by Keimara Amos

Merrily We Go to Hell (1932) Depicts the complex and often bleak portrayal of marriage. Arzner tells a story of the characters Jerry (Fredric March) and Joan (Sylvie Sidney), and their toxic dynamic, through Jerry’s actions as a husband. His alcoholism, infidelity, and emotional neglect highlight the film’s cynical take on marriage, an institution where women are expected to endure the weight of male dominance. Jerry’s failures are the key to the film’s exploration of marital dissatisfaction. Although he seems doting and caring, Jerry remains self-destructive and emotionally unavailable, while prioritizing his ex-lover Claire Hempstead and his addiction. Jerry’s character represents men at the time on a broader scale serving as a metaphor for the acceptance of male irresponsibility within marriage. March’s ability to capture the feeling of indecisiveness, according to Judith Mayne, author of Directed by Dorothy Arzner (1994), is what makes his character Jerry to be described as “infuriating” yet “sympathetic.” For women characters in the 1930s Arzner does an excellent job not allowing Joan to be a mere victim of Jerry’s Failures. She decided to portray Joan as emotionally resilient, choosing to take her pain and use what she knew to remain graceful, vulnerable, while showing strength. At first Joan Compartmentalize her pain by tolerating Jerry’s behavior and went full force housewife, she was hopeful her actions could persuade her husband to stay on the right track. After Jerry’s drunken stupors and finding out he was having an affair, Joan tried to get some of her power back, she decided that if Jerry could have an affair, she could too. Showing her character’s resilience, especially when she finally decides to leave Jerry after realizing that he could not be fixed. Joan’s decision to walk away from Jerry was a huge shift in her character’s development, there was a shift from a woman who was passive to one who gained clarity. Mayne also reflects on Arzner’s close-up scenes with Sylvia Sidney revealing her expressive characteristics portraying the emotions of Joan. It’s Sidney’s artistry that brings Joan alive, giving her the characteristics of someone empathetic, compassionate, patient, and able to put herself first when needed.

The film’s ending was made to be deliberately ambiguous, raising questions about whether it is truly a “happy ending.” The film concludes with Jerry’s teary-eyed declaration of love to Joan, this ending is far from joyful. Arzner leaves the possibility that their future together may still be met with uncertainty and failures. The film challenges the traditional “happy ending” in marriage. It asks the audience to sit and consider the difficulties of marriage, where love and pain co-exist, and where a “happy ending” may be about compromise and struggle. The ending might provoke disagreements, especially in a modern society where women’s autonomy and independence are valued more. Joan’s willingness to forgive might be seen as self-cruelty, blaming her for her issues in her life. Some viewers may find her acceptance of Jerry’s apology weak, and some may find it strong. At the end, the film never fully accepts nor rejects the idea of marital bliss.

Arzner’s Merrily We Go to Hell, reflects on Joan’s journey, displays, and critiques societal expectations and women’s roles within marriage in the early 1930’s. At the time women were often expected to uphold the institution of marriage through acceptance, patience, and sacrifice even when faced with infidelity and neglect. Joan’s trajectory in the film mirrors these exact expectations, as she endures her husband’s alcoholism, infidelity, and emotional neglect while trying to salvage the marriage. It highlights the pressure placed on women to “save” their marriages at any cost, compromising their own desires and emotional well-being to preserve marital bond. Even filmed in the 1930’s, Joan’s character can be seen as relevant to discussions surrounding marriage today and gender roles within marriage. Today, women’s expectations in marriage have changed in many ways, with an emphasis on equality and mutual respect. However, we do not live in a perfect world, so Joan’s journey still represents a lot of women’s reality in married life. Some women today still must tend to their husband’s needs before their selves, connecting to the ongoing emotional labor Joan experienced. The film’s portrayal of her attempts to keep the marriage together by condoning Jerry’s behavior and adapting to his desires resonates with modern discussions about how women are expected to take on the emotional burden in relationships, managing their partners needs while also managing their own. Arzner provides a difficult and layered exploration of women’s roles in marriage that reflects marital expectations during the early 1930’s and today.

Dorothy Arzner’s significance as a pioneering female director in Hollywood cannot be overstated. She was one of the few women directors during the early decades of Hollywood. Her Career is a testament to her resilience and artistic vision in an industry dominated by men. Arzner faced many challenges as woman director; after leaving paramount she didn’t direct many films, leaving her to end her career in 1943. In Merrily We Go to Hell, Arzner critiques the expectations placed on women to be self-sacrificing, patient, and forgiving. The film can also reflect on her own struggle to assert herself in male dominant field, it took her to threaten to leave for Paramount to give her a chance.

Works Cited

Mayne, Judith. “Merrily We Go to Hell: Gingerbread, Cake, and Crème de Menthe.” The Criterion Collection, 11 May 2021, www.criterion.com/current/posts/7384-merrily-we-go-to-hell-gingerbread-cake-and-creme-de-menthe.