Tra moglie e marito

Calm child psychologist Dana Andrews encounters artist Louis Jourdan and suggest that he paint people at his office. Jourdan agrees and observes a staff devoted to him and likewise his wife, Lili Palmer' Andrews life is idyllic. Jourdan decides to seduce Miss Palmer.

It's not so much a movie as a stage play with occasional interludes of the characters thoughts recited aloud. The situations are amusing, but as Andrews' life and self-assurance crumble, and he comes to realize that Jourdan's observations are accurate, he grows increasingly frenzied. The performances are excellent, although always too well-mannered to be more than mannered observations in a three-set drama. With Jane Wyatt, Norman Lloyd, and Beau Bridges (age 7) in his screen debut.

"No Minor Vices" is a gem. It uses wit and humor to comment on the conflict between Life and Art. The plot centers on a confrontation between the quintessential MD, who fancies himself a psychologist, and the quintessential Artist, who fancies himself a philosopher. While every dullard believes he may criticize Art, no one would ever suggest criticizing the validity of scientific judgment. The supercilious Artist (played to perfection by Louis Jordan) decides to teach a lesson about Art to the know-it-all MD (effectively played by Dana Andrews), using as tools: Love and the MD's wife (charmingly played by Lilli Palmer). In a series of funny episodes, each teaches the other understanding and respect. The Artist's satiric drawings, used to comment on the MD/and the Scientific, are wonderful and all too true to LIFE and to the Humor in the human condition. Ars longa vita brevis, Hippocrates said. Bravo Lewis Milestone for bringing the truth of this home to us with so much fun.

This is a curious existentialist comedy with a touch of Preston Sturges about it.

Dana Andrews plays a medic who dabbles as a psychologist who puts marital bliss with his wife Lilli Palmer in jeopardy when he meets a European artist and musician (Louis Jourdan) who brings chaos to their lives with his easy charm and talent as he reveals their hidden selves.

Andrews has taken things for granted, his wife does everything for him, his secretary is in love with him and his medical assistant wants to be him.

It is a frivolous even an erudite comedy but the story is too light and despite a very good and different performance from Jourdan, Andrews always looks uncomfortable with the material.

I saw this movie as a little girl and fell in love forever with Louis Jourdan. I have just fleeting memories of it, but remember he was so charming and handsome and adorable. I saw Him in a play as a young teen and never really got over it.

Being so young my moral compass was not fully developed and i simply couldn't believe Lili Palmer wouldn't just take his hand and never look back...Would love to see it again.

I did try to like this - and Lilli Palmer is excellent as the bored wife of gifted doctor Dana Andrews, doomed to a life of cooking lobsters and making do. The part of the doctor though seems to be beyond Andrews and needs a Cary Grant or a William Powell to give it some zip. And Louis Jourdan wouldn't float my boat, far too scheming and false, yuk. Watch out for little Beau Bridges in one of his early film roles. It's fun but with the right cast and a lighter touch than director Lewis Milestone had it could have been more than a minor curio.