Do you think Beth ever came back home?

I personally think no-because the dialogue between the two of them at the end says it all-she is beautiful, but not STRONG. And, that everything would have been fine if there was no MESS-you never know what you can deal with until it's put in front of you-Beth had never been through anything traumatic-and after the death of the son she favored, it was brought to light how she felt about Conrad. And the damage was permanent and irreversable. This movie is one of my favorites, even the score is fantastic and how it is played throughout the movie, especially when Conrad finds out about Karen's successful suicide. I thought about that too-but I think her leaving was permanent-she would never change. Also, people have BEGGED Judith Guest for a sequel book-she has said no this is it. Did you like this movie?

REF

I do.

I don't think she'd want to give up the lifestyle that her and Cal had, if nothing else.

She'd show up like a month later and pretend absolutely nothing happened and try to carry on as usual, without admitting she's wrong.

Long long time since I saw this film but no. I think she went off to rebuild a life without the unpleasant necessity of coping with messy and difficult real life emotions. We could feel sorry for her and wonder why she is like that but lets not. If that is the way she prefers to live then let her be. (Gosh! This sounds very grim and cold.)

I think probably no.

I don't think Beth would return since she could not handle the emotional events within the family. I can see Beth finding a divorced business executive type who wants a pretty wife who is content to run the household and be pampered a bit. They would hob-nob with an upper-class crowd that, like her, do not discuss unpleasant family business. Conrad could then be kept at arm's length.

No, I don't think she came back. After Cal said, "I don't think I love you anymore.", in her mind that meant absolute rejection. In actual fact she moved out of the family emotionally, but it took Cal to acknowledge the fact. Her reaction was not to say anything, not to argue or discuss, she did "the right and expected thing". She went right upstairs without a word and packed her bags. This was a brilliant scene and the reason I honestly thought she deserved the Oscar: while bringing the suitcase to the bed, she broke down and looked like she was going to start sobbing, but she pushed it back and suppressed the emotion. Her face literally looked like a mask in this scene. It calls to mind the scene where Berger says to Conrad that it takes a ton of energy to suppress feeling. Come what may, Beth will NEVER deal with this issue. Her explanation to the outside world would be that Cal told her he no longer loved her, so he ended their marriage. Her brother (in Houston) and parents will buy that explanation.

She's a woman.

Of course she did. She took one suitcase, one midsized suitcase with a few pieces of clothing. And she lived in that big old house full of all kinds of fiss fussy stuff that she picked out: the silverware, her walk in closet full of St John knit suits and Bally shoes, photo albums, personal documents, monogrammed stationary, high school diploma, college degree, golf clubs, skis, jewelry - all those pearls!, heirlooms, you know someone like Beth has heirlooms up the wazoo, her cookware to make her signature casseroles for the ladies brunches, all the bespoke linens, etc, etc. She came back with her divorce attorney and a team of paralegals with clipboards.