This wonderful film is surprisingly daring for its time. It deals with divorce and infidelity with a frankness that wouldn't be seen again until after the Production Code's demise in the late 60s.

After spending twenty years making a fortune, Sam Dodsworth (Walter Huston) retires to spend time with his wife Fran (Ruth Chatterton). The two take a trip to Europe, which changes their lives. Entranced with the high culture she finds, Fran slowly loses interest with the down-to-earth Sam, finding more than enough paramours to keep her feeling young. On the cruise there is Captain Lockert (David Niven, being his usual slimy self). She is shocked when he takes her flirting seriously. In Paris is Iselin, played by the great Paul Lukas. Sam fears the breakup of their marriage, and demands that the two of them return to America, but she refuses. He returns alone, but his suspicions are confirmed when he discovers that the two of them may be shacking up. He returns to Europe and confronts them, chasing Iselin away, but Fran's chastisement doesn't last long with the handsome Kurt (Gregory Gaye) around. Meanwhile, Sam has found the potential for happiness with Edith (Mary Astor).

Although the film is about Sam Dodsworth and his search for happiness, Fran is not the bad guy. She resents that Sam spent most of their marriage ignoring her in favor of his business. When they get to Europe, she is embarrassed by his acting like the tourists they both are. She is afraid of getting old, which is an understandable emotion, while Sam is happy with his newfound freedom.

All of the leads are wonderful, and Huston was ripped off when he failed to win the Best Actor Oscar, losing to Paul Muni in The Story of Louis Pasteur (which wasn't half as good as this). The film was nominated for Best Picture, among others, but lost to The Great Ziegfeld.