Cinema: Ugly Marriage

Early one workday morning, a middle-aged housewife staggers downstairs, still half asleep, tying a well-worn tartan bathrobe around her. "Hey, honey," her bright-eyed husband calls from the top of the landing, "would you mind starting my eggs?" She nods, smiling slightly. "Hey," he says again, cutely. "I love you." Obviously this marriage is in trouble.

Or, more obviously, Writer-Director Richard Brooks thinks it is. Exactly why is never made clear, which is the crucial trouble with The Happy Ending. The lady in question is Mary Wilson (Jean Simmons), who has been married for...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!