Drama,Romance
United States of America
Written on the Wind is a classic melodrama directed by Douglas Sirk and released in 1956. The movie stars Rock Hudson as Mitch Wayne, Lauren Bacall as Lucy Moore Hadley, Robert Stack as Kyle Hadley, and Dorothy Malone as Marylee Hadley.
The story revolves around two love triangles. Mitch is in love with Lucy, who is unhappily married to Kyle. Kyle, on the other hand, is in love with Marylee, who is desperately in love with Mitch. When Kyle's heavy drinking puts his life in danger, Mitch saves him and becomes even closer to Lucy. However, Marylee misconstrues the situation and falsely accuses Mitch of not only being involved with her, but also of killing Kyle.
As the movie progresses, the dark secrets and dysfunctional relationships within the Hadley family are revealed. We learn that Kyle has a deep-seated insecurity about his family's wealth and status, and that Marylee's promiscuity is rooted in her need for attention and validation. Meanwhile, Lucy struggles to balance her loyalty to her husband with her growing feelings for Mitch.
The themes of the movie include love, jealousy, alcoholism, and the destructive power of wealth and privilege. Sirk's visual style is characterized by the use of bright colors, mirrors, and dramatic close-ups, which heighten the emotional intensity of the story. The movie was a critical and commercial success upon its release, and is now considered a classic of the melodrama genre.
