A Guide for the Married Man

Plot

Paul Manning discovers one day that his dear friend and neighbor Ed Stander has been cheating on his wife. Curious, he asks Ed about it and is given the history and tactics of men who have successfully committed adultery. With each new story, Paul can't help but notice the attractive blonde, Irma Johnson, who lives nearby.

Paul gets close to cheating on his wife Ruth, but he never quite goes through with it. In a scene near the end when he is in a motel room with another woman, Jocelyn, a wealthy divorcee, Paul hears sirens approaching. He looks out the window to see the police, and they are going to the room next door where his friend Ed is in bed with Mrs. Johnson. Paul takes this opportunity to flee the scene and run home to his beloved wife.

Cast

Cameo appearances

Critical reception

The movie is simply "a series of dumb skits" in Pauline Kael's estimation, and the famous names in the cast are all wasted: "what they do is no more memorable than the plugs for brand-name products that are scattered throughout". The film has gone on to become a cult classic.