The wife of a rubber plantation administrator shoots a man to death and claims it was self-defense, but a letter in her own hand may prove her undoing.
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Title: The Letter (1940)
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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 |
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
The wife 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 is certainly without doubt; so is the district officer; while her lawyer's 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. Written by J. Spurlin
Plot Keywords:
rubber plantation | lace | gunshot | crime of passion | husband wife relationship |Taglines:
Fascinating Tantalizing and DANGEROUS! See more »Parents Guide:
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
23 November 1940 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Das Geheimnis von Malampur See more »Filming Locations:
Stage 1, Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA See more »Edit
Box Office
Cumulative Worldwide Gross:
$16,455Company Credits
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Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Sound System)Color:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1
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Howard Joyce: I don't think it's right, but I think it's expedient. Juries can sometimes be very stupid, and it's just as well not to worry them with more evidence than they can conveniently deal with.
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Did You Know?
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. See more »Goofs
When Leslie and the others leave and Leslie shuts the door, Howard walks through the door twice. See more »Quotes
Robert Crosbie: I'll do whatever you think is right.Howard Joyce: I don't think it's right, but I think it's expedient. Juries can sometimes be very stupid, and it's just as well not to worry them with more evidence than they can conveniently deal with.
See more »
Alternate Versions
Also shown in computer colorized version. See more »Contribute to This Page
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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.