Review of Written on the Wind (1956) by John P — 15 Oct 2008
Saying this movie is unrealistic is an understatement. It's unbelievably absurd. It's as subtle as a.... I dunno, you get my point. It actually reads like a comic book from the 50s, where stuff like a man proposing to a woman he met two hours before would be standard. All of the leads fall flat. Robert Stack was a parody of himself even before Airplane! and Rock Hudson and Lauren Bacall want to make me sleep. Dorothy Malone is the most interesting character here, and she's the villain.
Yet, despite the extreme melodrama, Douglas Sirk seems like he's making a romance comic book onscreen. The colors are rich and beautiful, and the camerawork is good too.
It takes some getting used to, and you may be laughing your ass off by the end (I was, at least), but as far as melodramas go, this one's pretty damn good. Just let it sink in.
This review of Written on the Wind (1956) was written by John P on 15 Oct 2008.
Written on the Wind has generally received very positive reviews.
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