Merrily We Go to Hell

Merrily We Go to Hell is a 1932 PreCode film starring Academy Award winning actor Fredric March and Sylvia Sidney. The film was directed by Dorothy Arzner. The films title is an example of the sensationalistic titles that were common in the PreCode era. Many newspapers refused to publicize the film because of its racy title. The title is a line Marchs character says while making a toast.

Jerry Corbett Fredric March, a Chicago reporter and selfstyled playwright, meets heiress Joan Prentice Sylvia Sydney at a party and they begin dating. Jerry soon proposes to Joan, and even though his economic prospects are dim and he is an alcoholic, Joan accepts his marriage proposal, against her fathers objections. Even though Jerry becomes heavily intoxicated just before their engagement party, ruining it, Joan stands by him. Jerry writes some plays which are rejected, and fights his alcohol addiction. He manages to sell a play and the couple travels to New York to watch the production. The star of the play turns out to be Jerrys former girlfriend, Claire, and on the premiere night he drinks heavily, becomes intoxicated, and mistakes Joan for Claire. Still, Joan stands by him. But, when Joan catches Jerry trying to sneak out to Claires one night she kicks him out. The following day she tells him that they will have a modern marriage and that she intends to have affairs herself.When Jerry is next seen he is making a Merrily we go to hell toast with Claire. In turn, Joan and her date toast to the holy state of matrimonysingle lives, twin beds and triple bromides in the morning. Joan becomes pregnant and learns from her doctor that her health is poor. She tries to tell Jerry, but he is too occupied with Claire and she decides to move on. After he is unable to write a successful followup play, Jerry eventually realizes that he loves Joan, and regrets his behavior. He commits to sobriety, returns to Chicago, and works as a reporter again, but Joans father keeps them apart. Jerry discovers Joan has given birth from a gossip columnist and goes to the hospital to see her. Joans father tells him the baby is dead, that Joan is very ill, and that she does not want to see him ever again. However, Jerry sneaks into her room anyway. He discovers his distraught wife has been pleading to see him all along. A repentant Jerry pledges his love to her and they kiss. ........

Source: Wikipedia