Main Cast: Jeanne Crain, Linda Darnell, Ann Sothern, Kirk Douglas, Paul Douglas
Release Year: 1949
Country: US
Run Time: 103 minutes
Plot
Three wives, played by Jeanne Crain, Ann Sothern and Linda Darnell, are about to embark on a boat trip when each receives a letter, written by a mutual friend named Addie, informing her that Addie is about to run off with one of their husbands. In flashback, each wife wonders if it is her marriage that is in jeopardy. Deborah (Crain) recounts her fish-out-of-water relationship with her up-and-coming hubby (Jeffrey Lynn); businesswoman Rita (Sothern) asks herself if she's been too rough on her professorial spouse (Kirk Douglas); and Lora May (Darnell), a girl from (literally) the wrong side of the tracks, questions the security of her marriage to a brash business executive (Paul Douglas). The voice of Addie, who is never seen, is provided by Celeste Holm. Thelma Ritter shows up in a hilarious unbilled bit as a slatternly domestic, while an equally uncredited Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer makes a quick entrance and exit as a bellhop. Written with perception and not a little witty condescension by director Joseph L. Mankiewicz, A Letter to Three Wives won two Oscars ,both for Mankiewicz. Based on a novel by John Klempner, the property was remade for television in 1985, with Ann Sothern back again in a supporting part. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
The wickedly clever premise of A Letter to Three Wives is a brilliant jumping-off point for a clever and astute screenplay. The film's three different but equally troubled marriages offer an insightful glimpse into the gender politics, rotting class distinctions, and social mores of America in the mid-20th century. Unlike many filmic depictions of women of this era, the three leads in A Letter to Three Wives are not stereotyped or pigeon-holed. Each one is independent and strong, despite nagging doubts about the strength of her marriage. Joseph L. Mankiewicz's script goes right for the throat of middle-class suburban values via some very sympathetic characters; if the mix is occasionally uncomfortable (the characters are a bit too likeable to be skewered so harshly), the aim is straight and true. The stars play no small part in the film's success, especially Ann Sothern's poised performance as the ambitious writer for radio programs and Linda Darnell as the rough, self-doubting girl from the wrong side of the tracks. Visually, the film adds little to the art of cinema, but Mankiewicz's writing is a wonder. The following year, he wrote and directed the legendary All About Eve, leading to an unprecedented Academy Award record: Mankiewicz won Best Director and Best Screenplay for both movies, in consecutive years. ~ Dan Jardine, All Movie Guide
