Love Letters (1945)

Allen Quinton writes a fellow soldier's love letters; tragedy results. Later, Allen meets a beautiful amnesiac who fears postmen...

Director:

William Dieterle

Writers:

Ayn Rand (screenplay), Christopher Massie (novel) (as Chris Massie)

Stars:

Jennifer Jones, Joseph Cotten, Ann Richards

Nominated for 4 Oscars.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Jennifer Jones	...	Victoria Morland aka Singleton
Joseph Cotten	...	Alan Quinton
Ann Richards	...	Dilly Carson
Cecil Kellaway	...	Mac
Gladys Cooper	...	Beatrice Remington
Anita Louise	...	Helen Wentworth
Robert Sully	...	Roger Morland
Reginald Denny	...	Defense Counsel Phillips
Ernest Cossart	...	Bishop
Byron Barr	...	Derek Quinton

Storyline

When a man asks another man more facile with words to do his wooing for him, there are always complications. The man with no talent for writing marries the girl, confesses one night he didn't write the letters and ends up with a knife in his back. The writer of the letters fell in love with the woman he wrote to and wants to become her second husband even if she did murder husband number one. Singleton doesn't remember the murder or anything about the first 22 years of her life as Victoria Remington. Then at her second wedding she wonders why she said "I take you, Roger," instead of "I take you, Alan."

---

Plot Keywords:

love letters | murder | world war two | amnesia | 

---

Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Romance

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 October 1945 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cartas a mi amada

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hal Wallis Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of over 700 Paramount Productions, filmed between 1929 and 1949, which were sold to MCA/Universal in 1958 for television distribution, and have been owned and controlled by Universal ever since. Its earliest documented telecast took place in Asheville, North Carolina Sunday 14 June 1959 on WLOS (Channel 13). It was released on DVD 9 December 2014 as part of the Universal Vault Series.

---

Goofs

When Allen sees the archived newspaper article, the first brief paragraph is on topic. The second paragraph is unrelated and everything else on the page is gibberish.

---

Quotes

Allen Quinton: I couldn't possibly say what I'd like to say right now.
Singleton: What?
Allen Quinton: I'd like to say that you're lovely.
Singelton: Go ahead, say it. I'd like to hear it.
Allen Quinton: You're lovely.

---

Connections

Referenced in Blue Velvet (1986)

User Reviews

Fate and Love

I am very fond of the stars and many members of the supporting cast. I adore Portrait of Jennie. I think Ayn Rand was a prophet and wise beyond the ability of most people to even comprehend. Putting all of that aside. Even putting aside all of the music, the clothes, the atmosphere and the dialog. This is still wonderful. This is a story of fate, of love and how the two sometimes come together in an undeniable vision that, once seen is never forgotten. This is a wonderful movie and I enjoy it more with each viewing. Now that Ms. Jones is gone. she can always be as she was here and that is, she was loved by not just one man but by almost everyone who saw her back then when she and the world were so very much younger. Fate, not always so kind but somehow this movie makes one feel that there are worse things than to be fated to an inescapable love.