Letter to Three Wives (1949)

Before he made the classic All About Eve, writer-director Joseph L. Mankiewicz made this clever story about three wives who spend an afternoon at a children's picnic mulling over a letter all three had just received, from a woman who says she's just run off with one of their husbands. As the wives--a former farm girl (Jeanne Crain), a radio soap opera writer (Ann Sothern), and a social climber from the wrong side of the tracks (Linda Darnell)--mull over the troubles of their marriages, each begins to think that she's the one left behind. A Letter to Three Wives doesn't have the crackling show-biz milieu of Eve, but it has the same mix of snappy dialogue and topnotch performances. The tone ranges from florid sentiment to unblinking cynicism, yet Mankiewicz holds it all together with smooth, witty direction. Also featuring Kirk Douglas and the great character actress Thelma Ritter. --Bret Fetzer Amazon.com essential video

A Letter to Three Wives

I purchased this movie for my father who recalled to me that he had tried to find this movie here in Australia. I found it here on Amazon and purchased it for him. I watched this movie with some hesitation as I am not familiar with old black and white movies. This movie from 1949 kept my attention throughout with it's slick photography, direction, and plot. I was impressed with the cast and the acting. I would heartily recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys a well scripted and acted movie. The remastering to DVD was excellent even on playback to high definition screen. Five stars from me. (Daniel Hume) July 9, 2008

All star cast

I love this movie with so many movie stars. It has a different twist to the plot and you don't know until the end who Addie has run off with. If you like old movies, this is a good one. June 25, 2008

Letter to Three Wives

Was a well advertised feature in it's day. Doesn't have the "Punch" today it origionally did. But plays for the cinemafile. May 25, 2008

GREAT MOVIE!!!

This is one of the best movies of all time! I am thrilled that it is on DVD and I was able to purchase it. I sold my VHS movies and sold the one I owned and was very lucky that they had this movie available in DVD format. You will love this movie. It is clever and funny and has you guessing all throughout the movie. There are great characters delivered to you by even greater actors! It is a must own! April 3, 2008

JOSEPH L. MANKIEWICZ, OPUS 6

***** 1949. Written and directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Two Film Academy awards (Best Director and Best Screenplay) and a nomination in the Best Picture category. Addie Ross writes to three women that she's just left town with one of their husbands. This social study about couples in 1949 is still accurate today thanks to the intelligence of Mankiewicz who manages, in 103 minutes, to talk about social humiliation, the role of the man in a couple, the power of advertising, the American dream and women who earn their lives. Masterpiece. February 24, 2008

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