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 S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

Directed by Dorothy Arzner
USA 1932

 

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 an 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.

***

A drunken newspaperman is rescued from his alcoholic haze by an heiress whose love sobers him up and encourages him to write a play, but he lapses back into dipsomania.

Posters

Theatrical Release: June 10th, 1932

Reviews                                                                                                       More Reviews                                                                                       DVD Reviews

 

Review: Criterion - Region 'A' / 'B' - Blu-ray

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Bonus Captures:
Distribution Criterion - Region 'A' / 'B' - Blu-ray
Runtime 1:23:14.531        
Video

1.37:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 44,710,734,981 bytes

Feature: 24,956,461,056 bytes

Video Bitrate: 35.82 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate Blu-ray:

Audio

LPCM Audio English 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit
Subtitles English (SDH), None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Criterion

 

1.37:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 44,710,734,981 bytes

Feature: 24,956,461,056 bytes

Video Bitrate: 35.82 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

• Dorothy Arzner: Longing for Women, a 1983 documentary by Katja Raganelli and Konrad Wickler (46:54)
 • New video essay by film historian Cari Beauchamp (26:33)
 • PLUS: An essay by film scholar Judith Mayne


Blu-ray Release Date: May 11th, 2021
 Transparent Blu-ray Case

Chapters 9

 

 

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Criterion Blu-ray (April 2021): Criterion have transferred Dorothy Arzner's Merrily We Go to Hell to Blu-ray. It is cited as being from a "New, restored 4K digital transfer". We've compared a capture from the 2009 Universal (3-DVD set) Pre-Code Hollywood Collection that we reviewed HERE. This new image sports exquisite textures, layered contrast and a beautiful image in the 1.37:1 aspect ratio. There are barely any speckles of light surface scratches. It looks beautiful in 1080P on a dual-layered disc with a max'ed out bitrate.

NOTE: We have added 74 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Criterion use a linear PCM mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. It is another advancement from the DVD in the film's audio and score uncredited to Rudolph G. Kopp (The Sign of the Cross, The Woman Accused, 1934's Cleopatra, 1934's The Murder in the Zoo, 1950's Noir Mystery Street) and John Leipold (Christmas in July, The Devil is a Woman, The Flying Deuces, Duck Soup). It suffers a bit from its era and, predictable, production limitations but is genuinely clear with audible dialogue. Criterion offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'A' / 'B' Blu-ray.

The Criterion Blu-ray offers some new supplements but no commentary. In a new 27-minute video essay, film historian Cari Beauchamp discusses the production of Merrily We Go to Hell and director Dorothy Arzner's career. We also get a 3/4 hour documentary; Dorothy Arzner: Longing for Women. In 1980, filmmaker Katja Raganelli and her husband, cinematographer Konrad Wickler, journeyed from Munich to California to make a documentary about Dorothy Arzner. Arzner had recently died in a car accident, but Raganelli visited her desert home and retraced the older filmmaker's life and career through Arzner's personal photographs, along with interviews with actor Esther Ralston. The package also has liner notes with an essay by film scholar Judith Mayne.   

It's incredible how 'ahead of its time' Dorothy Arzner's Merrily We Go to Hell was in frankly portraying marital trouble, alcoholism etc. in incredibly honest terms. This is another reason we love Pre-Code. Sylvia Sidney is wonderful as the loyal but conflicted new wife and the story is very touching and brilliantly realized. After the extras on Criterion's Blu-ray here and on Dance Girl, Dance I continue to be fascinated by Dorothy Arzner. What an incredible and worthy film to bring to 1080P. More Pre-Code please, Criterion! This has a very strong recommendation!

Gary Tooze

 

Menus / Extras

 

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

 

1) Universal (3-disc Pre-Code Hollywood Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) Criterion - Region 'A' / 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More full resolution (1920 X 1080) Blu-ray Captures for DVDBeaver Patreon Supporters HERE

 

 

 
Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

  

Bonus Captures:
Distribution Criterion - Region 'A' / 'B' - Blu-ray


 


 

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