“Welcome to Hadley. The town and the family.” – Jasper Hadley
During the 1950s, Douglas Sirk did in Hollywood various melodramas. Movies depicting and denouncing various aspects of American society. Suburban cliques, culture of materialism, racism, loneliness: various topics that made his movies important productions to watch. For their thematics, but also their beautiful technicolor palette.
Qualities flagrant in Written on the Wind; Douglas Sirk masterpiece that influenced soaps like Dynasty and Dallas. A movie written in my heart. Three times I got to see it and every time I discover new details in this romantic drama.
Set between October 24 1955 and November 1956, Written on The Wind follows the fall into fairy tale land of Lucy Moore, an advertisement secretary who becomes the wife of Kyle Hadley, who is the son of the CEO of the Hadley Oil Company. Meeting her just as she started working for the New York Office brand of the company, Kyle dazzles her with his money and prestige. Inviting her to travel down exotic locations where she is bewildered by the glamour and glitter of that man, but also moved by his vulnerability. Out of love and genuine compassion for Kyle, she accepts to become his wife. A decision that displeases Mitch Wayne, best friend of Kyle who craves for the love of a woman he loves. Here, Lucy Mooore. Who slowly falls for Mitch as her dream marriage disintegrates. While on another side comes Marylee Hadley. As Kyle’s promiscuous and immature sister, her craving for Mitch and rudeness toward Lucy will bring up much troubles for the family. Same thing for Kyle, whose personal demons will rise and rise until a big drama happens. Leaving no one intact from this tragedy.
For Rock Hudson, his role of Mitch Wayne is the iconic Douglas Sirk protagonist. Strong, well-built, bold, virile, and dashing, he would work with Douglas on many of his Hollywood movies. Becoming to Sirk what Cary Grant and James Stewart are for Alfred Hitchcock.
His male muse.
As for Marylee Hadley, her out of control immaturity and selfishness hides a tragic longing for the past she, her brother, and Mitch shared for decades. A love for a man whom she realizes loves the wife of her brother. A superb performance from Dorothy Malone who deserves the awards she got for this film. For Lauren Bacall, though she enjoyed working with Rock Hudson, she apparently was critical of her role and the movie; finding it a bit too soapy for her taste. Whatever personal opinions she might have, her performance is impeccable and worthy of the same rewards Ms. Hadley obtained. Same thing for Robert Stack, whose acting as Kyle Hadley is stunning and captures well the turmoils his character is going through. For Kyle Hadley is a good man caught up in various complexes, such as inferiority toward his friend Mitch. Jailed up in his luxury, he thinks marriage might help cure his torments. Sadly, that decision doesn’t help. Instead it degenerates into a big conflict.
With this cast list, Douglas Sirk chose a superb team for this movie that I find as worthy to remember as All That Heaven Allows, Magnificent Obsession, and Imitation of Life.
Of the music, Frank Skinner provides to Written on The Wind an amazing musical partition. Melodramatic, moving, and epic, we sense the Hadleys’ glamour, but also the hidden despairs within that family. And with the theme song sang by The Four Aces, made exclusively for this film, the story reaches the plane of pop music culture. A beautiful quator of voices and melodies/lyrics from Sammy Cahn and Victor Young.
From Russell Metty, his cinematography is admirable. Lush and gorgeous in Technicolor, the beauty of the oversaturated colours are as delightful to see as Sirk’s use of mirrors. For in many films, the director uses mirror reflections; presenting through them the object of concern or desire of someone, or a person observing a situation. Even, for Kyle Hadley, a confrontation with himself, the person he despises the most. A fascinating visual effect that adds quite an artistic touch to the work. Very influenced by painters.
And in terms of 1950s culture, this movie, like all those of the director, recapture the beauty of this era. Through stunning apartments, buildings, accessories, and locations, they are the supreme time capsule of what it was to live in that era. A beauty contrasting with the despair of its people, but a beauty that is also behind the fascination many in the 1960s and 1970s had for 1950s movies.
To conclude, Written on The Wind is a stunning 1950s Classic. One of the best examples of Douglas Sirk’s melodrama magic. A superb way to explore the society of bourgeoisie and all its tragic loneliness/despair.
In technicolor beauty.
Omnes's Oasis 