Dodsworth (1936)

By CinemaSerf

The title of this doesn't help it much: it sounds like it ought to be about a butler in a grand old English stately home but Walter Huston ("Sam") is superb, as the millionaire motor car industrialist who sells his company and sets off with wife "Fran" (Ruth Chatteron) to "do" Europe. Even on the boat, where she meets the rather suave, dapper David Niven ("Capt. Lockert") it starts to become clear that their marriage, though on the face of it loving, is not strong. When they get to Paris and she meets Paul Lukas ("Iselin") that becomes even more evident and soon "Sam" is doing all he can to keep the wife he loves from divorcing him. This is quite a slow burn of a story; but it isn't dull. The rapport between the two stars is tenderly and honestly performed; she the slightly younger woman looking for what ever life (and wealth) can offer; him the more settled man who wants to get back to family, home and hearth. There are a few gentle twists to the story and the ending, I found to be somewhat vindicating. This has made the transition from stage to screen well; William Wyler has managed to lose much the rigidity theatrical cross-overs can present on the big screen, and there is a nice cameo from Maria Ouspenskaya towards the end that really does put a fly in the ointment.