Although his pictures were very popular with audiences in the 50s, Sirk was largely dismissed by critics as a stylish purveyor of big-budget trash. After his last American film, Imitation of Life (1959), he returned to Europe and worked on only three more films, all of them minor efforts including My Life for Zarah Leander (1986). But he lived long enough to see the Sirk revival of the 1970s, spurred on to a great extent by Jon Halliday's landmark book-length talk with the director, Sirk on Sirk (Viking, 1972). Screenings of Sirk's films increased and became staples of art and repertory houses, as well as discussion topics for academic study and debate.

In addition to the six times they worked together prior to this, Sirk and his favorite cinematographer, Russell Metty, worked together three more times following this picture: Battle Hymn (1956), A Time to Love and a Time to Die (1958) and Imitation of Life.

Metty began as a camera operator in the early 30s and got the first of his 165 cinematography credits in 1935. Among his most significant films, in addition to the ones he did for Sirk, were Story of G.I. Joe (1945); Touch of Evil (1958), which included a long and justly famous traveling shot at the film's opening; Spartacus (1960), for which he won an Academy Award; and The Misfits (1961).

An ad touting Malone's performance in Written on the Wind appeared in one of the trade papers saying: "Miss Malone, who probably won't campaign for herself, is overdue recognition as an actress who creates characterizations in depth. (This ad bought and paid for by friends of Dorothy Malone without her knowledge.)"

Malone had a few good roles after her Oscar® win for Written on the Wind: as James Cagney's wife in the film biography of silent actor Lon Chaney Man of a Thousand Faces (1957), in the tragic life story of actress Diana Barrymore Too Much, Too Soon (1958), and of course, Sirk's The Tarnished Angels (1958), which reunited her with Stack and Hudson. But her career was mostly in the doldrums until another soap opera (TV's first prime time soap) gave her a boost - as Constance MacKenzie in the popular Peyton Place.

Stack found success on TV when his excellent work for Sirk failed to bring a wealth of great lead roles. He is most famous today as both the 1920s crime fighter Elliot Ness on the TV drama The Untouchables and as the host for 15 years of the popular Unsolved Mysteries.

Stack felt that one reason he lost the Oscar® to Quinn (who only appeared on screen in his winning role for less than 10 minutes) was that 20th Century Fox, who had him under contract, organized block voting against him to prevent one of their stars from winning an acting award at another studio.

Robert Wilder, who wrote the book on which Written on the Wind is based, wore a number of hats in his career, including publicity agent for stars like Claudette Colbert. In addition to about a dozen novels, he wrote for the stage, radio, television and the screen. He adapted his own novel, Flamingo Road, into a 1949 film starring Joan Crawford.

The cast featured a few supporting players audiences may recognize from other roles. Grant Williams (Biff Miley, the service station attendant who offers to "fill 'er up" for Marylee) later appeared in one of the best science-fiction movies of all time, The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957). Edward Platt (Dr. Cochrane) was for several years the "Chief" on the secret-agent TV spoof Get Smart. William Schallert, who makes a brief appearance as a reporter, played the father of Patty Duke on her TV sitcom in the early 1960s.

Robert Keith, who plays the Hadley family patriarch, was the father of actor Brian Keith, star of numerous movies and the TV sitcom Family Affair.

Famous Quotes from WRITTEN ON THE WIND

KYLE (Robert Stack): Mitch is just a country boy. Kind of assets you can't buy with money."

MITCH (Rock Hudson): I have a sheepskin says I'm a geologist.
KYLE: I was kicked out of the same school. They found rocks in my head.

KYLE: Cream?
LUCY (Lauren Bacall): I never use it.
KYLE: Shows how little I know you.

MARYLEE (Dorothy Malone): I love you, Mitch. I'm desperate for you.

JASPER (Robert Keith): Welcome to Hadley - the town and the family.

LUCY: Pardon me if I seem to be brushing you out of my hair.
MARYLEE: I'll send you some of my towels. I believe you're still wet behind the ears.

MARYLEE: I've changed since we last swam in the raw, haven't I?

KYLE: A toast to beauty. And to truth, which is anything but beautiful.

KYLE: You're a filthy liar.
MARYLEE: I'm filthy period.

MITCH: I made a resolution last week. Goes like this: to hell with the Hadleys.

MARYLEE: My brother always drank too much. He was sad. The saddest of us all. He needed so much. And had so little.

Compiled by Rob Nixon