A Letter to Three Wives (1949)

Director:

Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Writers:

Vera Caspary (adaptation)
John Klempner (Cosmopolitan Magazine novel)
(more)

Release Date:

20 January 1949 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Romance

Tagline:

All of them wondered while one of them wandered!

Plot:

A letter is addressed to three wives from their "best friend" Addie Ross, announcing that she is running away with one of their husbands--but she doesn't say which one.

Plot Keywords:

Letter | Radio | Marriage | School Teacher | Tradesman

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Jeanne Crain	...	Deborah Bishop
Linda Darnell	...	Lora Mae Hollingsway
Ann Sothern	...	Rita Phipps
Kirk Douglas	...	George Phipps
Paul Douglas	...	Porter Hollingsway
Barbara Lawrence	...	Georgiana 'Babe' Finney
Jeffrey Lynn	...	Bradford 'Brad' Bishop
Connie Gilchrist	...	Mrs. Ruby Finney
Florence Bates	...	Mrs. Manleigh
Hobart Cavanaugh	...	Mr. Manleigh
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
James Adamson	...	Porter's Butler (uncredited)
Joe Bautista	...	Thomasino (uncredited)
Patti Brady	...	Kathleen (uncredited)
Ralph Brooks	...	Bookie Dancer at Country Club (uncredited)
John Davidson	...	John, First Waiter (uncredited)
Sayre Dearing	...	Country Club Dancer (uncredited)
Franklyn Farnum	...	Country Club Member (uncredited)
Sammy Finn	...	Second Waiter (uncredited)
Celeste Holm	...	Addie Ross (voice) (uncredited)
Stuart Holmes	...	Old man at Table (uncredited)
Mae Marsh	...	Miss Jenkins (uncredited)
George Offerman Jr.	...	Nicholas 'Nick' Butler (uncredited)
Thelma Ritter	...	Sadie Dugan (uncredited)
Carl 'Alfalfa' Switzer	...	Leo, Second Messenger (uncredited)
Charles Tannen	...	Radio Announcer for 'Confessions of Brenda' (voice) (uncredited)
John Venn	...	First Messenger (uncredited)
Ruth Vivian	...	Miss Hawkins (uncredited)

Directed by
Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Writing credits
Vera Caspary		(adaptation)
John Klempner		(Cosmopolitan Magazine novel)
Joseph L. Mankiewicz		(screenplay)

Produced by
Sol C. Siegel	....	producer

Original Music by
Alfred Newman

Cinematography by
Arthur C. Miller		(as Arthur Miller)

Film Editing by
J. Watson Webb Jr.

Art Direction by
J. Russell Spencer
Lyle R. Wheeler		(as Lyle Wheeler)

Set Decoration by
Thomas Little
Walter M. Scott

Costume Design by
Kay Nelson

Makeup Department
Ben Nye	....	makeup artist
Thomas Tuttle	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
F.E. 'Johnny' Johnston	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gaston Glass	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Roger Heman Sr.	....	sound (as Roger Heman)
Arthur von Kirbach	....	sound (as Arthur L. Kirbach)

Special Effects by
Fred Sersen	....	special photographic effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Logan Brown	....	grip (uncredited)
Paul Lockwood	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Jerry Milligan	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Charles Le Maire	....	wardrobe director
Sam Benson	....	wardrobe supervisor (uncredited)

Music Department
Edward B. Powell	....	orchestral arranger (as Edward Powell)

Other crew
Weslie Jones	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (presents) (as Twentieth Century-Fox)

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1949) (USA) (theatrical) (released through)
• CBS/Fox (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Media Cooperation One (MC-One) (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Fox Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Sonovox  talking sound

Also Known As:

A Letter to Five Wives (USA) (working title)
A Letter to Four Wives (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

UK:U | Canada:PG (video rating) | West Germany:12 | Finland:S | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (certificate #13227)

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

General Douglas MacArthur was so confused by the ending that he had his aide write Joseph L. Mankiewicz a letter asking with whom Addie had, in fact, run off.

Goofs:

Continuity: About 20 minutes into the film, Brad Bishop and his wife Deborah Bishop are drinking martinis in their bedroom, which are dark colored in the B&W film. Moments later, when Rita Phipps pours two drinks out of the same pitcher, the martinis are light colored. However, when Phipps hands Deborah her drink, she consumes a dark colored drink from her glass.

Quotes:

Porter Hollingsway: Like my wife. Comes from an old Spanish family named Finney.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in George Stevens: The Filmmakers Who Knew Him (2001) (V)

Soundtrack:

Chi mi frena in tal momento?

Excellent cast, but an even better script

You have here a situation that is rarer than you might imagine-a top-notch cast with an even better script. This is a delightful film with fine performances all around and some of the best dialogue! Strangely, none of the cast were nominated for their work here, although three were nominated for other performances in other films they did that year. The script deservedly won an Oscar as did the director. This is a joy to watch and the voice-over narration is perfectly handled throughout. Highly recommended!