A letter to three wives appears in an aspect ratio of 1. A letter to three wives is a 1949 american romantic drama film which tells the story of a woman who mails a letter to three women, telling them she has left. Mankiewicz presents, in flashbacks, each wifes tremulous view of domestic. It focuses on the doubts, fears and recriminations of three. But their are undeniable similarities in a letter to three wives to that film as well. A letter to three wives jeanne crain linda darnell ann sothern 1949 a flirt tells three women jeanne crain, linda darnell, ann sothern she will be leaving town with one of their husbands. 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. In the letter, the friend says she has run off with one of the three womens husbands. With loni anderson, stephanie zimbalist, michele lee, charles frank. Linda darnell is wonderful and paul douglass makes his screen debut. A letter to three wives is a 1949 american romantic drama film which tells the story of a woman who mails a letter to three women, telling them she has left town with the husband of one of them. In both works a letter addie ross letter in the film and the letter stating olivia loves malvolio in the play misleads a major character. The movie was loosely based on john klempners novel a letter to five wives and adapted by vera caspary and joseph l. A glossy soap opera in every way, a letter to three wives wont be everyones cup of tea or scotch, which they drink a good amount of in this film.
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. Movie title from the film a letter to three wives 1949, directed by joseph l. The acting was totally brilliant and its just a film that i would gladly watch again and again. But judging it for its time, its a powerful view on marriage and fidelity with strong work across the board. Three women lora mae linda darnell, rita ann sothern, and deborah jeanne crain receive a letter from a friend telling that shes runoff with one of. Deborah, lora mae and rita have to find out which of their spouses, brad, porter and george respectively, have been unfaithful. Feb 04, 2015 provided to youtube by the orchard enterprises a letter to three wives film music alfred newman and his orchestra alfred newman the golden age of light music. A letter to three wives 1949, directed by joseph l mankiewicz. There are rita and george phipps, played by kirk douglas and anne southern. He won oscars in both categories for this charmingly witty comedy. Three women lora mae linda darnell, rita ann sothern, and deborah jeanne crain receive a letter from a friend telling that shes runoff with one of their husbands. Engrossing, wonderful film with witty dialogue and great performances.
A letter to three wives letterboxd your life in film. Letter to five wives letter to three wives royal books. I dont always go for something like this, but a letter to three wives is so well acted and has such good dialog that i was engaged the whole time. The film deals, in a very amusing and entertaining way, with the nature of female rivalries and how they can dramatically affect relationships. Based on a novel by john klempner, the property was remade for television in 1985, with ann sothern back again in a supporting part. A letter to three wives is an omnibus film, its three stories ingeniously interlocked through meetings among the characters, flashbacks, and the voiceover of an unseen romantic catalyst, the town siren, addie ross addies purring, sultry voice is that of celeste holm.
The drama centres on three married women linda darnell, ann sothern, and jeanne crain who each receive a. Mankiewicz is a key entry in his canon of challenging dramas that. A letter to three wives, however, was an explosive revelation of his genius. Mankiewiczs magisterial, buoyant suburban drama, from 1949, concerns three couples and a wild cardthe strongwilled, sophisticated woman whom one of the husbands used to love and whom all three of them admire, and who, to launch the story, informs their three wives that she has run away with one of the men. Three years later kirk douglas got one of his oscar nominations in the bad and the beautiful. The feat wasnt unprecedented john huston had done the same, the. Despite a few minor concerns, letter usually presented a solid transfer. It starred eve arden, ruth warrick, howard da silva, shepperd strudwick and billie burke. Kowalski in the big lift 1950, businessman josiah walter dudley in executive suite 1954 and a con manturnedmonk in when in rome 1952. The three husbands are lifelong friends, and its one of the movies many. A letter to three wives cast and crew cast photos and info. Even under close scrutiny, its difficult to find a single imperfection. A letter to three wives cast and crew cast photos and.
Traditional wisdom has mankiewicz as more writer than director, but consider the marvellously cinematic opening of a letter to three wives. An extremely scarce edition of this important title, with striking dust jacket artwork. Starring ann sothern, linda darnell, jeanne crain dir. A voiceover narration, spoken by celeste holm as the character addie ross, is heard intermittently throughout the picture. Jun 14, 2009 in the classic film a letter to three wives what happens at the end. Each woman is forced to examine the flaws in their own marriages to determine which man has left with addie. He also played richard widmarks police partner in the 1950 thriller panic in the streets, frustrated newlywed porter hollingsway in a letter to three wives 1949, sgt. A letter to three wives is the type of film that could only work in the late 40s and 50s. Three women are going on a trip that leaves incommunicado with the rest of the world and before they leave. Though this 1080pavc mpeg4 effort from fox looks like it might have been struck from the same source material, additional cleanup seems to have been. 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. Upholding the academy ratio and monaural sound of the film s original production, bluray treats a letter to three wives to great picture quality. A letter comes to three women while they are supervising a bunch of kids on a field trip.
A letter to three wives is an omnibus film, its three stories ingeniously interlocked through meetings among the characters, flashbacks, and the voice over of an. Best of all is linda darnell as lora mae, with paul douglas and ann sothern running close behind. This week, were doing a complete 180, moving away from horror and into domestic drama. It is a hearty and intelligent comedy, tweaking hypocrisy at the same moment that it.
