Merrily We Go to Hell (Dorothy Arzner, 1932)

Originally titled Jerry and Joan during production, this charming and exquisitely directed pre-code melodrama was later renamed to the slightly controversial Merrily We Go to Hell. The film features Sylvia Sidney as a wealthy woman who marries a journalist (brilliantly portrayed by Fredric March), only to struggle with her husband’s alcoholism and his unexpected reunion with an old flame. Typical of its studio of production, Paramount, and reflective of some of the bolder pre-code films, the marriage—which quickly deteriorates—is depicted in an open, sophisticated manner, set against the backdrop of lavish art deco sets.

Ebrahim Golestan and the Restoration of Iran’s Cinematic Heritage [A free evening of film and discussion at V&A]

Ebrahim Golestan and the Restoration of Iran’s Cinematic Heritage at Victoria & Albert Museum

Ebrahim Golestan (1922–2023) is widely regarded as one of Iran’s most significant filmmakers and a pioneer of the movement later dubbed the Iranian New Wave. Join us for a screening of three of his ground-breaking documentary films, produced prior to the 1979 revolution and recently restored to their original brilliance:

• Yek Atash (A Fire, 1961)

• Teppeh-ha-ye Marlik (The Hills of Marlik, 1964)

• Ganjineh-ha-ye Gohar (The Crown Jewels of Iran, 1965)

While exploring Iran’s history, geography, and the arts, Golestan’s documentaries are both politically subversive and visually striking.