June and July classic movies

In June my classic movie was Peter Pan. I didn't realize that I hadn't actually seen it before. The Disney Channel used to show so many clips from various scenes throughout the movie, from beginning to end, that it felt like I had seen it. But there were definitely scenes I didn't remember, most notably the scenes with the Indians. I purchased the movie because I'd like to get my kids to watch it before our next Disney vacation, especially because I would like to show them Fantasmic!

In July, my classic movie was A Letter to Three Wives. This 1949 black and white film was nominated for Best Picture. It didn't win, but did pick up Oscars for Best Screenplay and Best Direction.

I liked this movie a lot. I rented it on Amazon but I liked it enough that I would consider purchasing it so I could watch it again. The plot was relatively unique compared to most movies, and very interesting. The 3 wives are headed to a charity event on an island (without phones) when they receive a single letter addressed to all of them. It is from a divorcee that they are all jealous of, and the divorcee tells them that she is leaving town and taking one of their husbands with her. The women stoically go on with their day and do not gossip much with each other, but each one is clearly fraught with worry or wonder over what they will find when they get back home. The next chapters are a set of 3 flashbacks, one for each wife, illustrating how each of them has a very different type of marriage, and each of them also has a reason to worry that her husband is the one who has left. Every character/actor in the movie is very strong, even the supporting actors. The audience favorite is Linda Darnell who plays Lora Mae. She's the dark-haired one in the picture. But my favorite was Ann Sothern who played Rita Phipps (pictured in the center). 

As for the ending, they do reveal whose husband strayed, but I did not like the ending so much. I hope it is not TOO much of a spoiler to say it is resolved happily. I thought the last minute (literally) happy ending was too nice and I would have liked it to end without the last minute or so.

The film was based on a novel called Letter to Five Wives, and I would have liked to read it but it appears the print version is extremely rare (it was originally published in magazine format). And some readers are saying the movie is much better anyway. Which I guess is why it won Best Direction and Best Screenplay.