A Bill Of Divorcement (1932)

A Bill Of Divorcement - 1932

Coming up next we have 1932's "A Bill Of Divorcement", in which we find a family's life turned upside down when a formerly mentally ill man returns to his family home to find his life isn't how he left it.

The film's cast includes John Barrymore, Billie Burke, David Manners, Katharine Hepburn, Paul Cavanagh, Henry Stephenson, and Elizabeth Patterson.

It's Christmas Eve in England, and the Fairfield house is bustling with activity.  The daughter of the house, Sydney, dances with her beau Kit.

The lady of the house, Margaret, is newly divorced from an insane husband and is looking forward to a new life with her fiance.  "Life only starts when love comes." says Margaret, "Why should it have come to us so late?"

Love is blooming for Sydney and Kit as well.  During the course of the evening, Kit reveals his plans to move to Canada, and he wants to take Sydney with him as his wife.  She's overjoyed at the prospect.

High-spirited Sydney isn't one for convention.  When her aunt presents her with a prayer book for Christmas the next morning, Sydney wants to swap for a cigarette case.  "It’s against my principles to kneel down and say that I’m a miserable sinner.  I’m not miserable, and I’m not a sinner," says Sydney.

When Margaret's fiance Gray comes to pick her up for church, the two revel in their happiness and the life they will share together in the coming new year.

While Margaret is out, Sydney gets a telephone call from the asylum where her father has been committed.  Apparently, he's escaped.

Sydney's aunt lets it slip that insanity runs in the Fairfield family.  "There are troubles in every family, but one doesn't talk about them," says Hester when Sydney questions her further.

Newly escaped from the asylum, Hilary Fairfield returns to the home that has been so often in his thoughts.  He's never met his daughter, Sydney, as he was carried away to the asylum after the war due to shell shock just before her birth.  It's an emotional time when the two meet.  Sydney finds a kindred spirit in her father.

Sydney tries to break things to him gently, while also alerting the asylum doctor that he's at the house.  He seems to be in his right mind, though he occasionally switches to dark moods for a few moments.

Margaret is absolutely devastated when she sees that Hilary has returned and is in his right mind.

Gray tries to help her figure out a way where they can still be together.  Margaret doesn't know what to do, even though she is a divorced woman.

Hilary is told of the divorce, and he doesn't take it well.  Sydney expertly keeps his emotions in check and calms him down.

The doctor arrives and helps diffuse the situation further.  Unfortunately, he mentions that Hilary should never have had children, a remark which Sydney overhears and takes to heart.  Hilary still can't believe his situation.  "I’ve done nothing.  I’m not a drunkard.  I’m not a convict.  I’ve done nothing.  I...I’ve been to the war...to fight...for her, for all of you, for my country.  What do I get from it?  Not honorable scars, not medals and glory, but years in hell," he says.

Hester is thrilled to have her brother back home, but feels badly about how upset he is.  "We cry after the dead, but I've always wondered what their welcome back would be," she says.

Because of the comment the doctor made, Sydney feels that she could lose her sanity at any time.  As a result, she breaks things off with Kit, and he sadly leaves for Canada without her.

With Margaret at her wit's end, Sydney tells her to go and make a new life with Gray.  She will be the one to care for her father.  She tells Margaret that they understand one another.  Margaret gratefully embraces her daughter and leaves with Gray.

We end with Hilary and Sydney at the piano.  Before he went to the asylum, he had written part of a sonata, and now he begins working on the ending with Sydney by his side.

Cast rundown:

   John Barrymore...............................Hilary Fairfield

   Billie Burke......................................Margaret Fairfield

   David Manners.................................Kit Humphreys

   Katharine Hepburn...........................Sydney Fairfield

   Paul Cavanagh.................................Gray Meredith

   Henry Stephenson............................Dr. Alliot

   Elizabeth Patterson...........................Hester Fairfield

And that's it for A Bill Of Divorcement.  This was Katharine Hepburn's film debut, and you can definitely see the star quality shine.  A film review at the time said, "Miss Hepburn's characterization is one of the finest seen on the screen..."  It's easy to see how this film rocketed her to stardom.

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