A Letter to Three Wives Movie Review 1949

Crain, Darnell, and Sothern star as three friends who, shortly before embarking on a Hudson River boat trip, each receive a letter from Holm (who's never shown), the fourth member in their set. The letter tells them that she has run off with one of their husbands but does not specify his identity. The women spend the rest of the trip reviewing their sometimes shaky unions which provides some of the funniest and most caustic scenes, including Douglas (as Sothern's husband) ranting against the advertising business which supports his wife's radio soap opera. Sharp dialogue, moving performances. Based on the novel by John Klempner. Remade for TV in 1985.

Distribution

Wellspring Media, A Division of Genius Products, Inc., 2230 Broadway, Santa Monica, CA 90904, Phone: (310)453-1222, Fax: (310)453-0074, URL: http://www.wellspring.com

Available on VHS
Running time 103 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Going Postal, Marriage, 4 Bones

Screenplay

Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Cast

Jeanne Crain, Linda Darnell, Ann Sothern, Kirk Douglas, Paul Douglas, Jeffrey Lynn, Thelma Ritter, Barbara Lawrence, Connie Gilchrist, Florence Bates

Cinematography

Arthur C. Miller

Director

Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Music

Alfred Newman

Other

Celeste Holm

Producer

20th Century-Fox

Awards

Oscars 1949: Director (Mankiewicz), Screenplay; Directors Guild 1948: Director (Mankiewicz).