Summary
In a sophisticated dissection of marital ennui and the elusive nature of romantic fulfillment, 'Let's Get a Divorce' unfurls the tale of a vibrant young wife, Suzanne, trapped in the comfortable yet unstimulating embrace of a marriage to a man nearing forty, whose intellectual pursuits eclipse her longing for intoxicating adventure. Convinced her existence has been irrevocably blighted by the absence of tumultuous passions, she fixates on divorce as the sole panacea for her imagined woes. Into this fertile ground of discontent steps Adhemar, her husband's cousin, a man whose 'French' ambition for a glamorous liaison with a married woman is matched only by his prudent financial caution. What follows is a masterclass in psychological manipulation by the clear-headed husband, Henri. He orchestrates a cunning charade, ostensibly acceding to Suzanne's desires, even facilitating the would-be lover's presence and generously endowing his wife with a substantial settlement. This calculated act, revealing Adhemar's mercenary inclinations, initially causes Suzanne to waver, yet she persists, blind to the diminishing allure of forbidden fruit. As her illicit romance with Adhemar descends into mundane routine, Henri's magnanimity shines, granting full permission for their union post-divorce. Paradoxically, Suzanne's distress escalates as her husband appears to revel in his newfound freedom, sparking suspicions of his own 'affair' with a woman 'unworthy' of him. Her rebellion culminates in an impromptu desire to reclaim Henri, discarding Adhemar for a surreptitious, 'compromising' dinner. The farcical climax sees a rain-drenched Adhemar, aghast at his fiancée's 'infidelity,' seeking the ludicrous protection of a police Commissary to safeguard his future marital rights, ultimately restoring Suzanne's sanity and orchestrating a complete, albeit ironically earned, reconciliation with her sagacious husband.
Synopsis
The Sardou play begins with this girl's life as the young wife of a man nearing forty, kind enough to his bride, but more or less absorbed in his serious work. She has dreamed of romantic love, intoxicating adventure, and tumultuous passions only to find none of these things in retirement with a good husband. She decided that her existence has been wrecked and ruined, and gets it into her foolish head that the only remedy is a divorce. There is a lover handy, her husband's cousin Adhemar, French in his ambition to have an "affair" with some charming married woman, and equally French in his thrift; he is a poor young man in no situation to marry any such extravagant young lady. The clear-headed husband enters into a little conspiracy with some friends to let his bored young wife have her own way, ostensibly yielding to her wishes, and he even makes things as easy and comfortable as possible for the unsuspecting lover, inviting him to the house, and announcing that he has even provided for his wife's future by settling a large sum of money upon her. She sees that this settlement has weight with the lover, and begins to falter, but she goes on determinedly with what gradually loses all the charm of forbidden fruit. Her relations with Adhemar become more and more commonplace at a time when she begins to realize her husband's magnanimity. He has denied her nothing, and he gives Adhemar full permission to marry her as soon as the divorce is granted. Meanwhile she begins to be distressed by the fact that her husband seems to be enjoying himself, staying out late at night, and suspects that he has an "affair" with some woman "not worthy" of him. She revolts when he announces he has a dinner engagement, urges him to break it and have a little celebration with her and Adhemar, finally deciding to leave Adhemar out altogether. It would be such a lark to steal away from him and have dinner in a private room with her husband, so compromising. Adhemar learns of the infidelity of his wife-to-be, and goes in search of her in a rainstorm. He is drenched when he finds the restaurant where she is dining alone with her husband in a private room contrary to what he conceives to be the rights of a husband-to-be, and he is so indignant that he seeks the protection of a Commissary of police as a safeguard for his future marital rights. The situation now becomes ludicrous in the extreme, and it ends with restored sanity for the young wife, and a complete reconciliation with her husband.
Review Excerpt
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Ah, the timeless dance of matrimony and its discontents! Stepping back into the cinematic tapestry of 1918, we encounter a gem that, despite its vintage, pulsates with a surprisingly modern sensibility: Let's Get a Divorce (slug: lets-get-a-divorce). Based on Victorien Sardou's enduring play, this film delves into the often-comedic, sometimes poignant, intricacies of a marriage teetering on the precipice of disillusionment. It’s a narrative that, even a century later, still manages to poke ..."
