Three Husbands (1951)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Irving Reis

Writers:

Vera Caspary (screenplay)
Vera Caspary (story)

Release Date:

20 April 1951 (Sweden)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

When a recently deceased playboy gets to heaven and is granted one wish--granted to all newcomers--he...

Plot Keywords:

Beautiful Woman | Number In Title

Cast

Eve Arden	...	Lucille McCabe
Ruth Warrick	...	Jane Evans
Vanessa Brown	...	Mary Whittaker
Howard Da Silva	...	Dan McCabe
Shepperd Strudwick	...	Arthur Evans
Robert Karnes	...	Kenneth Whittaker
Emlyn Williams	...	Maxwell Bard
Billie Burke	...	Mrs. Jenny Bard Whittaker
Louise Erickson	...	Matilda Clegg
Jonathan Hale	...	Edward Wurdeman, Attorney at Law
Jane Darwell	...	Mrs. Wurdeman

Also Known As:

Letter to Three Husbands

Runtime:

USA:78 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #14525) | Sweden:Btl

Company:

Gloria Productions Inc.

Many Witty Moments In A Good Film.

Released the year following the very successful drama LETTER TO THREE WIVES from 20th Century Fox, this United Artists film alters its predecessor's formula by reversing the gender configuration while constructing the storyline as a comedy, producing a favourable impression upon viewers appreciative of clever plotting, witty dialogue and strong playing. It opens with a voice-over conversation between recently deceased playboy Maxwell Bard (Emlyn Williams) and a representative of Heaven deciding upon his single allotted request granted to the newly passed on - Max wishes to be permitted to view reactions over a 24 hour period of three poker playing pals when they open letters, addressed to them from him, that reveal details of ostensible dalliances that their wives enjoyed with the rakish Bard. The three husbands, performed by Shepperd Strudwick, Howard Da Silva, and Robert Karnes, display varying reactions during flashbacks revealing that, in each case, the men recall events that, in retrospect, do indeed indicate possible acts of infidelity by their wives, played respectively by Ruth Warrick, Eve Arden, and Vanessa Brown, as all the while the sardonic shade of Max hovers about the resultant comedic marital straits. Crisply paced and directed well by Irving Reis, this work is generally well played by the seven principals, although acting bays go to Louise Erickson as Matilda, or "The Menace", as she is tagged in the credits due to an adulterous liaison with one of the husbands, and there are valuable contributions from cinematographer Franz Planer and designers Rudolph Sternad and Edward Boyle.