Walter Huston has become one of my favorite actors since I have been reviewing movies for the Internet. Nearly everybody knows his Academy Award winning performance as the old prospector in Treasure of the Sierra Madre, directed by his son, John. But I wonder how many know of some of the other great roles Walter Huston has essayed?

I recently had a most pleasant surprise in watching Walter Huston as Mr. Scratch in The Devil and Daniel Webster, a towering accomplishment and a film that squarely challenges the credibility of the AFI 100 Top Films List. My full-blown review on those two films appears elsewhere on Epinions, but let me simply add that anyone who considers himself a film buff NEEDS to see these two films; more, they need to have these films in their personal library. To these great performances by Walter Huston I have just had the pleasure of adding a third, that of the title character in Dodsworth.

Dodsworth is the story of marital infidelity and the aging process that we all are subject to, but it explores this ground with remarkable frankness and maturity.

Sam Dodsworth (Walter Huston) is a middle-aged auto magnate in the early days of the automobile industry, somewhere in the Midwest. Deciding to sell out and spend the rest of his time traveling, the film opens with a bittersweet goodbye to his smoke belching factory and a return to his mansion once and for all. We are introduced to his somewhat younger wife, Fran, (Ruth Chatterton) and his friends. The Dodsworths are planning the grand tour of Europe and it becomes very apparent that the expectations of the two are quite different. As the plot unwinds, we find Mrs. Dodsworth to be frustrated, snobby, and eager to leave her past behind. So much so that she begins to have affairs with the numerous men they have contact with in their elevated social circle.

Dodsworth, in the meantime, has made the acquaintance of a pleasant divorcee, Mrs. Cortwright, (Mary Astor) on their ocean crossing. The tranquil Mrs. Cortwright is a startling contrast to the social climbing, whiny, snotty Mrs. Dodsworth. Although he doesn't act on his impulses, Sam files her memory away and notes that she lives in Italy...

Over the course of the story, the long-suffering Dodsworth is cuckolded right and left by his unsatisfied and unsatisfying wife. They undergo a trial separation or two and Dodsworth finally sees the light just as their ship is about to sail back to America.

Based on a Sinclair Lewis novel adapted for the stage by Sidney Howard, the script is riveting and much above most Hollywood fare in content. Direction is by William Wyler and takes advantage of all the visual techniques available at the time. Sets by Richard Day are outstanding and depict the sumptuous interiors a millionaire of the '30s would inhabit from America to Europe and on various ocean liners. Cinematography by Rudolph Maté is beyond reproach, with interesting camera angles and lighting. Editing includes well-paced action; fade ins, dissolves, and cuts. The Alfred Newman score is unobtrusive and well mated to the storyline.

The acting is outstanding with Walter Huston's tour de force performance as Sam Dodsworth. Huston is spot on and is able to generate genuine emotion on command. Ruth Chatterton also deserves high commendations for her portrayal of the very unpleasant and shallow Fran Dodsworth. Mary Astor was at the height of her charm and beauty as the divorcee, Mrs. Cortwright, Dodsworth's love interest. Supporting cast was also superb, using the best of MGM's stable of actors, including John Payne, David Niven, and Paul Lukas.

Dodsworth is a film that will bring new appreciation to one who discovers it for the first time and old satisfaction to one who reviews it again and again. This film belongs in your video collection!




Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening