Along the way, George decides to stop and visit his war buddy Ralph (Anthony Franciosa). Ralph has been married to Dorthea (Lois Nettleton) for a few years, but his marriage’s future is just as shaky as George and Isabel’s. Ralph married Dorthea for her money and because he would stand to inherit her father’s business when he died. Dorthea’s father was in poor health at the time but survived. Although Ralph grew to genuinely love Dorthea, he could never stand her parents and abruptly quits his job at her father’s company after an argument. Worried that he might leave her just as suddenly, Dorthea decides to leave Ralph.
George and Isabel arrive at Ralph’s house on Christmas Eve, barely speaking to each other by the time they get there. As the night progresses, Ralph does his best to help solve his newlywed friend’s problems while coping with his own. At one point, Dorthea’s parents come over to collect their daughter’s things and the situation gets so far out of hand, all of them wind up down at the police station. But when things start to settle, both couples begin to have renewed confidence in their futures together.
Period of Adjustment is based on the play by Tennessee Williams and marked departure from the typical Tennessee Williams fare. When the play was released, Williams dubbed it “a serious comedy,” which is a pretty accurate description. There’s drama, but it’s got some more lighthearted moments as well. I wouldn’t say it was one of my favorite movies, but I’m glad I saw it. The cast, particularly young Jane Fonda, was great. And although I prefer the movies based on more typical Tennessee Williams plays, this was a welcome change of pace. Period of Adjustment is also noteworthy for being the directorial debut of George Roy Hill, who went on to direct hits like The Sting, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and Thoroughly Modern Millie.