Summary
The Wife of the Centaur serves as a harrowing psychological autopsy of Jeffrey Dwyer, a novelist of mercurial brilliance whose internal equilibrium is shattered by the antithetical forces of two women. Dwyer initially gravitates toward the ethereal Joan Converse, a beacon of purity, yet he is swiftly ensnared by the carnal magnetism of Inez Martin. This dalliance precipitates a catastrophic descent into alcoholism and creative paralysis when Inez callously discards him for another. Seeking a purgative rebirth, Jeffrey marries Joan and retreats to the alpine isolation of a mountain lodge, where he successfully resurrects his literary voice. However, the fragile sanctity of this domestic peace is threatened when Inez reappears, reopening the chasm between Jeffrey’s idealistic aspirations and his atavistic, sensual impulses. The narrative culminates in a desperate flirtation with abandonment, as Jeffrey briefly yields to his baser nature before a final, somber realization leads him back to the sacrificial forgiveness of his wife.
Synopsis
Gifted but neurotic novelist Jeffrey Dwyer is attracted to young, innocent Joan Converse, but neglects her when he meets sultry Inez Martin. After a short, passionate affair, Inez discards Jeffrey in favor of Harry Todd, whom she marries; Jeffrey turns to drink and debauchery and no longer writes. When he realizes the waste and futility of his life, he marries Joan, rents a lodge in the mountains, and writes a second successful novel. He and Joan are happy until Inez, whose marriage has failed, decides that she wants to resume her relationship with him. She rents a lodge near his, and after a sharp conflict between the idealistic and the sensual in his nature, Jeffrey leaves a letter for Joan, telling her that he is deserting her, and goes to Inez. Quickly realizing, however, that his infatuation with Inez is over, he returns to Joan, who forgives him and gladly welcomes him home again.
Director
