Review of A Letter to Three Wives (1949) by Kris K — 23 Nov 2008

Great direction by Mankiewicz, setting the ground for his more major and sophisticated films like All About Eve and Suddenly, Last Summer. The voiceover by Addie, the masterful mix of drama and humor, Mankiewicz's impressive use of flashbacks, and an amazing cast of actors make this terrific.

Oddly enough, my issue is with the most interesting flashback where we get the past history of Lora Mae, beautifully played by Linda Darnell. Despite this being the most intriguing flashback, what was impressive about the first two was that, over the course of one mere evening, the viewer was able to grasp the conflicts and tensions between each of the couples.

Lora Mae's flashback is much longer narratively, not to mention more intricate and character-driven, and I felt the film suffered slightly from this -- almost as if Mankiewicz was focusing more on her and thus causing her to be a bit more psychologically fleshed-out than the other women.