The Letter
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Movie Reviews of The Letter
Movie Review: "If you love a person, you can forgive anything."
Summary: 5 Stars
Bette Davis stands out as the grande dame of the forties' in this stunning black and white drama set in Malaysia on a rubber plantation. In superb form, Leslie Crosbie (Davis), the wife of the plantation owner portrays an accused murderer on trial for her life after shooting an intruder who made unwanted advances while her husband (Herbert Marshall) was away on business. Covering up a secret long tem affair with her victim, Leslie claims self-defense, managing to fool her social circle, remaining distant throughout the trial, fans spinning away the oppressive heat of the courtroom. Her attorney (James Stephenson) has mounted a simple defense. All goes well until the appearance of an incriminating letter, held by the Eurasian woman Leslie's lover rejected her for, an exotic and unforgiving creature who has been induced to sell the letter to Leslie and her attorney for an exorbitant amount.
Skillfully feigning innocence until confronted with the proof of her extra-marital affair, Leslie attempts to manipulate the emotions of her attorney, but to no avail, her fainting spells and huge pleading eyes an insufficient deterrent in his justified outrage. Appealing to his loyalty and respect for her husband, Leslie encourages her lawyer to purchase the letter that will surely damn her in the jury's eyes, knowing that this is a felonious offense and he can be disbarred should his involvement be discovered. Ever the pragmatist, Leslie is willing to save her own life at the expense of her lawyer's integrity and her husband's honor. There is one caveat to the sale: Leslie must accompany the attorney to Chinatown to face the woman in order to affect the exchange, terms Leslie accepts. Released to the care of the lawyer, Leslie arrives in Chinatown under the cover of night, passing through the crowded streets unnoticed. At the time of the exchange, the woman is imperious, demanding that Leslie approach to receive the letter, which she drops at the perfidious woman's feet, hatred seething in her eyes.
Leslie is found not guilty but undone by her own refusal to deny the passion that caused the death of her lover. Unable to lie to her husband, who must be told of the money taken from his account, Leslie faces his hurt with equanimity, knowing he will forgive her any deed. Indeed, he is willing; it is Leslie who cannot deny her lover, who is still tormented by the rejection that brought about her crime of passion. Distraught, she wanders into the night garden of their estate, stepping just outside the gates, where she is confronted by the silent Eurasian woman and her companion. In the background, strains of music pierce the air, the celebration party in full swing. The Letter (1940) is a perfect vehicle for Davis, her dramatic flair never more evident than when in danger of exposure, manipulating those around her in the name of expedience. From the stark opening scene, Davis is the focus of attention and deservedly so. The film nominated for a number of Oscars, William Wyler showcases Davis' considerable talents in a drama of love and betrayal, as one woman's ungovernable passion taints not only her life but those around her, only to fall victim to her own demons, vintage Davis at her most magnificent, still powerful seventy years later. Luan Gaines/ 2006.
Movie Review: Bette Davis As the Perfect Femme Fatale!
Summary: 5 Stars
I was recently trapped at a young nephew's birthday party at a local arcade. After four hours of non-stop video games and blaring rap music I had enough. Tired and with a headache, I was ready to put my feet up and soak in some good old fashion entertainment. Luckily, I had the antidote in a recently acquired DVD of the 1940 William Wyler drama/thriller "The Letter".This is just the movie to take you away from everything and just suck you in. The film takes place in the exotic Far East of a colonial Singapore rubber tree plantation. In the opening (and best) scene of the movie, we watch as Leslie Crosbie (a brilliant Bette Davis) calmly walks out on her front porch and grimly shoots a man dead as he attempts to flee. In the short aftermath she explains in precise detail to her husband (Herbert Marshall) and the authorities, that she was forced to kill family friend, Geoffrey Hammond, after he tried to sexually attack her. Even though there is dead body lying there with six bullets in it, everyone seems to automatically take Leslie at her word. That is until defense lawyer, Howard Joyce (James Stephenson) starts finding inconsistancies in her story. With each inconsistancy, new facts are revealed, which Leslie tries to explain and rationalize. Things finally come to a head, when an incrimating letter appears, which could possibly doom this murderous woman. We watch how this 'Femme Fatale' with a steely coldness and conviction, will say and do anything to save her own skin. Even if it means hurting everyone around her. When they came up with the saying "they don't make 'em like they use to", they must have been thinking of this movie. William