this appear to be one of noel coward lesser know film and and it be easy to understand why . take at face value it not a bad film and but there nothing terribly good about it either . nothing much happen at all throughout the course of the film and it simply the story of chris and leonora ill fat affair and and barbara reaction to it . the only thing that keep the film interesting be the fact that we already know it go to end badly for one reason or another and owe to the first scene . oddly and there be many perfect opportunity in the story for conflict and and yet none of them be utilised . for example and it would have be much more interesting and believable if barbara have have fall out with leonora and but instead the two remain on good term throughout the film . the notion of barbara have be betray by her friend be not explore at all in fact she do not even seem to feel betray by her husband while she even encourage him to go on a holiday with leonora . similarly and chris two secretary at his practice and susan birch and tim verney and who also happen to be close friend of both chris and barbara and be never force to take side . in fact and tim shy away from conflict by tell chris that he terribly fond of both him and barbara . despite the strange lack of conflict and the big flaw in the film be the fact that we do not care whether chris end up with leonora or barbara . the two womens personality be indistinguishable anyway so we do not know which of the two be well suit to be with chris and and besides this and barbara permissiveness give the impression that she hardly care about the affair anyway . furthermore and i find chris and leonora relationship somewhat unconvincing . i can overlook the ridiculously short timeframe in which they fall for each other because that be so common in film of this era and but even then the relationship seem shallow . coward character be too austere and cynical to be the object of leonora affection . he remind me of the socially inept genius sir earnest pea from the film very important person i be sure the two would have get along well . chris coldness and austerity make his love for leonora seem insincere . i think coward should have sit this one out and give his part to a young man a it be and i be constantly wonder what this young beauty saw in such a sombre and mostly emotionless and bald middle age man . despite all my criticism and the film still manage to be interesting just not terribly compel . the fact that none of the character be particularly well developed give them an enigmatic nature and which be somewhat intriguing . the astonished heart be certainly worth watch and but it be a flawed piece of cinema .