Héritage

At 25, fourth-billed Katharine Hepburn bursts off the screen with her characteristic persona already fully formed in her screen debut as Sydney, the headstrong daughter of WWI veteran Hilary Fairfield, in this antiquated 1932 melodrama. Fifteen years earlier, Hilary was shell-shocked triggering a latent mental instability, which required his wife to institutionalize him. On the day his wife Meg files for divorce, he escapes the asylum in a docile state little realizing how much time has elapsed. In fact, he mistakes Sydney for Meg, as ironically, both Meg and Sydney are soon to be betrothed, The crux of the drama lies in Hilary's insanity and how his sudden appearance forces Meg and Sydney to make life-altering decisions. Directed by George Cukor, the film already shows his innate ease with larger-than-life actors like Hepburn and John Barrymore.

However, the screenplay by Howard Estabrook and Harry Wagstaff Gribble (adapted from an earlier British play by Clemence Dane) is severely dated in its attitude toward familial self-sacrifice, and the film is further hampered by a stilted feeling of staginess throughout. Already in career descent from his alcoholism, Barrymore gives a poignant performance as Hilary giving into heated theatrical fervor in just a couple of key scenes. In what was likely her most substantial role, Billie Burke (later Glinda the Good Witch in "The Wizard of Oz") makes Meg's dilemma palpable, while Elizabeth Patterson (later babysitter Mrs. Trumble on "I Love Lucy") is surprisingly dour as self-righteous Aunt Hester. Hepburn's destiny seems assured from the very first scene, and this was to be the start of her remarkable 47-year professional relationship with Cukor. As of March 2008, the film is not available on DVD.

A touching, very well done movie. Of course it sounds and looks stagy. Of course the acting seems melodramatic. This is the very early years of talkies, and the material is a play that was already 10 years old in 1932! That gives us some idea of how desperately Hollywood was searching for material with which to make talking pictures. John Barrymore, as other people have said, was on the slippery slope of alcoholism and lived only 10 more years, each more debilitated than the previous one. Yet he never lost his ability and it is a shame he didn't get to be in better films. He could always act! And he knew that his style was dated. He said that his was a 'middle' generation of stage acting, between the florid romantic style of the late 19th and early 20th centuries and the more naturalistic style that followed. Any time he worked with actors and directors he respected: Marie Dressler, Greta Garbo, Hepburn, Billie Burke, Carole Lombard, George Cukor, Howard Hawks --Barrymore turned in an excellent performance.

This somewhat stagy early talkie is noteworthy for several reasons. First, it is Katharine Hepburn's screen debut, and it is interesting to see that even at 24 she is the prototype of the confident woman that she played in all of her films. Hepburn likely made quite a first impression on audiences with her lean athletic look versus that of typical film heroines of that era that still had that combination china doll and ex-flapper look that was so popular in the 20's. Likewise, just as it is the beginning of Hepburn's career, it is nearing the end of John Barrymore's. By the end of the decade alcoholism and, by some reports, early onset Alzheimer's disease, cause the end of his career. Also, it is interesting to see society's attitudes towards divorce and mental illness in the early 1930's.

Meg Fairfield (Billie Burke) has waited fifteen years while her husband Hilary (John Barrymore) is in a mental institution before finally obtaining a divorce. Shortly before her remarriage, Hilary "comes to himself" and returns home. To complicate matters further, their daughter Sydney (Katharine Hepburn) believes her father has been insane due to shell-shock. However, she soon learns that there is actually insanity in the family and wonders if either she will go insane herself or if her children will. The family doctor also hardly has a good bedside manner in dealing with the situation, saying that "who shall be sacrificed the lame or the whole?" and mentioning that Hilary's child, Sydney, shouldn't even have been born. Startling today, but probably a pretty typical attitude 75 years ago. One of the players puts it best when they mention that people always grieve the dead, but wonder how their reaction would change if the dead were suddenly alive again, which is basically Hilary's situation. Insane he could be mourned for what he once was, recovered he is just in the way. In spite of the usually able direction of George Cukor, this movie comes across as over-the-top melodramatic. However, given its place in Hepburn's film career, it is definitely worth viewing.

VERY stagy but interesting film served as Hepburn's screen bow. She's a trifle studied and Barrymore occasionally goes over the top but mixed in with that is some excellent acting by both. Billie Burke, more subdued than usual, delivers the film's best most consistent performance. She does a very fine job of showing the anguish of a life suddenly turned upside down. The three of them are really the whole show.

Considering the cast and the historical place in Kate's filmography as her debut the film is frustratingly difficult to see. Odd considering the relative availability of the rest of her canon, exempting the obscure Grace Quigley.

Some of the attitudes are dated but because of the star trio this is worth tracking down.

Katharine's Hepburn's screen debut proved to be a stronger film than I expected, starring alongside the great John Barrymore in this tragic mental illness melodrama and when I say tragic, I do mean tragic. Boy does this movie lay it on thick but it sure made this viewer's hear sink. Even before Barrymore appears on screen I was already starting to feel sorry for this character upon learning he's spent years at a mental asylum with shell shock and couldn't pursue his music, and that's only the beginning. You know that dirty word people like to throw around, "manipulative"; well this movie certainly manipulated me. Yet despite the story laying additional tragic layers after another, the performances make it work and prevent it from coming come off as totally ridiculous.

Watching Katharine Hepburn I would never have guessed this was her first film, she is entirely natural and gives the impression of someone has much acting experience. Plus she was never more youthful than she is here, springing full of energy and life. Supposedly director George Cuckor inserted shots in the film which did nothing to advance the story nor deepen character but were simply lingering shots of Hepburn in which the audience could adjust and get acquainted with her.

John Barrymore, however, is the main star of the show. Throughout the film there is a sadness and fragile nature of his voice while he denies the reality of the situation to himself and pulling the puppy dog eyes; with the occasional scenery chewing outburst. He's a ham but a lovable ham. I feel the most powerful moment in the film is the scene in which Barrymore breaks into tears into the arms of his neglectful wife (Billie Burke) while she can't even bear to look at him; I almost broke into a tear myself.

I've read many comments describing the film "stagey" - not at all. Shots are framed with depth, often at different angles and with objects framed in the foreground; George Cukor was a better director than that. A Bill of Divorcement is a heart sinker if there ever was one.