Dr Moulin has an happy married life ...till routine sets in and middle-aged lust appears in the shape of a gorgeous Swede,Helga ;shortly afterward ,he becomes her lover,but she's not prepared to accept such a situation : an over -possessive woman ,she wants the man to divorce his wife and to marry her ;the abandoned wife's martyrdom begins (alternate title :"Le Calvaire D'Une Mère"),and she develops tuberculosis to boot!

This is melodrama ,not far from the Vichy ideology :duty calls.

On the plus side, the role of the couple's child is not passed over in silence ;he's even given a prominent part in numerous scenes ;besides it's always a pleasure to see Odile Versois ,even when the movie is not that exciting.