The Letter
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Movie Reviews of The Letter
Movie Review: I still love the man I killed!
Summary: 5 Stars
One of the most notable features of the Noir style resides in the ambivalence of the characters; so nobody is absolutely free of guilty, that is why this genre always maintains on the edge of the knife, because we have tendency to sympathize with someone, and so the surprise element is a furtive shadow that can flatten our best choice.
On the other hand the guiltiness in the case of Leslie Crosbie is by double turn, she is adultery and also criminal. In these conditions, her nasty and distorted behavior becomes of her the genuine femme fatale, who not only evades the human justice, but besides is forgiven by her husband, despite her bitter statement. But the strange forces of the fate in absence of punishment decides to intervene; you may consider as a self destruction 's act, once you have mocked about the human codes and the rules of the game and decide to burn your own bridges.
Thoughtfully realized, this bitter and (why not?) melodramatic picture was sent to the immortality thanks to a memorable script, but always was supported by the secure hand of William Wyler and the majestic and always imitated but never equaled Bette Davis in one of her moist reminded films together with The little foxes and Jezebel.
Movie Review: Amazing how a great script can produce excellent movies
Summary: 5 Stars
A first-rate Bette Davis vehicle, based on a Somerset Maugham story set in Singapore. The movie opens with Davis emptying a revolver into the belly of a man (David Newell) - an old friend she claims tried to make advances on her (her husband was away at the time).
Soon, though, a letter written by Davis to Newell surfaces which discredits her self-defense plea. Her lawyer (played superbly by James Stevenson), against his better judgment, buys the letter, now in the hands of Newell's widow, for $10,000. Davis is acquited at her trial, but the truth of the letter comes out to her husband (Herbert Marshall), who is willing to forgive her if she'll tell him that she loves him. Davis can't (Newell had been her lover for years). In a very disappointing and anti-climactic ending, Newell's widow stabs Davis with a knife.
The movie is excellent all the way up to that final bad scene, with top-notch acting matching a superb script by Howard Koch. James Stephenson is escpecially good as the lawyer (both he and Davis were nominated for Oscars, as was the movie and director William Wyler, though none actually won). Definitely worth a watch.
Movie Review: Melodrama in Malaysia
Summary: 5 Stars
Bette Davis is stupendous playing Leslie Crosbie, wife of rubber plantation owner Robert played by a naive Herbert Marshall in William Wyler's exotic and passionate drama "The Letter".
Wyler begins the action immediately as we see Davis emerging from the front door of her abode emptying a revolver into her husband's friend Jeffrey Hammond, killing him. She claims that she was fighting off his sexual advances.
Family friend and attorney Howard Joyce played with aplomb by James Stephenson considers Davis' defense a slam dunk until he becomes aware of some incriminating evidence. A letter penned by Davis turns up. In it she invites Hammond the man she killed to the plantation in her husband's absence. It turns out that the mendacious philandering Davis has been carrying on an affair that ended when her lover married the sinister looking Eurasian Gale Sondergaard. Sondergaard who plays her role without uttering a word but nonetheless evokes fear with her countenance, is in possession of the letter. Lawyer, Stephenson becomes compelled to procure the letter to quash it as evidence against his client.
As written into the Hollywood code in the 40's. all does not end well for the notorious Davis. Her acting performance shines as she pours her heart out to her cuckolded husband but still admits the love for the man she had killed in the finale.
This worthy flick was nominated for seven Acadeny Awards unbelieveably winning none, losing out for best picture to "Rebecca" in 1941.
Movie Review: Stilted but riveting
Summary: 4 Stars
Times have changed and "The Letter", based on a short story and play by W Somerset Maugham, suffers in 2005 from its stagebound roots. The film focuses on dialogue and atmosphere with little action. The modern equivalent would be English TV series such as "The Forsyte Saga" or "Pride and Prejudice".
The plot involves the deception of an unfaithful wife who kills her lover, stands trial but is pronounced innocent of murder but only because an incriminating letter is suppressed. The resolution of the film is compromised from the play by the constraints of the Production Code but it is still harrowing. The film accurately captures the atmosphere and location of Maugham's short story, the narrow and provincial world of the English in Malaya.
William Wyler's direction is very tight. His skill with the actors, the sets, establishing a mood etc is outstanding but every moment feels as if it was drawn up with a slide rule. The same applies to Bette Davis's legendary performance as the hypocritical Leslie Crosbie. Davis is riveting but as precise as her diction. Every move she makes feels as if it was carefully choreographed. She is like a coiled spring, ready to explode. Of course, this reflects the knots of her web of deceit hidden beneath the controlled exterior, but at all times, you are aware of "great acting". James Stephenson plays her lawyer and his performance is as good as Davis's. Their scenes together are the best in the film as you sit on the edge of your seat watching them play cat and mouse. Stephenson nearly walked off the set from the pressure brought by Wyler but Davis urged him to hang in there because of the great performance Wyler would get and she was right. Herbert Marshall plays Davis's husband very well too. His realisation that he does not know the woman with whom he has been sharing his life is moving. Gail Sondergaard plays the murdered man's Eurasian wife and creates a menacing figure with almost no dialogue.
The DVD print is excellent and the package contains an alternate ending which eliminates the fireworks of the released ending but in someways offers a more subtle resolution - interesting to see. One of the fascinations of seeing these alternate scenes is you get an unusual insight into the thought process of the director. The radio transcripts are a waste of time. The plot is compressed and the actors rush through the scripts without any of the pregnant pauses which are so important in the film. Also, why listen to a second rate condensed version of the script when you can watch the real thing?
Trivia Note - Cecil Kellaway gets billing, but he is barely in the film. Other prints, but not this one, show him in other scenes.
Movie Review: moonlight,lace...and murder
Summary: 4 Stars
The last five minutes of this film alone is worth the price of a DVD.Unlike other reviewers, I don't like to give away endings but it all involves moonlight, lace and murder. Our brilliant Bette gives a fascinating performance as a woman whose murderous actions are seemingly dictated by her own frustrated passions and a forbidding full moon.The actors, direction, and creepy atmosphere really sets this movie apart. The DVD contains an alternate ending that wisely was changed.The quality of the DVD transfer is good but I wish they would remaster all films transferred to DVD because the result is basically a VHS on DVD otherwise.