Expert: Jim Kason - 10/22/2009

Question
1930's film in which a wife convinces her extremely successful husband to sell his business and travel the world with her on an extended trip.  She is spoiled and obsessed with youth.  From the beginning of their first cruise, she flirts with a man until he offends her by wanting to kiss.  Her flirtations become more and more serious until she finally decides to leave her husband, who has become dissatisfied with retirement.  He finds himself in the company of a woman he befriended on the cruise and falls in love with her.  When his wife is dumped by her new fiancee, she begs to reconcile.  The husband agrees, wanting to do "the right thing".  But he soon realizes that he despises his wife and their life together.  He leaves her on the ship and returns to his new love and life.

Answer
Hi Cat,

I'm sure the film you've described is the 1936 Samuel Goldwyn/United Artists classic, "Dodsworth" starring Walter Houston, Ruth Chatterton, Mary Astor and David Niven.

You can read a full synopsis at:  http://www.tcm.com:80/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=73332

And it's available on both DVD and VHS at :   www.amazon.com

Sincerely,

Jim K.