Period of Adjustment (1962)

On Christmas Eve, newlywed couple Jim Hutton and Jane Fonda, without prior warning, arrive at the home of his Korean War buddy Anthony Franciosa, whose wife has just left him. Already unsure of the commitment they’ve made, the newlyweds get a firsthand look at the future they have in store for themselves. I really went into this thinking it was supposed to be a comedy, but it’s nowhere near. The men are universally awful. Hutton deserts Fonda within minutes of arriving at the home. Franciosa readily admits that his wife was homely when they met and he only married her for her money. He also calls his son a sissy and destroys his favorite toy to teach him how to be a man or something.

Oscar Nomination: Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black-and-White