director douglas sirk scores this grandaddy dysfunctional family films lush trashy saga masterpiece beautifully combining elements sirks soapers strategically placing one movie written wind obviously influenced s tv series dallas dynasty basically featurelength version later nighttime soapsbr br lauren bacall wonderfully subtly plays lucy moore new york city secretary marries oil baron kyle hadley robert stack unbeknownst them mitch wayne rock hudson also love quiet sexy secretary go back kyles familys mansion texas meet white trash slutofasister marylee dorothy malone oscarwinning turn yipee sparks begin fly  romances catfights campy trip mitch fight feelings best friends wife marylee tries sleep everybody since cant one true love mitch topping off kyle learns hes impotent somehow lucy ends pregnantbr br this pure soap pure melodramatic entertainment love it film signals one universals popular films one director sirks best works dialogue absolutely sizzling visual metaphors thrown every way  theme wind throughout great cast great although bacall completely underused despite receiving topbilling behind hudson stacks oscar loss reportedly devastated him considered finest performance apparently none pleased lose out turn fabulous performance whimpering alcoholic stunning movie film proves ive thinking ages  sirk master classic melodrama wheres oscarbr br 