Plot: What’s it about?
Kyle Hadley (Robert Stack) is the carefree son of a wealthy oil tycoon, while his friend Mitch Wayne (Rock Hudson) is more responsible and grounded. The two have been the best of friends since childhood, even though they couldn’t be much more different. Kyle’s sister Marylee (Dorothy Malone) is a wild girl who loves to have a good time, but she wants to settle down and hook up with Mitch, whom she feels will make a great husband. At the same time however, Mitch has fallen in love with Lucy (Lauren Bacall) and while he wants to marry her, his friend Kyle has also fallen for her and that’s makes it a complicated situation indeed. As time passes, Mitch never tells Lucy how he feels and as a result, she marries Kyle and Mitch is left heartbroken. Kyle even evens off a little once he gets hitched, as he eases off the booze and calms down a lot, until he discovers that he is sterile, as it shatters him mentally. Marylee soon hints to him that Lucy and Mitch could be lovers and sure enough, Lucy soon turns out to be pregnant. As he drinks more alcohol, Kyle is bound to throw some accusations, but will they be truth or figments of his imagination?
As I have mentioned before, I don’t often love the cinema of Douglas Sirk, but I do think his films are well made and worth a look. This film is one I do love however and while not his best work, I’d rank this with my favorites within Sirk’s resume. I think the characters are well written and performed, Sirk’s direction is dead on, and in the end, it just had me glued to the screen from start to finish. I’d seen this on television a few times, but this was a treat to see it in widescreen and in such lush form, so it was almost like seeing it again, for the first time. The performances in Written on the Wind are great all around, from the primary leads to the bit parts, very good cast depth indeed. Dorothy Malone took home an Oscar for her work here, while Robert Stack, Rock Hudson, and Lauren Bacall also turn in superb efforts. It might seem like another soapy melodrama on the surface, but this one has real depth and if you look beneath the surface, you’ll see a lot more than you might expect. I highly recommend this great film and since Criterion has issued a very nice, I see no reason anyone interested should miss this release.
I think many younger viewers have no idea about Robert Stack’s true skills, since they’ve only seen him on Unsolved Mysteries and small feature film roles. Yes, Stack has slipped more than a little in terms of status, but he is a gifted performer and he has many great performances in his career, such as the one found in Written on the Wind. He is terrific here as the playboy with an attitude problem, complete with guns, booze, and a hot temper. In this film he gets to take on a substantial role, which is good to see, since his more recent work is in bit parts, or often even simple cameos. So if you want to see Stack as an actor and not as the host of a television show, this is one of the best chances to see him in fine form. You can also see Stack in such films as Airplane!, Uncommon Valor, House of Bamboo, Dangerous Curves, and Tv’s The Untouchables. The cast here also includes Rock Hudson (Pillow Talk, Giant), Dorothy Malone (Law and Order, Basic Instinct), and Lauren Bacall (The Big Sleep, Sex and the Single Girl).
Video: How does it look?
Written on the Wind is presented in a 1.77:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. I knew this would be a good presentation, but man, I think Criterion has outdone themselves with this transfer, to be sure. I saw minimal signs of wear and with a film of this age, that is superb work indeed. The print looks fantastic, with hardly any specks, debris, or grain to discuss, which should delight fans to no end. The gorgeous Technicolor hues haven’t aged in the least, still rich as can be and with no flaws, while flesh tones remain natural at all times. No problems with contrast either, as black levels are well balanced and refined from start to finish. This is a dynamic and very impressive transfer, I commend Criterion for taking such care with this film, it certainly deserves it.
Audio: How does it sound?
A mono track is included, which handles the basic elements, but never impressed me too much. Then again, it is mono and as such, we need to keep our expectations within the realm of reality, to be sure. As far as this material goes, I don’t think you could ask for a more solid audio presentation, I found no real flaws to report here. This is richer than most mono tracks from this time period, which are often very thin, but not the case here. I heard no hints of harshness or distortion either, this is a more than effective track all around. This disc also includes English subtitles, should you need those.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes the film’s theatrical trailer, as well as The Melodrama Archive, an in depth filmography of Douglas Sirk. This most unique feature lists his work and as you browse through it, you can view various still photos and promotional materials. I don’t mean a couple photos either, you’ll be able to peruse hundreds of them in this nice package, cool stuff indeed.
