Hotter than u think

"A Letter to Three Wives" is a crafty masterpiece throughout, very adult in its humor and sexually charged relationships, particularly Paul Douglas and lovely Linda Darnell sizzling in their parts as Mr. Millionaire merchant and the temptress from, or literally, ON the wrong side of the tracks. Their scenes of blatant desire and passion sizzle and blend nicely with the other two woven stories of which husband has run off with never-seen but definitely male-understanding high class

hoochie, Addie Ross. Seems the three wives herein all have good reason to believe their husbands would prefer Miss Ross to them!!

All the actors are top shelf, as is the script, which is cleverly comic, knowing, and suspenseful. Kirk Douglas is pretty macho here, and very entertaining. But watching Linda Darnell bait her hook, and finally reel in the biggest fish around (Paul Douglas) is toooo utterly delicious.

Don't pass up "A Letter to Three Wives" if it shows up in your tv listings. Or buy it for your film library; you'll come to appreciate this emotionally charged, well crafted character study. ENJOY!!!!

It Still Holds True Today

This gem of a movie is a neglected classic of Americana. "A Letter to Three Wives" uses many of the same talents who made "All About Eve" such a hit a year later, most notably Joseph L. Mankiewicz as the writer/director and Celeste Holm, who is present here in voice only as Addie Ross, the town flirt.

Just as three of the town's more prominent clubwomen are about to depart on a day-long trip with underprivileged children, they receive a note from Addie--she has run off with one of their husbands. They have the whole day to think about which one it was. The Jeanne Crain character is insecure because she left her Iowa roots and married up to one of the town gentry. The Linda Darnell character was "shanty Irish" and married a department store millionaire with whom they share a rather grudging relationship. Ann Sothern plays a radio screenwriter who is trying to maneuver her way out of the second-best neighborhood in town into the first best.

Along with sharp observations about class and social climbing in small towns/suburbia, this film has sharp writing and acting and some genuinely funny moments, including a star turn from Kirk Douglas as a droll English teacher (bet you thought you'd never see HIM in a comedy!). Look for the wonderful Thelma Ritter as the maid from the wrong side of the tracks. All in all, "A Letter to Three Wives" is a great entertainment and a welcome addition to any video collection. I have seen my copy several times and introduced it to several people.

High Ho! Mankiewicz Delivers The Goods

The foundation of any great film is an even greater screenplay. In "A Letter To Three Wives" Joseph L. Mankiewicz achieved greatness as a writer first and a as director second. The screenplay sparkles with wit and humor and an edgy take on the modern world that is as up to date today as it was fifty-four years ago.
Joe was a great writer and a consummate wit; were he not in the movies one might think him an intellectual. (Hats off to his "Cleopatra"). He understood women and wrote some of the most complex, deep and exciting women on the screen. He gave them life on the page and then with his brilliant eye for casting and directing he brought them to life on the screen. Eve Harrington, Margo Channing, in "All About Eve". Maria Vargas in "The Barefoot Contessa", and his most complex of all his smart Cleopatra, a modern woman of politics and passion in an ancient setting.
The unseen Addie Ross, the clumsy Deborah, Rita the writer, and the smart and guarded Lora Mae are just a few of the gems Joe Mankiewicz presented to us in his Oscar winning "Letter". He brings out some of the best acting Jeanne Crain would ever do. She is both vulnerable and comic. Ann Sothern dominates the screen as a feminist ahead of her time. She cements the image that she would carry the rest of her career, that of a beautiful smart woman making it in a man's world. The stunning centerpiece to this work is the top-notch performance handed in by Linda Darnell as tough wrong side of the tracks Lora Mae. This is a great performance by an actress who herself felt she had little to offer as an actress. Here with the help of her writer and director Miss Darnell delivers the goods as no one else of her generation possibly could.
In a small role as Sadie Dugan, Thelma Ritter in her third film nearly steals the picture from all involved. Paul Douglas as Lora Mae's husband and meal ticket is at the top of his form. He matches Lora Mae word for word and punch for punch. And what a face he had! Kirk Douglas is right on the money in this early film of his career. The entire production is superb.
Darryl F. Zanuck always stressed the importance of good writing and good story at his studio, 20th Century-Fox and over the decade that "Letter to Three Wives" ushered in he gave us some great works. He hired some of the best writers and directors of the day to work at his studio. At the top of that list was Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Personal differences aside between the two men, they did some wonderful things together. With what Fox is now doing in it's incredible classics series on DVD, I hope they will devote some much needed attention to this classic film.