A LETTER TO THREE WIVES

US, 1985, 100 minutes, Colour.
Loni Anderson, Ben Gazzara, Michelle Lee, Stephanie Zimbalist, Charles Frank, Michael Gross, Doris Roberts, Ann Sothern.
Directed by Larry Elikann.

A Letter to Three Wives is a telemovie remake of Joseph L. Mankiewicz's Oscar-winning classic of 1949. As with so many remakes, it seems rather unnecessary given the strength of the original. However, this is a pleasant remake, colourfully filmed in Vancouver and British Colombia.

This version follows the original screenplay very closely. The main characters are all kept, so is a great deal of the dialogue. Loni Anderson and Ben Gazzara take the place of Linda Darnell and Paul Douglas from the original. Ann Sothern appears as Loni Anderson's mother in this version. She was in the original, her part being played here by Michelle Lee. The Jeanne Crain part is played by Stephanie Zimbalist. The parts played by Kirk Douglas and Jeffrey Lynn are played by Charles Prank and Michael Gross. There is a good supporting role by Doris Roberts as Sadie.

The film is updated to the '80s. However, the basic story of Rita and George and Laura Mae and Porter remain very much the same. In the '40s version Rita and George were involved with radio. Here they are involved, of course, with television. There is some satire in the dialogue about television.

The performances are quite good, especially Michelle Lee. Loni Anderson is surprisingly persuasive in her role of Laura Mae.

The issues raised are still the same as those of the original - and in the same way.