Written on the Wind

Saw Written on the Wind, a cozy little tragedy from the 50s. As usual, it revolves around the fabulously wealthy and emotionally crippled. This is one of those films where no one can decide who to marry. The central characters are Kyle and his sister Mary, his girlfriend Lucy and his boyfriend Mitch (ok not really boyfriend, but the Hayes-code-era homo-eroticism is thick. To make things worse, Mitch is played by Rock Hudson.) Mitch was poor but had Character and longs for Lucy (Kyle's g.f. Keep notes, everyone.) but is pursued by the slatternly Mary. Kyle is rich but fey, especially in contrast to the uber-masculine Mitch. In one scene he tries to subdue a drunk who is hitting on his sister. He's bested by the drunk, so Mitch finishes the job. Kyle is ashamed and Mary looks on, drunk and laughing. This scene serves as a kind of introduction to the characters.

The film reminded me of the claustrophobic dramas of Eugene O'Neill and Tennessee Williams (unsurprising as both of them were active shortly before the 50s and had a profound impact.) We have a melodrama celebrating pain here, a kind of flip-side of the screwball, the miscommunication that apparently plagued the 50s is a potent force for evil. The only moments of mercy are fleeting and understanding is in short supply. The film is sometimes unimaginably hysterical.

I enjoyed the film somewhat, although I think I was not totally in the mood for a sincere film about rich drunks. Kyle's big revealed-in-the-third-act problems seem alternately trivial and unnecessary to me. We understand he feels inadequate. We don't need to see him rave drunkenly, speaking his Great Truths in a halting, pop-eye-ed manner, over-emoting like a silent film star. Mitch is far more restrained and likeable. This is definitely done on purpose, but I wish the filmmakers had left Kyle wimpy and not gone for repellent. The sister Mary is just evil and may as well have been named Jezebel. The girlfriend Lucy is the archetypical sweet little girl. She's given a bit of tooth by Lauren Bacall who portrays her (and in whose honour I guess I watched this. Farewell, Lauren. I hardly knew thee.) but she is supposed to win our hearts and therefore ultimately melts into a pathetic damsel in distress.

A merrily sad movie, it suffers a bit from its self-serious tone and dated action, but it holds together as a frothy drama none the less. If you're into that sort of this, check it out. They do well.