A feverish sticky deadly atmosphere from the mysterious garden where a malefic full moon shines on davis inscrutable face to the seedy place in the chinese quarter where they smoke. I would recommend this for bette davis fans, classic film lovers, and overall cinephiles. The letter 1940, based on a short story and play by w. The letter returned to the silver screen in 1940 with the incomparable bette davis having her turn as leslie. As the tedious inquest proceeds, however, it becomes known to her lawyer that a letter is in existencea letter written by the woman to the dead man on the day of the deedwhich fatally. The film concluded with the tragic plane crash in 1931 that took 43 yearold rocknes life, and his funeral with a eulogy by university president, father callahan donald crisp. One of the key differences is that in the 1940 version, it.
We put together this best 50 movies of the 1940s list to provide a suggestion of required viewing material for anyone who aspires to cultural literacy. Jan 08, 2008 william wylers the letter, a remake of the 1929 film based on somerset maughams tale of an adulteress wife who shoots her lover in a jealous rage, was marked by distinctive visual style, nuanced miseenscene, and superlative acting by bette davis, herbert marshall, and james stephenson. The good folks at warner archive are bringing five classic bette davis movies back into print. Bio je nominovan za sedam oskara, izmedu ostalih i za najbolji film. Eddie mullers intro to the letter 1940 on tcm noir alley duration. This was not the first time the subject matter was. One of the most striking things about the letter is how much of the story is told by pictures rather than by dialogue which is pretty unusual for a 1940s hollywood film. Mar 19, 2007 the letter william wyler, 1940 march 19, 2007 by grunes because of its sociological canvas and urgent, deeply moving treatment of a topical theme, everyone is right in believing that william wylers best film is the best years of our lives 1946. A screenplay so simple and so effective its a wonder it grabs us till the last pictures.
The letter 1940 is a classic melodramatic film noir of murder and deceit, directed by william wyler. But something about a wellconstructed score is uniquely thrilling. It stars the noted stage actress jeanne eagels and. The magnificent final scene of the letter follows selfpossessed bette davis into the malaysian tropics, lured by intoxicating shadows formed by clouds eclipsing the moon. The life of laura ingalls wilder tribute little house on the prairie tv show theme song duration. Today on turner classic movies i watched the great bette davis in the letter, a 1940 film made during her years at warner bros. Kellaways scenes were likely cut from the final release print. Lee remick starred in a 1982 tv movie version of the letter.
Leslie bette davis in a portion of her account of killing hammond, for husband robert herbert marshall, lawyer howard james stephenson and official withers bruce lester in william wylers the letter, 1940. In the film davis plays leslie crosbie, a wealthy woman whose husband owns a successful rubber plantation. The letter is a 1940 american film noir crime drama directed by william wyler, and starring bette davis, herbert marshall and james stephenson. The wife of a rubber plantation administrator shoots a man to death and claims it was selfdefense. Somerset maughams mid1920s london stage play that featured gladys cooper in the lead role. Aug 29, 2014 letter the 1940 bette davis gives her typical powerhouse and best actress academy award nominated performance in this essential drama as a woman accused of killing a man she claims was in selfdefense.
From the cast, we get acrosstheboard master class acting. Mar 28, 2018 on march 28, 1940, united artists unveiled david o. Were your movie poster source for new releases and vintage movie posters. Jan 05, 2016 i only began to appreciate this film after i had seen it on the big screen. William wyler made it clear afterwards, that the film should have ended with bette declaring her love for the man she killed. This was not the first time the subject matter was performed. The letter 1940 is a classic melodramatic film noir of murder and deceit, effectively directed by william wyler. Paramount made the first film version of the letter in 1929.
The letter is an american precode drama film produced by paramount pictures. Fantasia 1940 directed by david hand, james algar et al. Its a scene fraught with suspense, the kind that warner bros. The letter is a 1940 american film noir directed by william wyler, and starring bette davis, herbert marshall and james stephenson. The letter william wyler, usa, 1940 first impressions. The 1940 film the letter from director william wyler begins and ends on deceptively still nights illuminated by a full moon. Somerset maugham, became one of the decades biggest hits and featured another formidable academy awardnominated performance by davis as the unfaithful wife of a rubber plantation owner herbert marshall who goes broke trying read more. The letter is proof once again that a great film will, first and foremost, have a great script. Bette davis, herbert marshall, james stephenson, frieda inescort, gale sondergaard, bruce lester, elizabeth inglis, cecil. The letter appears to contradict the defendants testimony that they had not corresponded for several weeks. It was the first fullsound feature shot at astoria studios, queens, new york city. The way the notes can compliment and heighten the imagery is a wonder to behold, not only in the moment but after the fact. Somerset maughams mid1920s london stage play that featured gladys cooper. A list of american films released in 1940 rebecca won best picture at the academy awards.
