Based on a play by clemence dane, a bill of divorcement doesnt hold up today. After spending fifteen years in an asylum, hilary fairfield escapes from the institution after regaining his sanity. But barrymore escapes from the asylum and returns home, only vaguely aware of the passage of. A bill of divorcement aka never to love on movies unlimited.
Some of the performances are melodramatic as well it was the beginning of talkies, and many of the actors had not yet adapted to the technique of acting on film, billie burke especially. A trailer ive made of katharine hepburns first motion picture, a bill of divorcement, opposite john barrymore. It was the second adaptation of the play, having previously been made into a british silent film a bill of divorcement in 1922. Though this is the second screen version of clemence danes play a bill of divorcement, its the version that we all remember because it is the film that gave us the directoractress combination of george cukor and katharine hepburn who would then rack up nine more joint ventures in almost fifty years. For many years, the 1940 bill of divorcement was retitled never to love when shown on tv. Like her other plays, it never hit the heights of a bill of divorcement, which was filmed three times. Starring john barrymore, katherine hepburn, and billie burke. Based on a play by clemence dane, the film is set on the day that hepburns mother, billie burke, is to divorce her insane and longinstitutionalized husband john barrymore. Ive been on something of a journey through the films of katharine hepburn, and that has brought me to a bill of divorcement her first screen role. For her third film, morning glory 1933, hepburn won an academy award for her portrayal of an aspiring actress.
He finds that things at home are different than when he left them. Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away. I knew the play was made into a movie in the 1930s katharine hepburns first onscreen role and that it was written in response to changes to britains divorce laws, but beyond that, i had no. After regaining his sanity and escaping an asylum to. Im a big adolphe menjou family, but i didnt find this never to lovea bill of divorcement an interesting film. A bill of divorcement aka never to love on tcm shop. Find the monthly tcm movie schedule and programming guide and learn what classic movies will be shown on turner classic movies this month. A 1932 film of the same name was directed by george cukor and starred. A bill of divorcement standout here is the smash impression made by katharine hepburn in her first picture assignment. Based on a play by clemence dane, the film is set on the day that hepburns mother, billie. Bill of divorce definition is a written document prepared according to prescribed form and given by the husband to his wife by which the marriage relation is dissolved called also get. Select any poster below to play the movie, totally free. The discreet charm of george cukor film at lincoln center.
Im not sure what i was expected with a bill of divorcement. A bill of divorcement is a 1932 american precode drama film directed by george cukor and starring john barrymore and katharine hepburn in her film debut. John barrymore, billie burke and katharine hepburn in a. Bill of divorce definition of bill of divorce by merriam. Thus saith the lord, where is the bill of your mothers divorcement, whom i have put away. A bill of divorcement is a 1932 american precode drama film, directed by george cukor and starring john barrymore and katharine hepburn in her screen debut. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing a bill of divorcement 1932 near you. Everyone is so terribly overwrought and exaggerated. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. She has a vital something that sets her apart from the picture galaxy.
Its saving grace is the warm rapport between katharine hepburn and john barrymore contrary to hollywood legend, they did not despise one another. Now having never seen the previous movie i cannot honestly say how well the 1940 version compares with it. His wife has divorced him and is already planning her next marriage, and. A bill of divorcement letterboxd your life in film. A bill of divorcement film by cukor 1932 britannica. Its very talky, done in a stagy manner, and melodramatic. Even in 1932, when the melodrama was made, the biological and moral issues of insanity were outdated, but cukors film features an original, striking. Based on a play by clemence dane, the film is set on the day that hepburns mother. This 1940 film was a remake of the 1932 film with the same title, directed by george cukor and starring john barrymore and katharine hepburn in her film debut. A bill of divorcement aka never to love 1940 kino lorber. Incredibly dated in its attitudes toward divorce and insanity, bill of divorcement worked somewhat better in its 1932 version, thanks to the charisma and chemistry of john barrymore as the father and newcomer katharine hepburn as the daughter. A bill of divorcement, london, march 1921 stage the.
Rko later remade it in 1940 with adolphe menjou and maureen ohara. It was also known as never to love and was based on a play that was filmed in 1932 with john. Fierce for the holidays fierce women features katharine. A bill of divorcement 1940 a bill of divorcement 1940. Katharine hepburn made her auspicious film debut in the otherwise undistinguished a bill of divorcement. A bill of divorcement by george cukor george cukor, john. It was also known as never to love and was based on a play that was filmed in 1932 with john barrymore and katharine hepburn. The philadelphia story 1940, the african queen 1951. Overview of a bill of divorcement, 1940, directed by john farrow, with maureen ohara, adolphe menjou, fay bainter, at turner classic movies. Dalton trumbo list of movies and tv shows tv guide. A bill of divorcement 1940 a mentally unstable man escapes from an institution and disrupts wedding plans being made by his wife and daughter. A bill of divorcement is a 1940 film directed by john farrow.
John barrymore, billie burke and katharine hepburn in a film of a clemence dane play. In katharine hepburn movie debut in george cukors a bill of divorcement 1932, a drama that also starred john barrymore. A bill of divorcement, bluray, dramaclassics, 738329228446. From what i understand this film is a remake of an earlier picture produced in 1932 which starred notable actors like john barrymore and katharine hepburn. Librivox recording of a bill of divorcement by clemence dane. I found the story to be silly and dull, overall, and the acting with the exception of john barrymore and katharine hepburn to be generally quite poor and amateurish. This 1940 film was a remake of the 1932 film with the same title, directed by george cukor and. A bill of divorcement 1932 bluray disc details high. The film was bluntly recut, ava gardners volatile heroine tamed, and the central political conflict muffledbut what remains is still one of cukors most daring and personal films. A squabbling couple cant seem to make it to the divorce court. Even given its dated quality, bill of divorcement is more palatable than its empty 1940 remake, which starred maureen ohara and adolphe menjou. This 1940 film was a remake of the 1932 film with the same title, directed by george cukor and starring john barrymore and katharine. A bill of divorcement describes a day in the lives of a middleaged british woman named margaret meg fairfield, her daughter sydney, sydneys fiance kit humphreys, megs fiance gray meredith, and megs husband hilary, who escapes after spending almost twenty years in a mental hospital. A bill of divorcement dvd ntsc region 0 barrymore hepburn.
A bill of divorcement aka never to love, dvd, dramaclassics, 738329234539. Hilary fairchild adolphe menjou returns home after a long spell in a lunatic asylum. On imdb tv, you can catch hollywood hits and popular tv series at no cost. Dalton trumbo full list of movies and tv shows in theaters, in production and upcoming films. I used the theme music from fried green tomatoes i own. Images a bill of divorcement aka never to love bluray. In this eminently satisfactory and welcome feature. A bill of divorcement 1932 bluray releases details a bill of divorcement 1932 sale price 18. Hepburn was then cast as an aviator in dorothy arzners christopher strong 1933. Head to our youtube channel to check out a series of fun trailers for the retrospective.
568 878 876 382 64 1184 1006 59 1315 214 657 1391 1507 847 1116 809 1548 1359 1268 822 1524 178 1093 98 1467 1223 910 891 79 668 1050 53 735 542 1133 663 1005 600 446 605 876 1400 1085