Sunday 14 September 2014

The Letter (1940 William Wyler)

Bette Davis, Herbert Marshall, James Stephenson (good as lawyer), Gale Sondergaard, Victor Sen Yung (good as slightly sinister office clerk, recognisable to us from Across the Pacific and the Charlie Chan films; he alone is a good reason for watching).

Scene where they collect the letter, with its lighting, tinkly music, opium pipe and shadows is just wonderful. It's another Steiner-Gaudio collaboration for Warners, an atmospheric Howard Koch adaptation of Somerset Maugham.

Joke featuring Yung and small car is very timely.

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