It starred jeanne eagels as leslie and reginald owen as robert. The story was inspired by a reallife scandal involving the wife of the. Somerset maugham, became one of the decades biggest hits and featured another formidable academy awardnominated performance by davis as the unfaithful wife of a rubber plantation owner herbert marshall who goes broke trying. The rest of this astonishing film concerns, outwardly at least, her trial for murder. This is one of my favourite bette davis films, which i regard as possibly one of her finest. Directed by 1 writing credits 2 cast 28 produced by 3 music by 1 cinematography by. Watch the letter 1940 movie trailer instantly, no need to login. Oct 15, 2016 the letter william wyler, usa, 1940 october 15, 2016 uncategorized notesonfilm1 the letter is a contender for bette davis greatest film and a brilliant example of classic hollywood filmmaking at its best. Koch berdasarkan pada drama tahun 1927 bernama sama karya w. The letter is a 1940 american film noir directed by william wyler. Koch is based on the 1927 play of the same name by w.
Jul 18, 2014 the letter was originally a stage play by somerset maugham and was adapted as a film for the first time in 1929 with jeanne eagels starring as leslie crosbie. See more ideas about movies, old movies and classic movies. Bio je nominovan za sedam oskara, izmedu ostalih i za najbolji film, najboljeg rezisera i najbolju glumicu. The seductively beautiful chiaroscuro cinematography lends a mood of sultry film noir oppression and brooding menace. Howard kochs screenplay from maughams short story is impeccable. Nightmares is a gory horror film but whats really scary is that according to the imdb the letter s writerdirector jay anania heads the directing program at the graduate film school at new york university and is one of james francos teachers. Future twotime best supporting actor nominee cecil kellaway the luck of the irish, guess whos coming to dinner is listed in the credits, even though his character has minimal screen time. Mar 22, 20 the letter 1940 95 min crime drama filmnoir 23 november 1940 usa the wife of a rubber plantation administrator shoots a man to death and claims it was selfdefense. Except that nightmares parodies the sort of pretentiousness found in the letter. To bring back hit me with your best shot after a oneweek hiatus, nathaniel at the film experience hit a home run in picking out a title, and i dont care if it was largely by accident. I was so happy when this was announced for a bluray release.
The letter is a 1940 film noir about a woman who murders her lover, and then must face his widow and her husband. All asians were considered japanese enemies, stereotyped and clumped together as if all the same singapore, an island, was occupied by the japanese. The letter, from 1940, is a damnass goddamn masterpiece. The film was released in 1940 when there wasnt much love for any type of asian person in the us. Released 1940, the letter stars bette davis, herbert marshall, james stephenson, frieda inescort the movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 35 min, and received a score of out of 100 on metacritic. But 11 years earlier it offered stage legend jeanne eagels her first and sole surviving sound role, in a feature transposed from maughams 1927 play. The letter 1940 film from wikimedia commons, the free media repository. Directed by william wyler and adapted by howard koch from w. Buy the letter movie posters from movie poster shop. The letter is a 1940 film noir directed by william wyler and starring bette davis, herbert marshall, gale sondergaard and james stephenson.
And her date culminates with an uncompromised moment of cruel justice at the. The screenplay by howard koch is based on the 1927 play of the same name by w. Bettes back in the letter by amanda garrett on sep 2, 2016 from old hollywood films. Nightmares is a gory horror film but whats really scary is that according to the imdb the letters writerdirector jay anania heads the directing program at the graduate film school at new york university and is one of james francos teachers.
Merle oberon and walter huston starred in a lux radio theatre broadcast version of the letter in 1938, two years before the film was released. Bette davis superb in masterful studio era production. Ann sheridan starred in a 1947 film version of the letter directed by vincent sherman. The letter adalah sebuah film noir amerika 1940 garapan william wyler, dan dibintangi oleh bette davis, herbert marshall dan james stephenson. Selznick and alfred hitchcocks drama rebecca at radio city music hall in new york. It stars the noted stage actress jeanne eagels and o.
The letter was written by the defendant conclusive evidence revealing that she had actually invited the victim to the plantation on that fateful night when her husband would be away. So we have two movies based on the exact same source material, but because of the production codes that were in place for the 1940 version, the movies are incredibly different. Her poise, graciousness and stoicism impress nearly everyone who meets her. It is part and parcel of my love of film generally, i suppose. Article text available under ccbysa image source in video.
The more films of wyler i watch, the less i associate him with epic filmmaking, but instead see him as an excellent actors director, and going back to his early black and white films shows him also to be very ingenious in using lights and shadows to portray the mood and emotions of the characters, as he does here in the letter. Studios davis was employed there from 1932 to 1949. Somerset maughams 1927 play, the letter is one of the very best films made during the golden age of the hollywood studios. Somerset moma, koji je prvi put bio ekranizovan 1929. Jan 25, 2016 the letter is best remembered for william wylers moody, noirish melodrama from 1940, starring bette davis at the peak of her histrionic powers.