A Letter to Three Wives (1949)

Before leaving town Addie Ross wrote a letter to Lora Mae (Linda Darnell), Deborah (Jeanne Crain), and Rita (Ann Sothern). As the three married woman board a boat to vacation, Addie’s letter arrives to tell them that she has run off with one of their husbands. As the boat floats on, each wife recalls just what might have driven their husbands into the arms of the sophisticated ideal woman. Lora Mae is a girl from the wrong side of the tracks—literally. Holding out for an advantageous marriage, makes her nothing but a gold-digger to her businessman husband (Paul Douglas). While in the war, Deborah was something. Returning to civilian life makes this country girl married to a socialite husband stick out in the upper-class neighborhood. Rita is a housewife turned career woman who neglects her schoolteacher husband (Kirk Douglas). Each woman ruminates on her life and her husband. Each secretly hopes it’s another woman’s man, but worries it’s her own.

A Letter to Three Wives is a stunning masterpiece directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz (Cleopatra, All About Eve). The story, told through a series of flashbacks, is flawless. The beautiful narrative by Addie is just the beginning. The script is to die for and overall performances by the entire cast make this film rich with emotion.

Our female leads are multi-faceted, flawed characters that are fundamentally the same. Each wants a happy life with their respective husband. However, this unknown Addie has a far reaching effect. Each woman is concerned she’s just not good enough. Linda Darnell is stunningly gorgeous. Ann Sothern is equally top-notch. The husbands are particularly fine. Kirk Douglas as George, Rita’s husband is perhaps the most riveting of the three, but Paul Douglas threatens to steal his show.

The production is top-notch. Rich in black and white, A Letter to Three Wives evokes a glamorous time not only of Hollywood, but of everyday life. Virtually unheard of in modern times, this post-WWII setting is full of life, hope, and definitively gendered roles. The film’s classic style is true to the time, but it’s still shocking to see such blatant cigarette use and even some of the dialogue will raise an eyebrow. Not offending, mind you, just different given the current state of affairs.

A Letter to Three Wives is an authentic examination of relationships, showcasing not only the paranoia, but the good and the bad. Results are not guaranteed.

As I see it, A Letter to Three Wives is a genuine classic. With crisp cinematography and every element beautifully executed, this drama is one worthy of its accolades.