A LETTER TO THREE WIVES
Directed & Written by: Joseph L. Mankiewicz.
Produced by: Sol C. Siegel.
Director of Photography: Arthur Miller.
Edited by: J. Watson Webb, Jr.
Music by: Alfred Newman. Country of Origin: U.S.A. 103 min. Not Rated.
With: Jeanne Crain, Linda Darnell, Ann Sothern, Kirk Douglas & Paul Douglas.
DVD Features: Commentary by Chirstopher Mankiewicz, Kenneth Geist & Cheryl Lower. "Linda Darnell: Hollywood's Fallen Angel" episode from A&E's Biography. Movietone News footage. Restoration comparison. Trailer. English & Spanish subtitles.

A Letter to Three Wives closely resembles the world of Desperate Housewives: a suburb of perfectly manicured lawns, tree-lined streets, and dances at the country club. The trio includes the farm girl newly married into money (Jeanne Crain), the harried working woman (Ann Sothern) who manages to bring home the bacon and care for her young twins, and the mismatched pairing of a beautiful young woman (Linda Darnell) and her older, wealthier husband (Paul Douglas in his first screen role). At a charity function, the women receive a letter from their mysteriously absent friend Addie Ross, informing them she has run away with one of their husbands.

Set during the course of one day, the movie uses flashbacks to depict the tensions within each marriage. With each backstory, the characters are fleshed out a bit more and by the last, you can’t help but be sympathetic towards these women, who must compete with the popular Addie, who is never directly seen but heard as narrator. Aside from a few awkward moments in the transitions to the past, the movie holds much in the way of dramatic tension and style. The sharp dialogue is witty and at times eerily relevant to today. It’s as if ABC lengthened an episode and added color to Wisteria Lane.

DVD Extras: Biographer Kenneth Geist concentrates largely on the film’s production, while son Christopher Mankiewicz provides details on his father, Joseph L. Mankiewicz, and historian Cheryl Lower expounds on the actors’ careers. For someone who is not familiar with the time period, the commentators help to distinguish the film in its time period.

Other features consists of a restoration comparison of the actual 1949 film print to the digital version made for the DVD release. The comparison allows for side-by-side viewing of the different versions within the same scene. Paragraphs of detailed information about the process are provided and unlike the other features on the disc, this one does not add enhance the film when viewed again. In a short clip from the 22nd Annual Academy Awards, writer-director Mankiewicz wins in both categories as Paul Douglas hosts. And it pays to reevaluate Linda Darnell’s performance after watching an A&E biography on the actress, which tells tales of her failed relationships and her professional highs and lows. Knowledge of her real life helps the viewer to appreciate her performance even more. Mallory Potosky
March 24, 2005