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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:
A price to pay as Fate steps in
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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:
Previously filmed as an early talkie in 1929 starring Jeanne Eagels, The Letter (1929). Herbert Marshall, who plays the husband in this film, portrayed the lover in that version.
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Goofs:
Continuity: When Leslie enters her bedroom for the last time, she locks the door behind her. Later, the door is unlocked when Robert enters.
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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 Stardust: The Bette Davis Story (2006) (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 |
|---|---|
| James Stephenson | Cello1949-2 |
| 'Eurasian?' | Skrbi |
| Alternate Ending (Spoilers) | wencer |
| Full Moon | BumpyRide |
| Cecil Kellaway? | davisk957 |
| The dagger | lsgmusic |
Recommendations
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I can't help comparing "Witness for the Prosecution (1957)" with this one "The Letter," as they represent a good study in contrast. The former I recall has many bouts of loud dialogue, in particular the courtroom scenes of constant shouting which reach fever pitch at times. Whereas in this "Letter" movie the atmosphere is ever so subtle, very subdued dialogue, and far more impressive because of it. I rather liken it to a warrior noisily clashing by day on the battlefield contrasted by another kind of warfare, that of stealth night fighting in shadows and lit only by moonlight. Both these movies deal with the guilt or innocence of the main character.
Bette Davis gives one of her great portrayals, and Herbert Marshall as the sympathetic husband is well suited to the role, with that wonderful voice of his too, what more could one ask! I don't really know James Stephenson in many roles but here he makes us feel how difficult the situation was for him to deal with -- truly a razor's edge for each and every one of the characters involved. I've seen this movie many times and it just gets better at each viewing, always most intriguing.