THERE IS NO VACATION FROM DECENCY...

Joseph Cotton is industrialist David Lawrence - a highly successful but unhappy man who feels trapped in a marriage that has seen better days. Joan Fontaine is Marianne Stuart - a prominent concert pianist who meets Lawrence on a trip in Italy and falls in love. Through a quirk of fate, they are reported dead in a crash though they had actually missed the plane due to spending time with each other. They soon realize this gives them the opportunity to live together free from their previous lives. The situation becomes complicated and heartbreaking when Lawrence's curious widow and son arrive to investigate why a large check was written around the time of Lawrence's death.

Shot on location in Italy and spanning a wide array of areas like Milan, Florence, Capri, Pompeii, and others, this is an exceptionally well-made film with great work being turned in by both by the production team and lead actors. The cinematography was years ahead of its time and is definitely a highlight. Joseph Cotton and the lovely Joan Fontaine (who sadly passed away recently on December 15, 2013) are both in top form here. The aforementioned on-location scenes really serve to make us feel like we ourselves are along for the ride on an exciting and romantic vacation (and isn't this what we all dream about when we think of vacations?) The classic tune September Song sung by Walter Huston features heavily throughout the movie. - a tremendously beautiful song which fits into the story very well, including a lovely scene where we see the two main leads begin to fall in love.