The movie takes three divergent tales of troubled relationships. A Letter to Three Wives will throw detours at you with distractions; they are supplied by the Point-Of-View of the three wives themselves.
We are first introduced to Deborah Bishop (Jeanne Crain) in her lavish home on the first Saturday in May. Deborah comes off with passive-aggressiveness charm toward her unaware husband, Brad (Jeffrey Lynn). Deborah is beautiful and insecure, as she gets ready for an outing that will take a big chunk of her day and she tries to be matter-of-fact with her husband, Brad (Jeffrey Lynn). In short order we learn what's eating her up--envy, jealousy and spite at breakfastime.
Deborah moves through town in her custom wood-panel station wagon to pick up Rita Phipps (Ann Sothern) in front of her home and we are introduced briefly to her husband, George (Kirk Douglas). From there they head to a Hudson River landing for a day's outing with a local children's home and we meet Lora Mae Hollingsway (Linda Darnell).
We see her husband Brad as a pretty standup guy; about as supportive as a fifties postwar male ego can permit in a movie. He really is a nice guy and it's easy to see he loves Deborah.
It is at the flashback Country Club dance the viewers learn of the backstory of the great Addie Ross from the husbands who admire her and the wives who despise her. It is all news to Deborah. As the anxiety-ridden outsider, she will hear only glowing reviews about Addie from the men, including her own bridegroom. Now we understand why she snaps at Brad in the introductory scene.
After that first scene at the Bishop's, Addie Ross narrates an aside about Deborah: She won't stay mad at him long. She's too much in love. Pretty soon she'll be full of self-reproach. (laughs) Women are so silly.
That is the best clue we will get to Deborah's internal question, "Is it Brad?"
Deborah wonders, will she be made a mockery again?