Livestonth I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

DipitySkillful an ambitious but ultimately ineffective debut endeavor.

Cassandra Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

Brooklynn There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

blanche-2 This movie ran about an hour and a half, but it seemed longer than "Gone with the Wind." "His Brother's Wife" is the story of a playboy (Taylor) who decides to go into the jungle to find a cure for spotted fever. Before he leaves, he meets Stanwyck, and they fall in love. That, however, doesn't keep him from wanting to leave for the jungle - and even when it does, his father talks him back into it. So off he goes, leaving a furious and heartbroken Stanwyck behind. She retaliates by marrying his brother.This thing is all over the place, though Stanwyck and Taylor are a darling couple and have great chemistry. MGM always put too much makeup on Taylor - I'm sure he looked just great without it.Not recommended - you can see Taylor and Stanwyck in better films.

MartinHafer This is a terrible film, though you can't tell for almost the first half of the movie. But then, the plot gets really weird and it becomes a second-rate soap opera that is so ridiculously improbable that it might make you laugh--all this despite it having two of the biggest stars in Hollywood in the leads.Playboy and scientific researcher(?) Robert Taylor meets and falls in love with Barbara Stanwyck only ten days before he's due to depart for the tropics to conduct dangerous research on Spotted Fever. But a bad gambling debt nearly gets him in trouble and he's at a loss. He knows he must go to the tropics to help mankind (uggh) but he wants to stay and marry Barbara but he's also racked up a huge gambling debt--what is this irresponsible jerk to do? Well, his brother convinces him to go overseas anyway and the brother will arrange to pay the debt--leaving Barbara out in the cold (i.e., jilted).Now here's where it gets REALLY screwy. Barbara goes to work for the guy owning the gambling hall but only if the gambler gave her the bad note owed by Taylor. Why? Who knows. But a bit later, she's vamping Taylor's good brother and she leaves him a shattered mess AFTER marrying him! Apparently, she resented the brother's interference and this was her way to pay him back. Huh?! Then, later, Taylor returns on furlough and finds out that his brother's reputation is in ruins but Barbara STILL wants to run off with Taylor! How scandalous, huh? So the two original lovers run off to the tropics--leaving the poor brother to sulk.Once abroad, the two sleazy characters seem in love--that is until Taylor gets word that his brother has divorced Barbara. Apparently, Taylor spirited her off to the tropics in order to force the divorce. Now that it's final, he tells Barbara to kiss off--it's all been a ruse and he hates her.Now, Barbara decides to play Miss Nobility and deliberately infects herself with Spotted Fever. Now it's up to Taylor and his new serum to save her. In the end, they are indeed in love again and get married! Doesn't this all sound 100% ridiculous and contrived? If not, then you might want to consult with a therapist. Too bad Taylor and Stanwyck didn't--it might have saved them from appearing in this god-awful turkey. It only manages to get a 3 for the first half of the film--the rest is 100% grade-A baloney!! By the way, as a way of letting you know how silly and syrupy this mess was, get a load of the line delivered by Jean Hersholt "love,...it puzzles me more than science...". Zzzzzzzzzzzzz.

wes-connors Robert Taylor (as Chris Claybourne) is a playboy doctor who falls in love with model Barbara Stanwyck (as Rita Wilson). This is a film for Barbara Stanwyck and Robert Taylor (he takes off his shirt as a bonus) fans only.Otherwise, "His Brother's Wife" is an absurd movie. The opening switches around from an infested Jungle Fever… to Mr. Taylor as a seemingly alcoholic doctor… to Ms. Stanwyck playing Roulette… Then, Stanwyck and Taylor go on a prolonged date where she discovers he has a fetish for collecting and/or trading hats, which seems to disappear with his alcoholic tendencies - actually, he's an excellent doctor. Later, listen for Stanwyck to tell Taylor he smokes too much. *** His Brother's Wife (1936) W.S. Van Dyke II ~ Robert Taylor, Barbara Stanwyck, Joseph Calleia, Jean Hersholt

Ale fish Just occasionally, back in the golden age of Hollywood, studios got so desperate that they tried to squeeze a couple of totally different storylines into one movie. My favourite example is ‘They Met In Bombay' with Clark Gable and Peter Lorre. ‘His Brother's Wife' never attains those heights of lunacy but it tries pretty hard !!Movie no.1: Stanwyck is the girl from the wrong side of the tracks who falls for a wealthy playboy (Robert Taylor) with large gambling debts. The romance is broken up by his snobby brother but Stanwyck assumes the debts, going to work as ‘hostess' for a slimy club owner. Oh, yes and she also marries the brother (but that's not really important !)Movie no.2: Stanwyck and the wealthy playboy (also a top research scientist !!) go deep into the South American jungle to cure a plague which is decimating the local villagers. The situation is hopeless, the playboy (sorry, top scientist) is losing his nerve and there's only one thing left for the self-sacrificing Stanwyck to do!If this all sounds ridiculous, that's because it is.Stanwyck tries a little too hard in this one, battling bravely against the lifeless script, dialogue and supporting cast. Director W S Van Dyke was happier with the light comedy of the ‘Thin Man' movies than this kind of absurd melodrama.Luckily for Stanwyck fame and fortune beckoned only a year later with ‘Stella Dallas.'This picture does have a certain curiosity value but really it's for fans only.