Dodsworth

In the era of screwball antics and syrupy melodrama, Dodsworth is a romance of surprising complexity, and one that stands apart from its moralistic contemporaries. These characters are notably dimensional, becoming more than their respective archetypes along a bittersweet and unpredictable emotional arc. Walter Huston and Mary Astor are both fantastic, though I'm less impressed with Ruth Chatterton. The ending is perfect.

Very fine melodrama. A winning performance by Walter Huston in the title role, with excellent support from Astor and Chatterton. I loved how Dodsworth is not simply a naive rube, and his wife is not simply a spoiled shrew. These characters have vibrant depth and dimensionality, and their emotional arcs do not seem predetermined. The score is a bit syrupy at times, but the photography is nice. While the film doesn't quite reach the heights of THE HEIRESS, it's very satisfying and engaging.

It has all the elements to be a perfect film but falls just a little short. It's a bit hard to ignore that we're worrying about these super rich people at the height of the great depression and the pacing is a tad inconsistent, but putting those things aside you have a great film. The performances are strong, especially Huston, and on a human level the romance, or lack thereof, are really well played. The ending is what really won me over, it could not have been executed better.

Solid acting, particularly from Huston. Without overdoing it, Wyler and he skillfully invokes our sympathy, ensuring that we root for his and Astor's characters to end up together. The ending is very effective. A great, well-cast drama.

The plot is a little bit too convenient for my taste. However, it's still an interesting, twisty examination of a married couple growing old not-so-gracefully.

For a 1930’s film its themes of retirement and marital strife seem ahead of time. An Engaging watch.

It's no '45 Years'. Too much of Ruth Chatterton and not enough of David Niven. By which I mean I don't like Chatterton's portrayal of Fran, and, well, Niven can make any character likeable and hence should be given as much screen time as possible. I would have enjoyed this a lot more if it was just Huston jaunting around Europe. For Eric Rohmer fans, Sam has his very own 'Le Rayon Vert' moment when he spots the Bishop Rock Lighthouse.

The start isn't very promising and the rest is just a misery of watching the poor man realizing what any reasonable person coud see from miles away, and it takes him 100 minutes to finally do the right thing about that. Also, when I read about a couple on European vacation, I didn't expect to see them elegantly sitting in big hotel rooms etc. exchanging courtesies with Lord Fart and Lady von Didledoo, which killed all the fun of the premise.

watched: 2020, 2024

"Dodsworth" is a very well made film, as demonstrated by its opening scene. The characters are complex and developed, making the ending very satisfying.

84.50

Not enjoyable to watch, but well-done nonetheless. I hate movies about failing marriages and selfish romances, but there's a depth here that enabled me to persevere through. I can't say that I've ever rooted for a divorce more, by the end.

Viewed March 24, 2018.

Mature and deeply moving study of a marriage falling apart. Copied countless times.

Compared to the Backstage-Musicals, screwball comedies and sappy romances that dominated the 1930s Dodsworth is a very mature and intelligent film for it's time, deftly and subtly exploring the complexity and moral ambiguity of romantic relationships and aging while still portraying both parties as flawed, yet sympathetic characters with depth and dimensionality. It's a tall order, but Wyler, along with some great performances by his cast, pulls it off.

A great film about how the two halves of a couple deal with aging - to accept it with grace or petulant denial. Threatens to go too far with the melodrama in the middle, but is anchored and steadied by Walter Huston's wonderful performance in the lead role. Has one of the most beautifully executed and satisfying endings I have seen from that era.

This is another great film from William Wyler, whose direction here was really good. It's about a couple whose marriage starts dissolving while they're on vacation. It felt very ahead of its time, in terms of men and women and relationships. I enjoyed the journey the film went on and it had a really satisfying ending.

Dodsworth was never going to be a movie I'd adore with all my heart, but I must admit I enjoyed it a lot more then expected! This is basically a well written story with acting to match, where you feel little by little the couple of Walter Huston & Ruth Chatterton are drifting apart bit by bit each time two meet. She's so afraid of getting old that the most petrifying word she knows is "grandmother"! The end becomes a strong point in the impression as you see the fear in the eyes.

great masterpiece. nature of women, marriage, midlife crisis, selfishness and sacrifice.

A romance film about the second chapter that truly convinces and touches. Rarely are works in this genre as intelligent, original and complex as William Wyler's Dodsworth. The acting is very theatrical, as it most often was in the 1930s, but excellent at the same time.

Would love to see the remake

Humming along as a good film until the final act, which ranks amongst my favorites of all time.

It only goes down after that opening shot. But what an opening shot!