A letter to three wives was written and directed by joseph l. A letter to three wives nyt watching the new york times. The film told of three husbands who receive a letter from a recently deceased friend in which he claims to have had affairs with each mans wife. Provided to youtube by the orchard enterprises a letter to three wives film music alfred newman and his orchestra alfred newman the golden age of light music. Upholding the academy ratio and monaural sound of the films original production, bluray treats a letter to three wives to great picture quality. A letter to three wives 1949 letterboxd your life in film. Letter to three wives dvd for sale the story and the cast combine to give us a great movie about three beautiful women and their dilemma, with the other lady. Jeanne crain does well playing deborah, the young, sometimes selfdoubting and suspicious wife of the welltodo brad bishop, played by jeffrey lynn. Mankiewicz made a letter to three wives, which i discuss. He followed up this neat trick by repeating it the following year with the classic backstage drama all about eve. A letter is addressed to three wives from their best friend addie ross, announcing that she is running away with one of their husbands but she does not say which one. Basis for the classic 1949 film, letter to three wives, one of the most sophisticated dramas about women of its day, directed and written for the screen by joseph l. A letter to three wives 1949, directed by joseph l.
Starring kirk douglas, lana turner, walter pidgeon in the wake of film noir, which used voiceovers and flashbacks to greater effect than ever before, a letter to three wives and the bad and the beautiful are logical conclusions outside the genre. A letter to three wives originally saw life as a book entitled a letter to five wives. One of three women is about to loose her husband to a home wrecker but even with all kinds of both legitimate and false clues you dont find out who until the last minutes of the film. In flashback, each wife wonders if it is her marriage that is in jeopardy. Jan 27, 2014 in the letter, the friend says she has run off with one of the three womens husbands. In that one hes the addie ross character, but hes very much seen. A letter to three wives 1949 movie titles and typography. Sep 17, 20 in said letter its revealed by their friend, addie ross an unseen celeste holm, that shes run off with one of their husbands. A letter to three wives 1949 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers. In 1949, a letter to three wives was released by 20th century fox, starring jeanne crain, linda darnell, ann sothern, jeffrey lynn, paul douglas and kirk douglas. When crain utters the films most anguished line, she gives a defiant, dramatically unmotivated look into the camera, a gesture of existential complicity that became.
It was very well written and has a good twist at the end. Deborah bishop, lora mae hollingsway and rita phipps are three friends who all receive letters from another friend, addie ross, telling them that she is about to leave town with one of their husbands. Film notes a letter to three wives university at albany. Mankiewicz and starring jeanne crain, linda darnell, ann sothern and kirk douglas. A letter to three wives film by mankiewicz 1949 britannica. A letter to three wives is the very definition of an underappreciated film classic, which is really unfortunate, because its an excellent and unique intelligent well thought out film. A letter to three wives underwent a restoration prior to its 2005 dvd release, and it was a good one, but the picture quality still pales when compared to this pristine bluray transfer. In fact, a letter to three wives was a surprise hit, and won for mankiewicz his first two oscars, for directing and writing. The working titles of this film were a letter to five wives, a letter to four wives and three wives. Aug 12, 2019 in choosing a shakespeare play for kirk douglas character to direct, mankiewicz went with twelfth night, which provided a parallel to the plot of a letter to three wives.
This ingeniously constructed film is one of the finest movies ever made about marriage. Letter to three wives movie brilliantly made, this is one of my alltime favourite movies. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. A letter to three wives 1949 journeys in classic film. Mankiewicz, starring jeanne crain, linda darnell and kirk douglas.
A letter to three wives is a 1949 american romantic drama film which tells the story of a woman who mails a letter to three women, telling them she has left town. A 1949 film adapted from the novel letter to five wives by john klempner. This book was the source material for the 1949 film a letter to three wives in retrospect, in comparison of book vs. A letter to three wives was an academy award winning film up for best picture the year of release. It stars jeanne crain, linda darnell, ann sothern, paul douglas in his film debut, kirk douglas, jeffrey lynn, and thelma ritter. All about eve, mankiewicz betterknown film, followed in 1950, but a letter to three wives is arguably more accessible to mainstream audiences because of a more brisk running time, and a less venal tone. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing a letter to three wives near you. Written with perception and not a little witty condescension by director joseph l. Connie gilchrist as darnells mother, ma finney, and thelma ritter as sadie, are hilarious. Equal parts melodramatic and comedic, it deals with issues of gender and class that dont fit into modern society.
A letter to three wives is unjustly known today as mankiewiczs rehearsal for the now more wellknown all about eve the following year. Mankiewicz, a letter to three wives won two oscars,both for mankiewicz. A letter to three wives full movie video dailymotion. Any signs of softness reflected the style of photography utilized, as the actresses sometimes got the glamour treatment. A letter to three wives is a dazzling film comedydrama made in 1949, directed by joseph l. The female driven film combines the mystery with the womans melodrama and succeeds, for the most part. In both works a letter addie ross letter in the film and the letter stating olivia loves malvolio in. First uk edition, preceded by the us edition the same year. A letter to three wives movie trailer and videos tv guide. In choosing a shakespeare play for kirk douglas character to direct, mankiewicz went with twelfth night, which provided a parallel to the plot of a letter to three wives.
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