A suburban architect loves his wife but is bored with his marriage and with his work, so he takes up with the neglected, married beauty who lives down the street.
When successful architect Larry (Kirk Douglas) meets bored Maggie (Kim Novak) at the school bus stop after dropping off their respective children, you can just tell that things are going to start smouldering! Hes married to Eve (Barbara Rush) and she to prominent writer Roger (Ernie Kovacks) and its the latter man who has employed the former to design and build a new hilltop home for his family. So far, its all just a routine family melodrama that, for my money anyway, Douglas brings very little to. Luckily for us, though, we also have the presence of the rather odious neighbour Felix (Walter Matthau) who says very little but sees everything. Of course, the grass is always greener and the cheating couple gradually realise that though there is certainly gratification to be had, happiness is a completely different thing. Their secret, shallow, lives have brought them a sort of love, but its hollow and unsustainable and the innocent amongst them start to pay the price for their infidelities. There is a degree of chemistry between Douglas and Novak, Ernie Novaks is also quite effective but its really down to Matthau who features sparingly, but very potently, with even an hint of menace towards the end. It ends with more of a whimper than a bang, which I felt was a bit underwhelming after two hours of a rather stringy score and lots of coastal cinematography. I might have enjoyed this more had Douglas been replaced by a stronger, more characterful actor- but as it is, its still quite an interesting take on the ramifications of the so called easy win.
