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The Letter

  • 19291929
  • PassedPassed
  • 1h 5m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
709
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Jeanne Eagels in The Letter (1929)
  • Drama
Jeanne Eagels plays the bored and restless Leslie Crosbie who turns to another man, Geoffrey Hammond (Herbert Marshall) for attention when neglected by her husband Robert (Reginald Owen). Ro... Read allJeanne Eagels plays the bored and restless Leslie Crosbie who turns to another man, Geoffrey Hammond (Herbert Marshall) for attention when neglected by her husband Robert (Reginald Owen). Robert decides to go out for the evening to pick up a new rifle. Leslie's calm vanishes as s... Read allJeanne Eagels plays the bored and restless Leslie Crosbie who turns to another man, Geoffrey Hammond (Herbert Marshall) for attention when neglected by her husband Robert (Reginald Owen). Robert decides to go out for the evening to pick up a new rifle. Leslie's calm vanishes as she awaits an answer to a letter she has written Hammond. He has found a new love - a beaut... Read all
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
709
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Jean de Limur
  • Writers
    • W. Somerset Maugham(stage play)
    • Monta Bell(adaptation)
    • Jean de Limur(dialogue)
  • Stars
    • Jeanne Eagels
    • Reginald Owen
    • Herbert Marshall
Top credits
  • Director
    • Jean de Limur
  • Writers
    • W. Somerset Maugham(stage play)
    • Monta Bell(adaptation)
    • Jean de Limur(dialogue)
  • Stars
    • Jeanne Eagels
    • Reginald Owen
    • Herbert Marshall
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 31User reviews
    • 20Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 1 win & 1 nomination total

    Photos13

    Jeanne Eagels in The Letter (1929)
    Jeanne Eagels and Lady Tsen Mei in The Letter (1929)
    Lady Tsen Mei in The Letter (1929)
    Lady Tsen Mei in The Letter (1929)
    Herbert Marshall and Lady Tsen Mei in The Letter (1929)
    The Letter (1929)
    Jeanne Eagels in The Letter (1929)
    Herbert Marshall and Jeanne Eagels in The Letter (1929)
    Jeanne Eagels and Reginald Owen in The Letter (1929)
    Jeanne Eagels and O.P. Heggie in The Letter (1929)
    Jeanne Eagels in The Letter (1929)
    Jeanne Eagels in The Letter (1929)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jeanne Eagels
    Jeanne Eagels
    • Leslie Crosbieas Leslie Crosbie
    Reginald Owen
    Reginald Owen
    • Robert Crosbieas Robert Crosbie
    Herbert Marshall
    Herbert Marshall
    • Geoffrey Hammondas Geoffrey Hammond
    Irene Browne
    Irene Browne
    • Mrs. Joyceas Mrs. Joyce
    O.P. Heggie
    O.P. Heggie
    • Mr. Joyceas Mr. Joyce
    Lady Tsen Mei
    Lady Tsen Mei
    • Li-Tias Li-Ti
    Tamaki Yoshiwara
    • Ong Chi Sengas Ong Chi Seng
    Peter Chong
    • Servantas Servant
    • (uncredited)
    Fredi Washington
    Fredi Washington
    • Opium Den Danceras Opium Den Dancer
    • (uncredited)
    Isabel Washington
    • Opium Den Danceras Opium Den Dancer
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Jean de Limur
    • Writers
      • W. Somerset Maugham(stage play)
      • Monta Bell(adaptation)
      • Jean de Limur(dialogue)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Jeanne Eagels plays the bored and restless Leslie Crosbie who turns to another man, Geoffrey Hammond (Herbert Marshall) for attention when neglected by her husband Robert (Reginald Owen). Robert decides to go out for the evening to pick up a new rifle. Leslie's calm vanishes as she awaits an answer to a letter she has written Hammond. He has found a new love - a beautiful unscrupulous native woman Li Ti (Lady Tsei Mei) and has discarded Leslie. —Cheepnis
    • lawyer
    • woman in a cage
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Blinded by the fury of passion - by the despair of a lost love -- she had not reckoned with
    • Genre
      • Drama
    • Certificate
      • Passed
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      First American film of Herbert Marshall, who plays Leslie Crosbie's murdered lover, Geoffrey Hammond. In the 1940 remake starring Bette Davis, he plays her husband, Robert Crosbie. Also, Herbert Marshall played author W. Somerset Maugham in The Razor's Edge (1946), and Geoffrey Wolfe in Maugham's The Moon and Sixpence (1942). Additionally, Marshall's daughter, Sarah Marshall, plays Mrs. Joyce in the 1982 made-for-television version of The Letter (1982).
    • Quotes

      [last lines]

      Leslie Crosbie: I'll give you something to remember! I, with all my heart and soul, still love the man I killed! Ha-ha. Take that, will you! With all my heart and all my soul, I still love the man I killed!

    • Connections
      Alternate-language version of Weib im Dschungel (1931)

    User reviews31

    Review
    Top review
    Stunning
    Jeanne Eagels is brilliant in this short version of THE LETTER. My copy is lousy but I stuck with it because Eagels gives an amazing, Oscar nominated performance that keeps you riveted to the screen. I can only image the power this woman had on stage.

    The story is the same as the Bette Davis version, but the narrative structure is all different. Eagels has two fabulous scenes: the trial and the finale. Her English accent slips a couple times but for a 1929 movie (and her talkie debut) it's a terrific performance as the amoral Leslie Crosbie.

    Herbert Marshall, O.P. Heggie, and Reginald Owen co-star. But the film belongs to Miss Eagels. If only her follow-up and final film JEALOUSY could be found!
    helpful•23
    3
    • drednm
    • Dec 8, 2007

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 7, 1929 (Argentina)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • La carta
    • Filming locations
      • Kaufman Astoria Studios - 3412 36th Street, Astoria, Queens, New York City, New York, USA
    • Production company
      • Paramount Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 5 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.20 : 1

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