Three society wives (all close friends) receive a letter stating that a fourth friend has run off with one of their husbands. Cynical, but exceptionally rich, occasionally quite humorous and enjoyable soaper featuring good work from Jeanne Crain, Linda Darnell, Ann Southern, superior work from Paul Douglas and Thelma Ritter. Southern isn't quite convincing playing spouse to schoolteacher Kirk Douglas (young and green), and their segment has the least interest. Celeste Holm provides her voice as the letter-writer, and her delivery via these proceedings is impeccable. An Oscar winner for Joseph L. Mankiewicz's direction; he also won a statue for his adapted screenplay, originally taken from a Cosmopolitan magazine story, thereby forever stamping the movie as a 'woman's picture'. Still a lot of fun for any film-lover. Remade for television in 1985. *** from ****
Review of A Letter to Three Wives
