As indicated by its title, this cautionary drama was a plea against divorce, arguing that if our grandmothers and grandfathers could stick together through thick and thin, why can't we? Essentially a series of gut-wrenching courtroom scenes and custody battles, the film was populated by "types" rather than people, who comported themselves in symbolic rather than realistic fashion. Likewise, each subtitle bore an Important Message, sometimes underlined or written in BOLD LETTERS in case the audience missed the point. As a result, the film was not only an argument against divorce, but also an argument against ever getting married in the first place! To his credit, director Frank Lloyd managed to make this turgid tract seem more entertaining than it actually was.
by Hal Erickson
synopsis
