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This movie is decent enough in the beginning, which has a wealthy playboy doctor (Robert Taylor) falling in love with a woman he meets in a casino (Barbara Stanwyck). He's meant to leave for the jungles of South America in ten days to work on a cure for spotted fever, so it's a whirlwind romance that they both know will be short-lived. Things get complicated when they fall in love (surprise, surprise), and even more so as Taylor owes the casino owner (Joseph Calleia) money, and seeks to borrow it from his brother. The film gets muddled from there - in character motivations, in melodrama, and in several dangling threads. The scenes in the jungle are just silly, and it's irritating when the woman starts taking the blame for things. I found my grade for the film steadily decreasing as it progressed, and hoping for it to end, which is never a good sign. It was interesting to see Samuel S. Hinds as the father, as he was George Bailey's dad in 'It's a Wonderful Life', and it was also interesting to consider that Stanwyck and Taylor would be married in real life three years later, for thirteen years. This one is for a fan of those actors only, and seeing the first thirty minutes or so would be sufficient.

The other comments here say it all, so I'm simply adding my voice to the chorus. The single word that comes to mind is "ludicrous." One of the more hilarious elements in this ridiculous film is to see everyone talking about the 130 degree heat of the jungles of South America, but their clothes are pristine white, without the slightest smudge, and no one seems to be even breaking a drop of perspiration. It's also a plot point that Robert Taylor is broke, but he has no problem easily jumping on a boat from South America to get back to New York City...and then back to South America, with Stanwyck. If you have the choice between watching this and getting a root canal, go for the root canal -- at least they put you to sleep.

Folks, this one is from 1936 so we have to take it for what it is. During the early years of talkies, Hollywood came up with some very interesting tales to tell. His Brother's Wife is one of them. Robert Taylor plays the younger brother to the brother that Barbara Stanwyck marries in retaliation for Taylor's going into the depths of the Jungle to find a cure for some god-awful plague. Confusing? It is? Confusing and almost silly. Yet, there is a touch of that old classic film magic that makes it a delight to watch.

There is something about the on-screen chemistry between Taylor and Stanwyck, (most likely spurning from their real life romance), that makes you keep watching. The scenes between the two stars make the whole twisted tale worth sitting through.

Now, don't be fooled, there are many more films that have plots that are more contrived than His Brother's Wife, but there is something about the jump form New York, to the Jungle, and then back to New York, then to the Jungle again, that makes this film a little more silly than most. But, lets face it, if you choose to watch this film you are doing so all for the man with the perfect profile's smile (Robert Taylor) and The Ball of Fire's spunk (Barbara Stanwyck).

All and all this is a fun film to watch. It by no means is predictable--

most likely due to the fact that the plot is out of this world.

Enjoy. I did.

They call this a movie, but really it is just a collaboration between Robert Taylor and Barbara Stanwyck who would end up getting married to each other. They are a nice couple, but that doesn't make an interesting story. This poorly written does nothing to exploit the talents of Taylor and Stanwyck even though the performances are good. The dialogue lacks sparkle, and fails to provide anything to engage the audience. No wonder it hasn't stood the test of time. Good actors and performances don't necessarily make a good film. You need a good script first and foremost for a good film, even if it is poorly made. This absurd film is not the fault of the actors, but the script writer.

This movie ran about an hour and a half, but it seemed longer than "Gone with the Wind."

"His Brother's Wife" is the story of a playboy (Taylor) who decides to go into the jungle to find a cure for spotted fever. Before he leaves, he meets Stanwyck, and they fall in love.

That, however, doesn't keep him from wanting to leave for the jungle - and even when it does, his father talks him back into it. So off he goes, leaving a furious and heartbroken Stanwyck behind. She retaliates by marrying his brother.

This thing is all over the place, though Stanwyck and Taylor are a darling couple and have great chemistry. MGM always put too much makeup on Taylor - I'm sure he looked just great without it.

Not recommended - you can see Taylor and Stanwyck in better films.