Merrily We Go To Hell (1932) {Criterion Blu-ray Review}

Reviewed By Jason Lockard

The Criterion Collection has been releasing some absolutely amazing classic films from the early years of Hollywood. Last month we reviewed their Blu-ray release of 1937s History was made at Night! You can read that review here!

Now it is time for another early Hollywood film to shine on Blu-ray! This time around is the 1932s melodrama Merrily We Go To Hell, featuring a stellar cast led by Fredrick March and Sylvia Sidney.

Jerry Corbett is a newspaper reporter and a wannabe playwright. But Jerry has a much deeper problem he is an alcoholic. One night at a party he meets Chicago heiress Joan Prentice (Sylvia Sidney) who rescues him from his drunken ways. And encourages him to chase his dreams and write his play. Will Jerry gain the success he wants with the support of Joan or will his past catch up to him? You will have to see the film to find out!

Merrily we go to Hell runs the gambit of emotions. You will laugh shed a tear and rejoice at the romance. Edwin Justus Mayer wrote the screenplay basing it off the story "I, Jerry, Take Thee, Joan" by Cleo Lucas. While the film can be a bit slow at points, Dorothy Arzner still directed an amazing daring and thought provoking film. I feel this film was ahead of it's time, because of the issues it explored!

It is good to note that the edgy for it's time content was achieved because this is a pre-code film. In a few years after the code was introduced films like this would such poignant and frank content would not be allowed on screen.

Joining Sylvia Sidney and Fredric March is a stunning cast of actors and actresses including, Adrianne Allen, Richard 'Skeets' Gallagher, George Irving, Esther Howard, Florence Britton, Charles Coleman, Kent Taylor and a very young Cary Grant.

This film has been transferred on Blu-ray featuring a brand new 4k restoration. The film is presented in 1080p and is in it's original 1.37:1 aspect ratio. The audio is an uncompressed PCM 1.0 track. The restoration looks pretty amazing I must say. There is only very slight imperfection in the picture. There are so minutiae that it is hardly even worth mentioning! Than for the audio, the sound has been cleaned up and there is very little hiss or pops making for a very good track of an early film. There is also English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing.

Now The Criterion Collection loaded up this Blu-ray with some very cool extra features. First off there is an amazing insert that features the new art by Sonia Kretschmar used for the Blu-ray cover, just in larger scale. In this insert is an essay written by film scholar Judith Mayne.

Than for on disc features. There is a documentary by Katia Raganelli and Konrad Wickler fro 1983 about director Dorthy Arzner. This is a great little bonus, but it doesn't stop there. There is also a new video essay by film historian Cari Beauchamp. The only thing I can find against this release is there is no audio commentary.

I have to say I enjoyed seeing this film and I enjoyed it even more with the new restoration. This really is a very good pre-code movie and a very good Blu-ray release. For those that would prefer The Criterion Collection has made this new restoration on DVD as well! 

So if you are a fan of early pre-code films or Fredric March i highly recommend this new release from Criterion. If you would like a copy of this Criterion's Blu-ray of Merrily we go to Hell you can order now by heading over to Amazon.com today!

Out of 4 Film Reels (4 Being the Best) The Criterion Collection's Blu-ray of Merrily We Go To Hell receives...