Dodsworth

Rating:
Summary: Timeless Tale of a Marriage on the Rocks
Review: William Wyler's adaptation of Sinclair Lewis' "Dodworth" illustrates themes in 1936 that are as universal today as they were back in the day this film was produced. The film concerns a retired industrialist(Walter Huston) who takes an extended holiday to Europe with his vain wife(Ruth Chatterton) to reinvigorate their marriage. As their trip progresses, the fissures in their marriage expand. The wife's infidelities are more blatant and Dodsworth finds himself attracted to a down-to-earth expatriate divorcee(Mary Astor). This is a compelling film that is at times painful to watch. This is made so by the towering performance of Walter Huston who portrays his pain with quiet dignity and little histrionics. As a counterpoint, I found the behavior of Chatterton's character as the film progressed to be more over-the-top and insufferable. You begin to wonder why Huston would want to rekindle this marriage to this woman or how they even hooked up to begin with. Lastly, a young David Niven should be cited for a memorable turn as a naval captain who dresses down Chatterton's character for her transparently flirtatious ways.