Nice effects though.

Great movie! If you want to be entertained and have a few good laughs, see this movie. The music is also very good,

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

Spoilers. Observations. Opinions. 10/10. Greek chorus is hilarious. Trio of would-be suitors, all old, vie for Betsy's hand. They are losers, and bicker among each other. The duel of drunkardness is also hilarious, and the insults between them are absurd. They lose out to Jerome, who pretends to be a tutor. Jerome is actually the brother of Napoleon Bonaparte. Betsy finds this out later. Claude Rains knocks the role of Napoleon Bonaparte right out of the park. The resemblance is uncanny. One mistake is that Napoleon was not the Emperor of France, but in reality he was the Emperor of the French People. Davies was wonderful. She was radiant. Betsy's family found out that they were not so "high" after all.

First thing to do is to forget history (I will not argue with American history,but as far as French history is concerned,well..): No,they did not live happily ever after ,for the marriage was finally broken ,and Jerome had more mistresses than you could count.No,Madame Mère -who briefly appears to sweeten her offspring's relationship- did not probably intervene.But it does not matter when you deal with Frank Borzage,my favorite American director of the twenties/thirties.To say he gave it his all is diminish this director ,because there was always more to give,another passion to plumb,another open wound that demanded he raises his voice ;no one depicted love (against the whole world) as he did.In consequence ,the best scenes are to be found in the second part of the film:Marion Davis ,"translating" the letter into English in a voice chocked with emotion;the scene on the ship where the unfortunate lovers raises their glasses before the bell ring -this scene is similar to the ones we find in "Humoresque" before the hero goes to war ,and in "Street angel" when Janet Gaynor says goodbye to his love (who does not know it's a farewell celebration).In "Hearts divided" the sequence is too short ,and somewhat ruined by the final scenes although the song and the wall are romantic stuff.As everything Borzage did ,"Hearts Divided" is a movie which deserves to be watched.I will not rate it as highly as Borzage's true masterpieces ("Seventh Heaven" "Street Angel" "Little man what now?" "A farewell to the arms" "Strange Cargo" or the immortal "Mortal storm") though.

I wasn't prepared to like this film as much as I did, since I had read the reviews of the people here on the IMD first before commencing to watch it on TCM. It's a good thing I didn't dismiss it, because I liked it much better than Miss Davies' "Page Miss Glory", which preceded it on the broadcast schedule.The cast was wonderful, the script was meaty for a romantic picture, with some really funny lines, and I enjoyed the sweet romance between the principals, Miss Davies and Dick Powell. Claude Rains was a joy to watch as Napoleon; loved that bathtub scene with his servants scrubbing his manly hairless chest. Sort of like Johnny Rocco (Edward G. Robinson) in "Key Largo", but much funnier.Special mention goes to character actors Charlie Ruggles, Arthur Treacher, and Edward Everett Horton as would be suitors to Miss Davies; they helped round out the script and bring even more giggles to the story.I also enjoyed the music, including two pretty tunes by songmeister Harry Warren, and the negro spirituals.8 out of 10.

Imagine Dick Powell--the all-American charmer--as Napoleon's brother! Have him serenade--didn't you know Jerome Napoleon was a crooner!--Marion Davies, miscast as his beautiful young American sweetheart. Add a romantic score in an attempt to lend credence to their implausible pairing and you end up with this misguided misadventure in movie-making. Everything in this picture rings as false as the fake "Sicilian" nose pasted onto Claude Rains' face. The picture's premise is that Napoleon's brother threw away everything, sacrificing the opportunity to become a King by marriage--thereby extending Napoleon's empire--to marry his true love, sweet Betsy Patterson. Faithful to this vision, the picture ends with star-crossed lovers Powell and Davies--reunited after a "Hearts Divided" separation forced by Napoleon--in each others' arms once again set to live happily ever after in America. But the historical Jerome Bonaparte was in truth an opportunist who actually DIVORCED this first American wife in order to go through with the politically-motivated pairing and become King of Westphalia! The movie is a handsome production, but the script expects everyone to mouth the most ridiculous platitudes about class, duty, patriotism, "true love", etc. ad nauseum--all played straight. In the best Hollywood tradition, Dick Powell courts Marion Davies disguised as her lowly tutor, only to reveal his true "imperial" self after she casts aside all trepidation about marrying below her station. But who really believes that American society would hold the brother of a military dictator in such high esteem? All of the classic elements of a great Hollywood romance are here, only the plot and actors are really just going through the motions against this implausible historical backdrop--and we the audience aren't fooled one bit.