A self made millionaire (Walter Huston) sells his automobile company and retires by going on an ocean voyage to Europe with his socially snobbish wife (Ruth Chatterton), who is afraid of aging. But instead of bringing them together as they had hoped, the trip divides them as they discover they each want different things. Based on the Sinclair Lewis novel via a stage adaptation by Sidney Howard (who did the screenplay), this is an adult film in the best sense of the word. Intelligent, well written, well acted, solidly directed (by William Wyler). I've not read read the Sinclair Lewis source material so I don't know how much of it he took from the book but Howard's dialogue is first rate. Sharp and incisive and Wyler shows what a wonderful craftsman he could be with great material (and actors) to work with. Chatterton's character is usually referred to as a bitch because of her behavior. She is but I totally understood her frustration and unhappiness and Chatterton makes her hard to completely dislike. With Mary Astor, John Payne, Spring Byington, Maria Ouspenskaya and a very young David Niven as a gigolo.
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