Divorce In The Awful Truth

Turning the boy meets girl formula upside down, this screwball comedy The Awful Truth, provides the perfect balance between comedic relief and anti-heroism. Produced and directed by Leo McCarey in 1937, the movie was based on the popular play by Arthur Richman. This comedy utilizes divorce as a gateway into the personas and character development of the film's protagonists, in order to help the audience recognize how they truly belong together. At a time where money was limited, divorce was definitely frowned upon. This juxtaposition created by the film is useful as it creates an escape for the audience into a comedic world. The audience is being transported into a film where unseen moments are left to interpretation, as much of its implied

The film’s sensational depiction of displaying just a small layer of what was actually occurring is the basis of the marital feud. Presenting a stream of eccentric female characters, most notably, Lucy Warriner, the film depicts two lovers Jerry and Lucy Warriner, as they enlist in an aggressive flirting match. The movies capability of making the invisible noticeable seems to be its driving force. I think the audience's awareness of what was happening was in part created by the reality of these moments. It is clear that the film is showing how the story of this soon to be divorced couple, whose marriage and sexual life are highly insinuated through off-screen events, will eventually find their way back to each other. This unseen factor was evident moments into the film, with two major events happening at the start, Jerry’s supposed vacation to Florida and Lucy’s night with another man, both instances that sparked immediate controversy. I think this came full circle throughout the film as it ends in a similar place to where it started, showcasing an unseen event in Jerry and Lucy’s bedroom encounter moments before their divorce is final. Why would the film