A Bill of Divorcement

A Bill of Divorcement (DVD) (*)

$21.99

Language Selections:
English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 )
Italian ( Dolby Digital 2.0 )
Italian ( Subtitles )

Product Origin/Format:
Italy ( PAL/Region 2 )

Running Time:
67 min

Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen

Special Features:
Featurette
Interactive Menu
Scene Access
Black & White

Movie filmed in 1932 and produced in:
United States ( USA, Canada )

Directed By:
George Cukor

Written By:
Clemence Dane
Howard Estabrook

Actors:
John Barrymore ..... Hilary Fairfield
Billie Burke ..... Meg Fairfield
David Manners ..... Kit Humphreys
Katharine Hepburn ..... Sydney Fairfield
Paul Cavanagh ..... Gray Meredith
Henry Stephenson ..... Doctor Alliot
Gayle Evers ..... Bassett
Elizabeth Patterson ..... Aunt Hester Fairfield

Synopsis:

Katharine Hepburn made her auspicious film debut in the otherwise undistinguished A Bill of Divorcement. Based on a play by Clemence Dane, the film is set on the day that Hepburn's mother, Billie Burke, is to divorce her insane and long-institutionalized husband John Barrymore. But Barrymore escapes from the asylum and returns home, only vaguely aware of the passage of time (he was shell-shocked during WWI). His presence puts Burke in an uncomfortable spot, especially since she plans to wed Paul Cavanaugh. Pressured by her idiotically traditional family to renew her vows with her first husband, Burke is saved from a lifetime of misery by her spunky daughter Hepburn, who takes care of her child-like father. The film's attitude towards male-female relationships, not to mention its archaic approach to the problem of mental illness, make Bill of Divorcement a chore to sit through today. Its saving grace is the warm rapport between Katharine Hepburn and John Barrymore (contrary to Hollywood legend, they did not despise one another). Even given its dated quality, Bill of Divorcement is more palatable than its empty 1940 remake, which starred Maureen O'Hara and Adolphe Menjou.

After spending fifteen years in an asylum, Hilary Fairfield escapes from the institution after regaining his sanity. He finds that things at home are different than when he left them. His wife has divorced him and is already planning her next marriage, and his daughter has grown up throughout the years and is planning to marry as well.

A man, Hilary Fairfield returns home after fifteen years in a mental asylum. However, he finds things are not the way they were when he left.

This product was added to our catalog on Friday 06 March, 2009.

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