Bette Writes a Letter

Nighttime at a rubber plantation in Singapore; most of the workers are sleeping peacefully when shots ring out. A man stumbles from the main house, pursued by a woman with a gun. She fires into the man over and over again. She then calmly sends one of the workers for the district officer, saying it was an accident. We are discussing The Letter (1940).

This film features one of the more dramatic openings in movie history - a peaceful night interrupted by gunfire, as a woman pursues a fleeing man.  The report of the gun, the sounds of the previously quiet jungle screaming with panic - director William Wyler did 33 takes of the scene, though producer Hall Wallis told Wyler that it was the first take that he used in the final film (TCM Behind the Scenes). 

Bette Davis is the dominant force in the film. She is powerful even in scenes of quiet. While you are suspicious of Leslie Crosbie from the start (we did after all watch her gun down a man), Ms. Davis gently feeds the information to us strand by strand, much like the crochet lacework that is constantly in her hands. Ms. Davis was eager to work with Mr. Wyler - they'd previously worked together on the Jezebel, a performance which had won Ms. Davis an Oscar. (TCM The Big Idea). Nonwithstanding of their mutual affection and regard for one another, they still had disagreements - in a late scene, Mr. Wyler insisted that Ms. Davis look into Herbert Marshall's (Robert Crosbie) eyes to tell him she loved another. Ms. Davis was horrified - it was too cruel, she said, but Mr. Wyler insisted.  When she won the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award, Mr. Wyler was in attendance. "Even today 37 years later," he said, "we still disagree on it. Well, Bette read it the way I asked her to, but I'm sure she would like nothing better right now than to drive over to Warner Bros. and re-shoot the scene her way." The camera caught Ms. Davis nodding her head vigorously in agreement (TCM Trivia)

James Stephenson brings nuance to the character of lawyer Howard Joyce, the man who first grasps the levels of Leslie's duplicity.  He'd appeared in a variety of parts since he began in films in 1937 but this film was the first to use him to good effect.  He had his issues with Mr. Wyler, but Ms. Davis would convince him to try Wyler's way. Ultimately, he was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor (he lost to Walter Brennan in The Westerner).  Sadly, Mr. Stephenson would only appear in five more films - he died in 1941 of a heart attack.  

The first actress considered for Mrs. Hammond was Anna May Wong, but William Wyler felt she was too young and too attractive to portray the sinister widow.  Instead, Gale Sondergaard was given the part, and she is excellent in a part that relies on facial expression and body language for her communication with the audience (Mrs. Hammond does not speak English). Ms. Sondergaard would eventually be forced to leave Hollywood for the New York stage when her husband Herbert Biberman was accused of being a communist.  She eventually returned to Hollywood, where she worked in film and television until her retirement in 1982. 

Herbert Marshall is very good in what is basically a thankless role as the cuckolded husband.  He'd appeared in the 1929 version of the film (as the murder victim) (TCM Pop Culture). He has several heartbreaking scenes at the end of the film that reveal much about this misused man.  

It's worth noting the presence of Frieda Inescort (Dorothy Joyce) in a very small role as defense lawyer Joyce's wife. Victor Sen Yung (here billed as Sen Yung) is quite convincing as Ong Chi Seng, the somewhat shady lawyer in training, who is the first to reveal the existence of the Letter. 

There is one other character in the film, and that is Leslie's lace crochet.  We see it immediately after Geoff's death, and slowly the project grows as Leslie's lies become more and more intricate.  The dropped lace project at the end signals the film's ultimate conclusion, much like the three fates weaving out the lives of mortals.

The New York Times review by Bosley Crowther was glowing, and the film was ultimately nominated for Academy Awards in the categories of Picture; Supporting Actor, Actress, Editing, Direction, Original Score, and Black and White Cinematography (it didn't win in any category) (AFI catalog).

Jeanne Eagles starred as Leslie in the 1929 film version (which had a very different ending, the Production Code not being an issue at that point).  There were three Lux Radio Theatre productions - May 1938 with Merle Oberon and Walter Huston; April 1941 with Bette Davis, Herbert Marshall, and James Stephenson; and March 1944 with Bette Davis, Herbert Marshall and Vincent Price.  The October 1956 Producer's Showcase television version was directed by William Wyler and featured Siobhan McKenna, John Mills, and Anna May Wong (who finally got to play Mrs. Hammond). Lee Remick starred in a 1982 television movie remake; also featured in that version was Sarah Marshall, the daughter of Herbert Marshall.

We'll leave you with a trailer of this remarkable film: