n The Production Code was also discussed. Even though the film was pre-Code and contained some rather shocking dialogue between husband and wife, other aspects were clearly beyond the pale. The couple are shown to occupy separate beds and Jerry\u2019s adultery is implied by the discreet closing of curtains rather than represented on screen. It is also notable that soon after Jerry\u2019s divorce her Jerry\u2019s suitors are mostly shown in a rapid montage. In these shots both Jerry and the men in her life are largely anonymous (restricted to hands and voices), though we are able to discern that there are several of them.\u00a0 <\/b><\/p>\n Many thank to Lies for choosing such a rich and enjoyable film for us to watch.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Posted by Sarah Here\u00a0is a summary of the group\u2019s discussion on Lies\u2019 choice of film The Divorcee. Do comment or email me on sp458kent.ac.uk to add your thoughts. \u00a0 The group\u2019s discussion of The Divorcee encompassed several areas including … Continue reading