Wyler's direction is marvelous. He just gets your attention from that very first riveting, classic shot all the way to the movie's climatic ending. The film features great performances from a wonderful cast. Bette Davis really is just amazing in this villainous role. Bette plays a woman who is (over) acting out the role of a victim for all the other characters to see. But the viewer understands how subtley, with each roll of those big beautiful eyes, with each furrowed brow and with the tight shots of those nervous, delicate hands, that this is a woman who is constantly scheming and coniving to get her way. Its just an astonishing performance. The supporting cast does an admirable job. Herbert Marshall is very good as the weak, cuckholded, husband. The scene where he finally reads the infamously, incrimating letter is just priceless. He just shows all his emotions in his face. James Stephenson is also very good as the lawyer, who unravels all of Bette Davis' lies and eventually compromises his own pricinples. Finally, mention should be made for a spellbinding performance from Gale Sondergaard as the mudered man's, Eurasian wife. The character she plays appears mysterious and Sphinx-like. She rarely speaks, yet is a totally commanding presence in every scene she's in. Sondergaard is so good in the role, she actually steals away her big scene with Bette Davis! Now, that takes some doing! Everything seems to work in this movie to create a forboding mood. From Max Steiner's bewitching score to the beautiful, yet eerie, B&W cinematography. I love this movie and just can't get enough of it. A true classic! Highly recommended!Movie Review: Bette Davis At Her Best
Summary: 5 Stars
For some reason all the films Bette Davis made under the guiding hand of director William Wyler represent her best work, and The Letter is no exception. Made in 1940, the movie shows attitudes that have changed greatly in western society since that picture was made - the contempt people have for Gayle Sondergaard's character is a question in point - an
Asian woman who marries an Englishman, was something that was too too terrible to be countenanced ! (Especially when the man involved prefers Sondergaard to Davis)
The moon and fabulous sunsets were used to great effect during the picture, as in the opening scene where Bette Davis is seen chasing a male figure down a flight of steps, firing her gun into his back as she does so.
She sends a servant to get her husband from his plantation, and tells him that the man she shot was an intruder who tried to rape her. Of course her story is believed without question - the wife of a plantation owner is not without status among the British comminity in Malaya.
All goes well until a letter purporting to be a love letter from Davis to her ex-lover,pleading with him to come and see her at the house - her husband will be away etc really sets the cat amongst the pigeons.
Family friend and well regarded solicitor (played magnificently by Howard Joyce) is appalled at his clients duplicity and they go through a sham of a court case where by any mention of the letter is with held - to ensure Davis doesn't face a death penality.
Gayle Sondergaard is the vengeful wife who makes Davis and her solicitor come to the seedy China town area so she and Davis can meet face to face. Unbeknowns to Herbert Marshall, who plays the decent trusting husband (as he did so memorably with Davis in The Little Foxes) the money used to buy back the letter was $10,000 - all he had in the bank.
The meeting of the two women with Davis wearing a beautiful white lace shawl, and Sondergaard in a Chinese outfit, clinging as it does to show all her curves was well directed acted and photographed.
The two Chinese present enjoy watching Davis forced to ask for the letter and hand over the money. It is a scene that crackles with irony, hatred, and a sense of justice having been done.
Davis is - as she was in Jezebel,another Wyler picture - perfect in the Letter,selfish,self centred, mannered, under playing her character perfectly as a a woman who commits adultery, murder, and lies to those who trusted her, leaving in her wake a husband hearbroken and in debt, their close friend and lawyer in grave danger of being disbarred from practising the law, and her lover murdered in a deliberate act of cold blood.
The fascination I felt in watching The Letter was seeing Miss Davis' character gradually being trapped - like a fly to a spider's web.
She gets her come uppance of course, but I almost felt sorry for her just the same.
Gayle Sondergaard was an actress who was targetted by the house of Un-American activites, and her career was effectively halted. It was good to see playing such an effective role.
The Letter is dated in its mannerisms and views, but it is still very much worth the having, the watching and the owning of.
Movie Review: "I'm still in love with the man I killed!"
Summary: 5 Stars
The Letter is symbolic of absolutely terrific example of 1940's Hollywood filmmaking. With its universal themes of colonialism and the oftentimes unscrupulous and exploitative rule of the British in Singapore, the film also works as a diabolically delectable melodrama.
