A Letter to Three Wives
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Movie Reviews of A Letter to Three Wives
Movie Review: What a letter! What a movie!
Summary: 5 Stars
This delightful comedy came out in 1949. The plot involves a letter sent to three wives while they're on an all day outing, which informs them that their rival, Addie Ross (an uncredited Celeste Holm, heard, but not seen so people at the time could guess who the narrator was) has run off with one of their husbands. Each woman reviews the ups and downs of her marriage or courtship to see if there was anything in the relationship that might have tempted her husband to run off with Addie.
Jeanne Crain as the farm girl married to Jeffrey Lynn, a suburban sophisticate, has a hilarious scene at her first country club dance. Ann Southern plays the well-paid "career girl" representing the women who didn't hang up their shoulder pads when WW2 ended. Kirk Douglas, the underpaid but intelligent school teacher, is her usually tolerant husband. And Linda Darnell almost steals the show as the manipulative shop girl making a play for her boss, portrayed by a tough but likable Paul Douglas.
The movie was nominated for best picture and Joseph Mankiewicz won oscars for best director and best screenplay for a movie that still maintains its appeal.
Movie Review: A DATE WITH ADDIE....
Summary: 5 Stars
While chaperoning a children's outing, three wives recieve a letter by special delivery from the town vamp, Addie Ross (voiced by Celeste Holm) telling them that she has run off with one of their husbands. Through the course of the day, each wife reflects on her marriage. Directed by Joseph L.Mankiewicz, this film boasts performances from a sterling cast. Ann Sothern, Jeanne Crain and Linda Darnell are the wives and Kirk Douglas and Paul Douglas are two of the husbands. Thelma Ritter is also on hand and is a delight as Sothern's common-as-dirt housekeeper who's also a friend of Darnell's equally common mother. The scenes in their tiny house's kitchen as the train goes by are a riot. There are many memorable moments in this classic with equal parts comedy and drama thanks to a trenchant script (also by Mankiewicz from a story by Vera Caspary) and a priceless cast of pros. The DVD is a good print and this is definitely a keeper for lovers of classic films. A most unusual and enjoyable entertainment of the kind they just don't make anymore.Movie Review: Finally on DVD
Summary: 5 Stars
Joseph Mankiewicz won two Oscars for this movie for writing the
screenplay and directing the movie. A year later he would repeat
this triumph for ALL ABOUT EVE. Even though the script could be
considered a bit dated now it is still so witty and clever that
nobody cares. I always wanted to ask him why Thelma Ritter receives no billing even though her part was bigger than the
ones by Barbara Lawrence and Florence Bates. Darnell, Sothern and
Crain have the best roles of their careers. This is a movie I
can watch over and over and never tire of it. I think my favorite
scenes are in Darnell's kitchen when the train goes by. And we
see a great featured performance by Connie Gilchrist. Many
thanks to Fox for finally getting this out on dvd.
Movie Review: Intelligent & well-crafted
Summary: 5 Stars
You don't see movies like this much anymore. Well-written, wonderfully acted, and impeccably crafted, this movie peels away the facade of the Good Life in Post-War America, and looks at three unsettled relationships where each wife has a pretty good reason for thinking that maybe her husband has decided that enough is enough.
When not examining the potential disintegration of these relationships, Mankiewicz is making scathing observations of the superficiality of your standard Country Club society, as well as the emerging consumerist culture in the Post-War United States. One wonders what kind of hay Mankiewicz could have made with our culture of the 21st century. If one likes intelligent dialogue & a briskly flowing narrative, this is a film not to be missed.
Movie Review: An Honest Movie
Summary: 5 Stars
I watched this movie for the first time on KQED. I had no idea who the actresses were and did not give the black and white movie thing a second thought.
This movie is amazing and will always be relevant because of its honesty. The ladies are obviously concerned/obsessed with Addie and rightfully so- Ms. Ross is conniving yet proper, bitchy yet considerate and always has perfect timing. . .
All of the characters are so well developed and so well defined. It is beyond captivating to follow the stories of their marriages.
This movie is dark enough for the cynics and complex enough for the film aficionados.