Addiction, nonmonogamy, and female sexual liberation: decades before such ideas were widely discussed, Dorothy Arzner, the only woman to work as a director in 1930s Hollywood, brought them to the screen with striking frankness, sophistication, and wit—a mature treatment that stands out even in the pre-Code era. Fredric March (in one of four collaborations with Arzner) and Sylvia Sidney turn in extraordinary performances as the urbane couple whose relationship is pushed to the breaking point by his alcoholism and wandering eye—leading them into an emotionally explosive experiment with an open marriage. Exposing the hypocrisies and petty cruelties simmering beneath the surface of high-society elegance, Merrily We Go to Hell is a scathing early-feminist commentary on modern marriage.<br />
FILM INFO
Dorothy Arzner<br />
United States<br />
1932<br />
83 minutes<br />
Black & White<br />
1.37:1<br />
English<br />
Spine #1076<br />
SPECIAL FEATURES
New, restored 4K digital transfer, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray<br />
Dorothy Arzner: Longing for Women, a 1983 documentary by Katja Raganelli and Konrad Wickler<br />
New video essay by film historian Cari Beauchamp<br />
English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing<br />
PLUS: An essay by film scholar Judith Mayne
New cover by Sonia Kretschmar
May 11, 2021
Post Disclaimer
Some of our content may contain marketing links, which means we will receive a commission for purchases made via those links. In our editorial content, these affiliate links appear automatically, and our editorial teams are not influenced by our affiliate partnerships. We work with several providers (currently Skimlinks and Amazon) to manage our affiliate relationships. You can find out more about their services by visiting their sites.
Published by
- Joined
- Jul 3, 1997
- Messages
- 57,665
- Real Name
- Ronald Epstein
Thank you for supporting HTF when you preorder using the link below. If you are using an adblocker you will not see link. As an Amazon Associate HTF earns from qualifying purchases
Last edited:
I'll be purchasing this one too.
lark144
Premium
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2012
- Messages
- 1,290
- Real Name
- mark gross
Amazing film. Just having another example of Sylvia Sidney in her prime on Blu-Ray is reason enough.
marcco00
Second Unit
wow that is a great cover!!
dana martin
Senior HTF Member
agreed awesome cover, and glad to see another quality Pre-code film, dealing with social issues that Hayes was afraid would morally bankrupt the country get a proper release, added to that wishlist right now.
Surprised (and delighted) this is coming from Criterion.
- Joined
- Jun 10, 2003
- Messages
- 20,281
- Real Name
- Josh Steinberg
I wonder if this counts as their Cary Grant release for the year.
dana martin
Senior HTF Member
I hope not, still waiting on two comedies, one Hawks, one Capra, that would fill that Grant bill nicely... both long overdue for an HD release.
battlebeast
Senior HTF Member
Criterion has a Capra Film? Or youre just waiting for a Capra release in general?
dana martin
Senior HTF Member
the have released a Capra film, It Happened One Night.
so, mostly speculation on my part...
think WB & Capra and Grant... and the path becomes pretty clear for some dark comedy.
Lord Dalek
Senior HTF Member
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2005
- Messages
- 4,979
- Real Name
- Joel Henderson
It Happened One Night
Opposites attract with magnetic force in this romantic road-trip delight from Frank Capra, about a spoiled runaway socialite (Claudette Colbert) and a roguish man-of-the-people reporter (Clark Gable) who is determined to get the scoop on her scandalous disappearance. The first film to accomplish...
www.criterion.com
???
Justin Ray
Second Unit
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2011
- Messages
- 264
- Real Name
- Justin Ray
I’m waiting on both, plus one from Stevens
- Joined
- Jul 3, 1997
- Messages
- 57,665
- Real Name
- Ronald Epstein
Thank you for supporting HTF when you preorder using the link below. If you are using an adblocker you will not see link. As an Amazon Associate HTF earns from qualifying purchases
Similar threads
