Married architect secretly romances a pretty society wife, new to the neighborhood. Vehicle for stars Kirk Douglas and Kim Novak is quite lush and slick, but doesn't have the guts to face any of the nasty truths inherent to the situation until just about the end, when neighbor Walter Matthau gets involved. Matthau could be quite menacing and foreboding when he wanted to be, and he pulls off a very difficult moment here. Otherwise, it's a glossy tale about attractive people doing a hurtful thing to their respective spouses. It doesn't hold infidelity up as something to admire or duplicate, but neither does it de-glamorize the act of cheating. For his part, Douglas gives one of his most relaxed performances; Novak is still a bit stiff but cuts a lovely presence. **1/2 from ****
Review of Strangers When We Meet
