Enjoyable studio feature with witty, incisive dialogue taking centre stage as three women are forced to reflect on the state of their marriages.
On boarding a pleasure boat full of children in their charge, a note is handed over to three women. Addressed to all three, Addie has just left town with one of their husbands. Without a name to the husband, they will not know which one until the boat’s return later that night.
Addie (never seen) has been a presence in all three marriages. But which husband? Writer/director Joseph L. Mankiewicz ensures that the female characters are the focal point. The spirited, sassy Lora Mae (Linda Darnell), a former employee now married to successful businessman Porter Hollingsworth (Paul Douglas), has struggled to convince him she is no gold digger. Deborah Bishop (Jeanne Crain) is also struggling, feeling out of her depth in the Country Club set of her husband. There’s tension in the Phipps household – Rita (Ann Sothern) is a writer of ‘trashy’ radio plays, making as much money as schoolteacher husband, George (Kirk Douglas).
All three identify issues over the course of the day – but enough for one of them to leave with Addie? The result is a layered narrative told with empathy, wit and vivid characterisation.
Nominated for 3 Oscars in 1950 including best film, won 2 for best director and script.
Rating: 67%
Director: Joseph L. Mankiewicz (All About Eve, The Barefoot Contessa)
Writer: Joseph L. Mankiewicz (All About Eve, Cleopatra)
Main cast: Jeanne Crain (Pinky, State Fair), Linda Darnell (Forever Amber, Fallen Angel), Ann Sothern (The Whales of August, Maisie), Kirk Douglas (Spartacus, Lust For Life), Paul Douglas (Executive Suite, The Mating Game), Jeffrey Lynn (The Roaring Twenties, Underground)
An Opinion or Two 