The Letter is classic melodrama, starring Bette Davis, based on a play by based on a play by Somerset Maugham.
(Classic melodramas are Victorian dramas with orchestral music usually used in the background for effect. They were the precursors for noir. An article detailing Melodramas and comparing them to Film Noir will be featured in this blog, a few weeks from now.)
The locale for the story is British Malaya, what is now Malaysia and Singapore. The plot opens with the sound of gunfire. The door of a house opens and a man stumbles onto the porch and then falls to the ground. A woman follows him, brandishing a gun and fires at him a few more times. A group of natives, assemble around the house. One of them, the woman’s man servant recognizes the dead man as Geoff Hammond. The woman, Leslie Crombie is revealed to be the wife of a plantation owner Robert Crombie.
Robert arrives at the house soon after, and with him is the family’s attorney, Howard. Initially Leslie is in a state of shock but seems to recover her spirits very quickly. She tells Robert and Howard that Geoff tried to assault her. Howard is initially suspicious as to why she fired so many times, which Leslie explains, saying that she was in a state of shock.
Leslie’s narration seems to be a plausible story, where she acted in self defense. Things take a turn for the worse, when Howard’s Chinese assistant, Seng, produces a letter from Leslie to the now dead Geoff, asking him to come immediately as her husband is away. The original of the letter, Seng tells Howard is in the possession of Geoff’s late wife, a Chinese lady. The lady, Seng informs Howard, is willing to part with the letter for a generous ransom of 10,000 dollars.
Howard relates the news to Leslie, who begs him to get the letter, revealing that she was infact having an affair with Geoff. Howard relents and agrees to help Leslie buy the letter. Howard also convinces Robert to agree to part with the necessary amount by lying about the letter.
Upon Geoff’s wife’s insistence, Leslie visits her residence with Howard to hand over the ransom, where the two women have a cold confrontation. Leslie is then acquitted but trouble is just brewing now.
Cast: Bette Davis, Herbert Marshall, James Stephenson
Direction: William Wyle
Soon the shocking truth is revealed and the story ends with fate serving the guilty person the justice she deserved. The letter is a story of a passionate love, betrayal, jealousy and the inevitable death. While the film packs in it, some noir elements, it should be classified as a melodrama.
This is a riveting movie, with a strong story. Bette Davis, with her seductive eyes fits the role of Leslie Crombie to perfection. This is a movie worth watching. The Letter, the play, has been adapted to movies and TV many times. We will soon look at another adaptation of the movie, which is equally well done.
This version of the Letter was nominated for seven Academy awards, including a best actress nomination for Bette Davis. Bette Davis would also be added as a villain for her performance in AFI’s 100 years heroes and villains.
Bay Area Bloke 