Search

Release: May 11, 2021

$7.99

Description

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 the 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. BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES • New, restored 4K digital transfer, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack • Dorothy Arzner: Longing for Women, a 1983 documentary by Katja Raganelli and Konrad Wickler • New video essay by film historian Cari Beauchamp • English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing • PLUS: An essay by film scholar Judith Mayne Top About this item Similar From the Brand Reviews Merrily We Go to Hell (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]

Release: December 23, 2025

$7.99

Description

Love, ambition, and class collide in the world of Broadway. Fay Wray stars as Lora Nixon, a chorus girl engaged to wealthy composer Donald Ogden (Phillips Holmes), who is cut off financially by his mother after their marriage. Struggling to make ends meet while he pursues his symphony, their relationship is tested. Meanwhile, Broadway producer Robert Courtland (William Powell) has feelings for Lora but remains a gentleman. The film features musical numbers by Helen Kane, whose lively presence foreshadows Betty Boop. FEATURES: Audio Commentary by Author and Film Historian Richard Barrios 5 Rare 1970s Colorized Betty Boop Cartoons: Baby Be Good (1935) The Hot Air Salesman (1937) Whoops! I’m a Cowboy (1937) Training Pigeons (1936) Stop That Noise (1935) 44 Classic Black-and-White Betty Boop Cartoons Optional English Subtitles POINTED HEELS (BLURAY)