Three Husbands (1950)

Blistering performances.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

The production quality of "Three Husbands" is poor for Hollywood standards in 1950, but this independent film has an interesting plot. The script is a little weak, but the direction and acting more than make up for the negatives. The entire cast is very good, especially those in the seven leading roles. I especially like this film for the performance of Emlyn Williams as Maxwell Bard. Although six other leads are listed ahead of him, his is the pivotal role around which the plot revolves, with its smaller plots. Williams was a very talented man of stage and screen. He was a first-rate actor, as seen here. But he preferred writing. He wrote 20 original plays of his own, and wrote nearly three dozen more screenplays. Some of his plays have been made into excellent films. Among them are "The Corn is Green," "Night Must Fall," "Someone Waiting," "The Light of Heart," "The Wind of Heaven," and "Women of Dolwyn." He also acted in and directed "Dolwyn." Max is a friend to three particular men, and their wives. He is single and a ladies man, but he's an avowed bachelor. One suspects that he won't let himself get serious about a woman because of his bad heart. Indeed, he dies of a heart attack very young – about 40 in the film. So, he cherishes his friends and friendships with them, collectively and individually. This is a first rate comedy of morals with a lesson cleverly tucked into a story of multiple friendships. No one will miss the jealousy, but sometimes the deeper message isn't obvious at first. Max wraps it up nicely in the end though, calling to the attention of the three husbands the need to trust. As a true friend (which one could see in the flashbacks), he meant trust of one's friends as well as wives. One of the characters, Arthur Evans (played by Shepperd Strudwick) also dallies with infidelity. So, naturally, he is the most put out by the thought that his wife may have been unfaithful to him. The way the movie opens and closes is funny and clever. Many of us who believe in God think he must have a sense of humor, for the foibles, missteps and mistakes most of us make in our lives. The film has some witty dialog – see the quotes section of the IMDb listing here. But most of the comedy is in the situations and acting. The three actors playing the husbands are superb in their indignation.

Vera Caspary's follow-up to "A Letter to Three Wives" starts out with good intentions, but as deceased antagonist Emlyn Williams should realize, good intentions are the pathway to hell. But here, he's presumably in heaven, his friends memorializing him at the same time he is revealing his last earthly dirty deed. You see, he has left behind a letter for three men indicating that he was having an affair with one of their wives. Who can it be? The stalwart Ruth Warrick, the somewhat crude Eve Arden, or the sweet and innocent Vanessa Brown are the three wives who ate in the same social circle but really have nothing in common. There's an unnecessarily long sequence where characters attend a foreign movie and flashbacks to William's lecherous encounters with each of the women. Of course, Arden is amusing as she battles with her wealthy bit coarse husband (Howard da Silva) and Warrick provides nostalgia for those who only knew her from "All My Children" as the haughty Phoebe. She is married to Sheppherd Strudwick here, an actor ironically on "One Life to Live" at the same time as Victor Lord.Vanessa Brown suffers from being the least interesting of the three wives and less than spicy dialog. Wasted in smaller roles are Billie Burke as Strudwick's mother and Jane Darwell in basically a cameo as attorney Jonathan Hale's wife. So ultimately, this is more interesting from a curiosity standpoint than the quality of the film itself. With the original having a screenplay that is still brilliant, the follow-up is bound to suffer in comparison. But oh that cast!

After suffering a fatal heart attack, confirmed bachelor Emlyn Williams (as Maxwell "Max" Bard) gives heavenly greeters his last wish - he would like to observe events on Earth for the next twenty-four hours. And, with good reason. Mr. Williams has left not only a will, but also letters to "Three Husbands" admitting affairs with each of their three wives. The three men are poker playing pals Shepperd Strudwick (as Arthur Evans), Robert Karnes (as Kenneth Whittaker), and Howard Da Silva (as Dan McCabe). Their respective wives are Ruth Warrick (as Jane), Vanessa Brown (as Mary), and Eve Arden (as Lucille).Mr. Strudwick, who is having an affair with attractive Louise Erickson (as Matilda Clegg) nevertheless takes the news hard.Mr. Da Silva thinks the letter is a dead man's a joke, until Ms. Arden hints otherwise. And, happily married Mr. Karnes becomes frantically jealous. The admissions of infidelity threaten all three marriages, as everyone wonders if Williams was writing the truth… This lighter, low-budget take on the hit "A Letter to Three Wives" (1949) is surprisingly adroit, for what it cost; though, obviously, it would have had a greater impact if done ten years earlier, or updated decades later. Williams leads a fine ensemble cast, with bartender Jerry Hausner, butler Benson Fong, and elevator man Frank Cady given memorable "bit" parts.****** Three Husbands (3/8/51) Irving Reis ~ Emlyn Williams, Eve Arden, Shepperd Strudwick, Robert Karnes

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.