The following essay discusses Albert Hackett and his wife, Frances Goodrich.

Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett are among Hollywood's lesser-known writing teams, yet their careers span the years when American film production reached its peak. From The Secret of Madame Blanche (1933) to Five Finger Exercise (1962), Goodrich and Hackett's films exemplify the professionalism and popular appeal that were the hallmarks of Hollywood screenwriting at its best. Their working union was so organic, in fact, that Goodrich once said, "Each of us writes the same scene. Then each looks at what the other has done, and we try to decide which of us has done the better. We advise each other and then go back at it again. We argue but we don't quarrel. When a scenario or play is finished, neither of us can recognize his own work."

Both Goodrich and Hackett began their careers as actors. Born in...