dstanwyck What looked as if it might be promising in the first several minutes, fell into disrepair in no time at all. And kept on falling apart. The only one who demonstrated a hint of amusement was Binnie Barnes as the viperish wife of an imbecile. Ray Milland was actually a mean sort of man; certain scenes seemed to be a rehearsal for his character in "Dial M for Murder". Brian Aherne, usually much more interesting, played a dud of a guy. And the elegant Colbert played it as if she had just rolled out of bed and hadn't even brushed her teeth yet. Had once been a novel, apparently, and then a Broadway play, and now a movie. All 3 of which would have been better off left on the shelf.

moonspinner55 Samson Raphaelson's hit Broadway play of 1939 (with Gertrude Lawrence headlining) comes to the screen starring the left side of Claudette Colbert's face. She plays the frustrated wife of Ray Milland, a stuffy advertising executive who is coasting through their marriage after five years; one night, she flirts innocently with another man (Brian Aherne) and gets the gumption to seek a divorce. 'Sophisticated' comedy with lead-balloon lines and static character interaction. Colbert manages to live and dress exquisitely but, in the very first scene, overhears her husband's assistant buying her anniversary present and actually exchanges it for something less expensive (!); Aherne, as a lawyer, and twinkling like a debonair version of Red Skelton, takes Colbert for a drive and for a bite to eat at a diner--and this non-romantic date actually convinces her to leave her husband. The whole scenario is such a shallow conceit--a fraud--that it's impossible to take the performances into consideration, although the bit players (all sarcastic) certainly show up the principals. ** from ****

mamalv Very cute movie, about a wife that is sick of playing second fiddle to her husband's advertising job. It is obvious that he loves her but, he is so obsessed with his job, and little else, he loses her. Claudette Colbert is great as usual, and has some very funny scenes. She proves she was never afraid to get messy as long as it got a laugh. Ray Milland is dashing, but we don't like him in the beginning of the film when he makes Colbert apologize to his clients wife for running off with her other man, played so well by Brian Ahern. One of the funniest lines is when he "gifts" his clients his cook. Mona Barrie who plays the best friend of his wife says: "Lookie, lookie, lookie, there goes cookie". She leaves Ray, and then he realizes what a mess he made and tries to win her back. She gets involved with Ahern, who is charming and attentive and totally lovable. Ray lies about quitting his job, but she catches him in the lie and that is that. I really like this film, it is funny and touching and we are wanting Ray to win her back. He is so good looking and when he realizes that she is all that matters, we see him wear his heart on his sleeve for her. In the end, love conquers all over the job and the dog food. Just as a note.....I just came across a Vanity Fair article about Claudette Colbert where she said that she and Milland had planned a tryst at her secretary's apartment. Both were married at the time. She got half way there and turned around and went home. No tryst but she admired him all thru her life. Milland was a big womanizer, and maybe she thought better of the situation. They are so good together that it does not surprise me.

vincentlynch-moonoi Claudette Colbert has long been, for me, the actress that could do no wrong. I never saw her in a film that I didn't like. Until tonight.It's not that the acting here is bad. It's fine. It's the plot that smells to high heaven. We have Colbert's character -- the wife -- who is so disgusted with her husband's selfish focus on his career that she urges him to quit, even though that will leave them with no income to support their relatively wealthy life style. We have Ray Milland's character -- the husband -- who will tell any lie and commit any decent to get his wife back. And then, he stalks her even after the divorce. Ironically, the one fairly nice character in the film is Brian Aherne -- the other man. And in the end, Colbert goes back to her lying, deceitful husband.This movie could have been saved by simply rewriting about 5 scenes and turning it into a drama, rather than a misguided comedy.As mentioned, the acting here is fine. Claudette Colbert is fine as the wife, although I would hardly see this as one of her finer films. It's hard to root for her because her character is such a sap.Ray Milland is fine as the lying, deceitful husband. But no way you can root for him. I rather liked Brian Aherne here, and usually he is not one of my favorites. Walter Abel is along as the best friend, and plays that role well...as he always did.Sorry Claudette, I give this film a big thumbs down. How sad that you allowed yourself to be put in a film that is so demeaning toward women.