Bette Davis stars as Leslie, the unscrupulous and rapaciously amoral wife of Robert Crosbie (Herbert Marshall), owner of a Malaysian rubber plantation. As the film begins, shots ring out and a wounded man, Geoffrey Hammond (David Newell) staggers from Leslie and Robert's bungalow. Leslie coldly and calculatingly follows him, pumping the remaining bullets into his body.
She later tells Robert that she shot Geoffrey, because he was drunk and tried to make love to her. Robert believes her story and hires respected lawyer Howard Joyce (James Stephenson) to defend her. But then a letter surfaces in which it is revealed that Leslie had invited Geoffrey to the plantation on the night of his murder.
When Howard confronts her with the letter, Leslie is at first hesitant to tell him the truth, but later admits that she did write it. The letter is damning evidence for the defense because it implies that she and Geoffrey were lovers. Howard, nevertheless, agrees to continue defending her.
Meanwhile, the letter becomes the object of a $10,000 blackmail scheme from Geoffrey's widow Mrs. Hammond (Gale Sondergaard). Leslie and Howard - against his better judgment - plot to get the letter back by paying Mrs. Hammond the large some of money.
The money however, must come out of Robert's accounts, and Leslie just can't afford to have her naive and devoted husband find out about her surreptitious and clandestine affair.
Davis is absolutely devilish in the role of Louise. Complete with a clipped British accent, and a stylishly debonair wardrobe, she waltzes through the move, weaving a web of lies and deceit in her wake.
When Leslie finds out that the letter exists, and that it threatens to unravel her entire well laid plans and lay bare her genuine passion for the man that she's killed, she becomes absolutely desperate to cover up her tracks.
This is a mesmerizing and unsympathetic performance by Davis; she's so cleverly fiendish and stylishly sinister that you hate her but at the same time also love her for her unabashed audacity.
Beautifully realized, The Letter remains a fitting testament to classic film noir; it's a superbly crafted film, showing how one woman can use all her feminine wiles to get her own way, weaving a profoundly disquieting odyssey to vindicate murder. Mike Leonard June 05.
Movie Review: With That Hide and Seek Moon !
Summary: 5 Stars
"The Letter" is set in pre-WW2 British Malaya. In the opening scenes, Bette Davis kills a man and smartly, smoothly claims self-defense. Why the demised, a family acquaintance, would "make advances" to BD is left unexplained. BD appears in the clear; a family friend and connected attorney, James Stephenson, will defend her. The local Law shows no urge to investigate. And then? And then the plot thickens with a slight complication! It seems BD had written the dead guy a love letter. They had had an affair. He was visiting to tell her he was marrying another woman. Davis' response was to off the poor guy! The plot thickens more when Stephenson, a highly principled barrister, receives a mysteriously Asian offer to ransom the letter. Clearly against his conscience, Stephenson buys and buries the lethal message. The seller is not revealed here, but his/her identity thickens the suspense. Davis is cleared at her murder trial but the viewer will realize that her problems are far from done. What happens? A good review will not reveal resolutions. The curious will just have to watch for themselves but will be happy they did. "The Letter" is boosted by a wonderful musical score and sharp black and white photography- a vanished art. Those shots of the lurking moon are positively eerie. High honors go to Stephenson as the reluctant lawyer and Gale Sondergard as the wife of the deceased. Her contempt for Davis is so visceral it burns through the screen. This reviewer is not a big BD fan but she is perfectly cast here. Other reviewers have credited 7 Academy nominations to "The Letter" but Tom O'Neil's encyclopedic "Movie Awards" lists 4: Best Picture, Director (William Wyler), Actress (Davis) and Supporting Actor (Stephenson). None won a 1940 statuette. Winners were "Rebecca", John Ford for "The Grapes of Wrath", Ginger Rogers for "Kitty Foyle" and "Walter Brennan for "The Westerner". Bob Hope won a Special Award that year-they should have given one to that moon! "The Letter" is a classic, so smoothly done that the movie outshines the cast. In closing amazoners can be assured there are far more sub-plots, suspense, and mystery in "The Letter" than outlined here. The air of intrigue is maintained until the very fadeout. The sudden, slamming of the door resolution will remind viewers that "The Letter", for all its' other virtues, is also solid film noir in every detail. A final helpful hint: This viewer watched "The Letter" over 3 sittings. New viewers are urged to allocate the time to see it in one. Doing so will bring the full impact of those nocturnal scenes as the moon dances and the fates spin their web around the cast.