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March 14, 2005
Written On the Wind on DVD, 3/11/05
Another Douglas Sirk film, another ridiculous melodrama done in all its Technocolor glory. This time out, Rock Hudson is the upstanding best friend of Robert Stack, a spoiled rich alcoholic son of a Texas oil man. They meet Lauren Bacall, the grounded secretary in some advertising firm. She's got some chemistry with Rock at first, but the one she ends up marrying after a single night is Robert Stack. For a year, he stays sober until he moves back to his hometown and gets jealous of Rock and Lauren's obvious attraction. Dorothy Malone plays the sister that's always wanted Rock Hudson. She's the real "spitfire" freespirit who drinks and manipulates everyone. Of course, Rock Hudson ends up trying to save his friend, but ends up on trial for his murder. And of course, it's no surprise that he gets off after one very spectacular character reversal. It's all too much, yet so much fun watching it happen.
There's this scene in there that really seems in love with editing. While Dorothy Malone dances like a hussy upstairs in the family mansion, her father dies trying to stop the music. Rock Hudson tries to save the man, but it's too late. You know that dancing manically to fast jazzy tracks always leads to serious consequences.
Posted by deaconmf at March 14, 2005 09:58 AM
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