Three Husbands

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.