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The Letter (1940)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
23 November 1940 (USA)
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Tagline:
With all my heart I still love the man I killed more
Plot:
The wife of a rubber plantation administrator shoots a man to death and claims it was self-defense; a letter in her own hand may prove her undoing. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for 7 Oscars.
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NewsDesk:
TCM's 'Summer Under the Stars' Posters are Phenomenal
(From Rope Of Silicon. 13 July 2009, 3:22 AM, PDT)
(From Rope Of Silicon. 13 July 2009, 3:22 AM, PDT)
User Comments:
Remarkable drama that begins with several literal bangs; we're fascinated from that moment until the last frame of film
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Cast
(Complete credited cast) | Bette Davis | ... | Leslie Crosbie |
 | Herbert Marshall | ... | Robert Crosbie |
| James Stephenson | ... | Howard Joyce |
| Frieda Inescort | ... | Dorothy Joyce |
| Gale Sondergaard | ... | Mrs. Hammond |
| Bruce Lester | ... | John Withers |
| Elizabeth Inglis | ... | Adele Ainsworth (as Elizabeth Earl) |
| Cecil Kellaway | ... | Prescott |
| Victor Sen Yung | ... | Ong Chi Seng (as Sen Yung) |
| Doris Lloyd | ... | Mrs. Cooper |
| Willie Fung | ... | Chung Hi |
| Tetsu Komai | ... | Head Boy |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
95 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Sound System)
Certification:
Canada:G (Ontario) |
USA:TV-PG (TV rating) |
Canada:PG (video rating) |
West Germany:16 |
Argentina:13 |
Australia:PG |
Finland:K-16 |
Sweden:15 |
USA:Approved (PCA #6442)
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Jack L. Warner originally asked William Wyler to test James Stephenson for the role of the lawyer. Wyler was surprised at how suited Stephenson was for the part and then was astonished when Warner balked at casting him, worrying about the stock player's lack of name recognition. Wyler insisted on keeping him, putting him in the odd position of having to fight to cast an actor that Warner had originally suggested.
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Goofs:
Continuity: When Leslie and the others leave and Leslie shuts the door, Howard walks through the door twice.
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Quotes:
Howard Joyce:
Strange that a man can live with a woman for ten years and not know the first thing about her.
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Movie Connections:
Featured in Thou Shalt Not: Sex, Sin and Censorship in Pre-Code Hollywood (2008) (TV)
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FAQ
What's notable about Herbert Marshall playing Robert Crosbie?Where can I hear radio adaptations of this film?
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Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Letter (1940)| Recent Posts (updated daily) | User |
|---|---|
| 3$ dvd at Big Lots! | Lukerdog |
| James Stephenson | Cello1949-2 |
| 'Eurasian?' | Skrbi |
| Alternate Ending (Spoilers) | wencer |
| Full Moon | BumpyRide |
| Cecil Kellaway? | davisk957 |
Recommendations
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The wife (Bette Davis) of a rubber plantation administrator shoots a man to death and claims it was self-defense. Her poise, graciousness and stoicism impress nearly everyone who meets her. Her husband (Herbert Marshall) is certainly without doubt; so is the new district officer (Bruce Lester); while her lawyer's (James Stephenson) doubts may be a natural skepticism. But this is Singapore and the resentful natives will have no compunction about undermining this accused murderess. A letter in her hand turns up and may prove her undoing.
This remarkable drama begins with several literal bangs, and we're fascinated from that moment until the last frame of film. Davis, with her precise and intricate manners that match her character's elaborate web of deceit (symbolized by her compulsive crocheting), gives a fiery, mannered, mysterious performance that may equal anything she's done. Marshall and Stephenson are both subtle in their acting and refined in their manners. William Wyler directs an adaptation of W. Somerset Maugham's play (Maugham provided the material for Davis's breakthrough role in "Of Human Bondage") and never makes a false move until the censor-imposed ending. Tony Gaudio's photography, with the light often hitting people from a full moon or through the slats of blinds, is splendid. Max Steiner's music, though repetitive, is very effective. A great film.