Review of Written on the Wind (1956) by Irvin C — 23 Feb 2014
Wow! As in wow. The plot of course is pure soapy melodrama: A love "rectangle" of sorts between two spoiled children of a very rich oil baron, their childhood friend and a woman caught in the middle.
He loves her, she marries another, etc. You know the drill. But like with other Douglas Sirk melodramas, he elevates the material into pure cinematic artistry. Absolutely super performances from Rock Hudson, Lauren Bacall, Robert Stack and especially Dorothy Malone who was deliciously wicked althroughout but blew me away with that courtroom scene.
Add to that the very expressive Technicolor cinematography by Russell Metty. It is truly an essential masterpiece. I can tell it very heavily influenced a lot of the '80s American primetime soaps.
This review of Written on the Wind (1956) was written by Irvin C on 23 Feb 2014.
Written on the Wind has generally received very positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
