The Divorcee (1930)

Not knowing anything about this movie going in, my biggest takeaway was the strong performance by Norma Shearer in the lead. I found out afterward that she did indeed win best actress that year at the Oscars. Overall, the film is a mostly lighthearted relationship drama. It's shockingly progressive in dealing with extramarital affairs.

On their third anniversary, Norma's character learns her husband has been cheating on her. In her despair she cheats on him that same week while he's out of town on business. She confesses when he returns saying, "I've balanced our accounts." Her husband, in true 1930s fashion, doesn't seem as understanding about her indiscretion as he expected her to be about his. This leads to her becoming the titular divorcee.

Worth watching and just a brisk 82 minute film.

33 to go...

Shanghai Express (1932)

A solid film set during the early years of the Chinese Civil War. All our main characters are making the long train ride from Peking (now Beijing) to Shanghai. While they hope it will be uneventful, they are twice stopped by the opposing factions of the war who want to search for their rivals.

I always find the pre-Hays Code films fascinating in that they didn't have to be as concerned with censorship. Marlene Dietrich stars as essentially a prostitute known as Shanghai Lily who stumbles across a former lover on the train. Their attempt to rekindle their relationship is butted up against his role in assisting one side of the civil war. It all holds up pretty well and is an impressive bit of filmmaking.

34 to go...