The Letter (1940 film)
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| The Letter | |
|---|---|
 The Letter movie poster |
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| Directed by | William Wyler |
| Produced by | Samuel Marx |
| Written by | W. Somerset Maugham (play) Howard Koch |
| Starring | Bette Davis Herbert Marshall James Stephenson |
| Music by | Max Steiner |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
| Release date(s) | November 22, 1940 (U.S. release) |
| Running time | 95 min |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
The Letter is a 1940 film noir which tells the story of a woman who murders her lover, and then must face his widow and her husband. It stars Bette Davis, Herbert Marshall, James Stephenson, Frieda Inescort and Gale Sondergaard. It is a remake of a previous talkie starring Jeanne Eagels, who was nominated for an Oscar as Best Actress.
The film was adapted by Howard Koch from the play by William Somerset Maugham. It was directed by William Wyler.
The movie was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. Davis was nominated for Best Actress and Stephenson for Best Supporting Actor. Davis set a precedent by receiving a nomination for recreating a role that had garnered a prior nomination.
The story was made into films a number of times, including the 1947 film, The Unfaithful and a television movie in 1982 with Lee Remick. Herbert Marshall appeared in both the 1940 film and the 1929 version.
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| 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 |
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