XoWizIama Excellent adaptation.

PiraBit if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

filippaberry84 I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Aubrey Hackett While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

JohnHowardReid Noir makes for not only powerful drama, but it can also be associated with satiric comedy. A very good example of this association is Joseph L. Mankiewicz's A Letter to Three Wives (1949), particularly in the Paul Douglas and Linda Darnell finale sequence. Kirk Douglas also plays a noir character, although his episode is much less guilt-charged and is lightened considerably by the not-coming-down-too-hard playing of Ann Sothern as the ambitious-for-Kirk wife. And Kirk does have an obvious, not-so-hard way out of his dilemma, whereas Paul Douglas and Linda Darnell are trapped in a situation not easily resolved. In fact, Paul has a job and a half as he endeavors to make the resolution convincing. That he succeeds so brilliantly is a measure of a really fine actor! (The Fox DVD rates 10/10 in my book).

Howlin Wolf Were all 40's women doormats, or is society today just a little more intolerant of prospective infidelity? It struck me that Paul Douglas' character is immediately forgiven for 'changing his mind' - and indeed, his admission seems to be heralded as the thing that SALVAGED their marriage. I'd wager that such a resolution would not be so eagerly swallowed by audiences of today - he'd at least be looking at several nights on the couch, just for considering it!I know that women back then were frequently exhorted not to rock the boat, but isn't it weird that she's not even a little put out, and indeed takes it as a positive sign for their future happiness together?! That seemed altogether too naive for me, not to mention inconsistent with the Lora Mae I'd come to know through previous scenes… The other two women were weak-willed and meek, Lora Mae seemed as though she had more attitude and fire in her (or at least, she did until that ending!)Spending time with two paranoid and insecure women is not really my idea of fun, and unfortunately, even the sole independent lady is not permitted to retain her moxie… *sigh*

misctidsandbits This is an interesting and thoughtful movie, very well done, with absorbing stories. I think it was tied together well. Good characters and portrayals. It's not a comedy. Life has its humor as you go along, but there's more serious business going on here, and it is handled as such. People refer to this as one of Kirk Douglas' early weak roles, but I think his character exhibited real strength in standing up to his wife about the compromise in her writing. That was a strong scene. They were the soundest couple of the three, being attractive together as well. Linda Darnell is of course quite beautiful, and I thought very competent in this. The character had an interesting and actually disciplined system for her pursuit of a man who would get her out of the railroad flat. Understandable. How was she a floozy? She operated from home and took her mother out with her when she married. She beat the man at his game, which was to use them and lose them. Should she have been another of his casualties? Of course, neither are very secure in their marriage, given their shaky foundation. But there's a reckoning with their respective motivations through the Addie experience.Have never understood Paul Douglas as a leading man. He's downright unattractive. Good actor maybe, but not believable as an eligible man. The story here is a poor girl out to snag a rich guy, and that is accomplished for obvious reasons. But that the famed and beautiful Addie Ross would want to run off with him stretches the imagination.Ann Sothern seemed to step up in this role. Isn't this the strongest production for her? She's always been a B movie player, to my observation. She brightened up anything she was in, even very low productions. I think she did this very well, and could have done more at this level. She is strong and thoroughly attractive, inside and out.To me, Jeanne Crain is rather average, and am surprised that she was considered by some to be beautiful. She is convincing in girlfriend, sister and daughter parts, but not much more than that. She's an insecure wife here and manages that alright. Her character was a mess, having to be propped up by everyone around her, but grows and stabilizes. Jeffrey Lynn. Wish more would have been done with him. He's one of those really attractive people who don't work out somehow. That's more what a leading man should look like, but guess the performances didn't come up. Loved him in "Four Daughters," admittedly a lesser film. But would have liked to have seen him more. Maybe he could have been like Lee Bowman, the good looking other man. I would have been right there ogling ... lolConnie Gilchrist and Thelma Ritter are super treats. I don't know what shakes up that kitchen more, the local coming through or all that snappy dialog. Great character players, always effective. This is a very interesting movie that doesn't disappoint, either as it goes along or as it wraps up. I don't agree that it's a bad ending. Consider how outrageous this one woman was to their lives, hanging over them like a cloud throughout. Yet, all three couples come out strengthened, and the spell is broken. It's the smug Addie Ross that ends up being jilted. Great ending.

bobsgrock Joseph L. Mankiewicz's impeccable film is more than just a satirical look at marriage and the relationship between men and women. It also gives insight to life in suburbia, which was just getting started in America at the time of its release. The plot follows out that there are three women who consider themselves to be each other's best of friends. They all go on a day-long picnic for the local children's orphanage but just before leaving receive a letter from a woman known to them all that says she has run away with one of their husbands.As the three wives ponder their own relationships with their husbands and with each other, they each begin to realize that each of their husbands has his own reason to run off with the accomplished, beautiful, but hidden to us Addie Ross. Deborah Bishop, played wonderfully by Jeanne Crain, is a former Navy girl who is as tough as they come, but worries severely about not being able to impress her new husband's friends. Rita Phipps has been happily married to a wonderful schoolteacher, but she has been pushing him around for some time in order to accomplish a career of her own. And the third wife, Lora Mae played by Linda Darnell, really only got married it seems in order to get out of the working class and become a sophisticated lady of society.The biggest problem most audiences will have is the ending of this terrific story. Everything leading up to is just about perfect. The acting is solid all around with Ann Sothern giving the best performance, in my opinion, as a beautiful and accomplished mother who nevertheless feels she has to do more in order to feel successful. Kirk Douglas is very good as her husband as are all the supporting characters. Of course, the script is very witty and biting as it was written by the same man who gave us All About Eve. And while this isn't as original or cleverly written as that masterpiece, this still holds up very well as an excellent depiction of American life during a time where everything was thought to prim and proper.