Summary
Lucille and her friend Emmie return to Iowa after a fancy European vacation, only to find their quiet Midwestern lives suddenly interrupted by the arrival of the sophisticated men they met abroad. It’s a classic case of grass-is-greener syndrome, but with more cocktails and awkward fishing trips.
Synopsis
On their last night in Paris, Lucille Lingard and her traveling companion, widow Emmie Sykes, are squired around town by their new European gentleman acquaintances, Ronald Derbyshire and Hippolitus "Hippy" Lomi. The two are upset because they must leave their newly acquired Continental friends for their Dubuque, Iowa homes. On their voyage home, Lucille complains to Emmie that her good-natured, though boring, Midwestern husband is no match for the charming and sophisticated Ronald, whom she left behind. Emmie, who is older than Lucille, her daughter Peggy and Peggy's fiance, Jake Canon, all live with Lucille and her family. Emmie is distressed that she has been unable to get her daughter to approve of her new relationship with Hippy. Despite their commitments at home, both women had promised their European lovers to return to them some day, and Lucille had promised Ronald to divorce her husband. Lucille and Emmie make a pact to pursue their new goals without distraction. While crossing the Atlantic, Lucille and Emmie unexpectedly receive word that Hippy and Ronald plan to follow them to America. Meanwhile, Charles makes special preparations for his wife's return by adopting his nephew Wilbur into the Lingard family. Lucille arrives in Dubuque but shows nothing but disdain for her husbands's bland Midwestern lifestyle and longs for a return to Ronald. When Ronald and Hippy arrive, Charles senses that Ronald is interested in Emmie, not realizing he has come for Lucille. As Charles and Ronald get to know each other, however, they become fast friends and get drunk on a fishing expedition. In their drunken chatter, Ronald admits to Charles that Lucille does not look as glamorous to him in America as she did in Europe, and confesses that he is really too selfish to love a woman the same way Charles does. Meanwhile, Peggy's heart softens about her mother's love for Hippy, and she realizes Emmie is truly happy with him. The next day Lucille is told that Ronald has left, and she happily returns to her husband, finally realizing the value of their marriage and the joy her new family will bring to her.
Review Excerpt
"Is it worth the watch?
If you have a soft spot for black-and-white talkies where people drink tea and fret about their social standing, As Husbands Go is a perfectly fine way to kill an hour. It’s light, airy, and moves along without demanding too much of your brain cells. That said, if you’re looking for high drama or something that breaks the mold, stay away. This is pure, low-stakes comfort food.
Lucille is the kind of character you want to shake. She spends the first half of the film pining..."
