Written on the Wind (1956)

Director:

Douglas Sirk

Writers:

Robert Wilder (novel)
George Zuckerman (writer)

Release Date:

December 1956 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

This woman in his arms was now the wife of the man he called his best friend!

Plot:

Alcoholic playboy Kyle Hadley marries the woman secretly loved by his poor but hard-working best friend, who in turn is pursued by Kyle's nymphomaniac sister.

Plot Keywords:

Accidental Shooting | Depression | Gun Under Pillow | Picnic | Ukulele

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 3 nominations

Cast

Rock Hudson	...	Mitch Wayne
Lauren Bacall	...	Lucy Moore Hadley
Robert Stack	...	Kyle Hadley
Dorothy Malone	...	Marylee Hadley
Robert Keith	...	Jasper Hadley
Grant Williams	...	Biff Miley (service station attendant)
Robert J. Wilke	...	Dan Willis (proprietor, The Cove)
Edward Platt	...	Dr. Paul Cochrane (as Edward C. Platt)
Harry Shannon	...	Hoak Wayne
John Larch	...	Roy Carter (with Marylee at The Cove)
Joseph Granby	...	R.J. Courtney (County Solicitor at inquest)
Roy Glenn	...	Sam (butler)
Maidie Norman	...	Bertha (maid)
William Schallert	...	Jack Williams (reporter)
Joanne Jordan	...	Brunette

Runtime:

99 min | UK:100 min (re-release)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 (1956) | Finland:K-12 (1989) | USA:Approved (PCA #17932) | Australia:PG | New Zealand:R16 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | West Germany:6

Company:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Trivia:

Title song is sung by The Four Aces. The song is featured very prominently, and the group is fully credited.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Although set in Texas, all cars in the film have clearly visible California plates.

Quotes:

Marylee Hadley: That was no lady. That was your wife.
Kyle Hadley: Where are they going?
Marylee Hadley: I don't know. Where would you take your best friends wife?
Kyle Hadley: You're a real sweet kid.
Marylee Hadley: Now, be nice to me brother. One morning, we'll wake up and be all alone together.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing (2004)

Soundtrack:

WRITTEN ON THE WIND

Fun, overheated soap opera

Rich, alcoholic Robert Stack falls in love with secretary Lauren Bacall. He marries her and is so happy he stops drinking. However, Bacall is secretly loved by Stacks' best friend, Rock Hudson. And Stacks' nymphomaniac sister, Dorothy Malone, lusts after Rock. Throw in a few complications and the movie goes spinning out of control (in a good way).

Very glossy movie in beautiful Technicolor with jaw-dropping fashions and furnishings (check out Bacall's hotel room at the beginning). Everybody looks perfect and dresses in beautiful, form-fitting clothes. Basically this is a soap opera with grade A production values. The story itself is lots of fun and some of the dialogue at the beginning is hilariously over the top. The acting by Hudson, Stack and Bacall isn't that good, but seeing them so young and glamorous is great...especially Stack...when he smiled my knees went weak! Dorothy Malone, on the other hand, is fantastic--she deservedly won Best Supporting Actress for her role. She's sexy, violent, vicious and sympathetic...all convincingly.

Fun, glossy trash. Don't miss it!