Texas millionaire Robert Stack, into oil and the ladies, meets attractive executive secretary Lauren Bacall from New York--via best friend Rock Hudson, who already has eyes for her--and finds himself immediately proposing marriage; Hudson feels rightfully snubbed yet keeps up a brave front, but the Texan's rowdy sister (Dorothy Malone) gives the new lady a rude awakening to the lifestyles of the rich and ruthless. Overheated Douglas Sirk film mixes sweeping romance with hard-boiled melodrama and fisticuffs--obviously targeting both male and female audiences, though not quite disguising the standard soap opera trimmings. It's well-cast, well-upholstered, glossy and occasionally involving, but it seems a bit stale, like flat champagne. Malone has given much better performances than this, yet her goosey outrageousness was enough to win her the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. The title song (sung by the Four Aces) is pretty, but its refrain sounds a bit like "When You Wish Upon A Star". Rock Hudson gives his usual strong-jawed performance, but didn't he get enough oil and misery from "Giant" this very same year? **1/2 from ****
Review of Written on the Wind
