His Buddy's Wife on AllMovie

This romantic drama strays from the expected ending. When the World War breaks out, Bill Mullaney (Douglas Gilmore) enlists and leaves his wife, Mary (Edna Murphy), and his mother (Blanche Davenport) behind. While fighting in France, he becomes buddies with Jimmy McMorrow (Glenn Hunter), who sees a picture of Mary and falls in love with her. Mullaney goes off on a scouting expedition, never to return, and, as he requested, McMorrow returns to Mullaney's little New England town to take care of Mary and his mother. The old lady dies, and McMorrow stays on to run the farm, sleeping in the barn to keep the gossips at bay. One day when Mary faints, he can't help but kiss her. They are seen, and the talk starts. McMorrow winds up in court because he has slugged a man to defend Mary's honor. Mary declares she will marry him, even though her heart is still with her dead husband. Mullaney, it turns out, isn't dead after all -- he was captured by the Germans and returns home a hero. In most films like this one, something happens to conveniently get the husband out of the way, but this time around, McMorrow confesses his romance with Mary and leaves Mullaney to reunite with his wife.