In our last film, DARK VICTORY (1939), we explored a medical mystery surrounding a privileged socialite. Today we are discussing THE LETTER (1940), another mystery, yet this time of murder and less mystery; and Bette Davis is not just another socialite of privilege, but very much of white colonial privilege. Today we’ll address whether she is portraying a true vixen or perhaps a deeply complicated woman; in only the way that Bette can, with those enormous, telling eyes and range.
THE LETTER was based on a 1927 play by William Somerset Maugham. It was inspired by a real case of the wife of a headmaster of a Victorian school in a Malaysian territory, Edith Proudlock, who shot a male friend in April of 1911. She was convicted in the murder trial for his death but was later pardoned. The play premiered on the London stage in 1927, starring Nigel Bruce and Gladys Cooper (she also produced). It ran for sixty weeks. In 1929, the play also premiered on the Broadway stage, starring Katharine Cornell for a run for 104 performances.
In that same year of 1929, it was brought to the big screen in a Pre-Code-ish Paramount version directed by Jean de Limur, starring Jeanne Eagels as “Leslie” and Reginald Owen as her husband, “Robert.” Bette Davis was a big fan of Eagles and later campaigned to take on her role. Jeanne Eagles was born in Kansas City, MO in 1890 and had a successful career on the Broadway stage and then transitioned into silent films. In the mid-1920s she became addicted to alcohol and heroin and spent time in-and-out of rehab sanitoriums during the peak of her popularity. Tragically, she died from drug and alcohol overdose at the age of 39 years old in 1929, just as she was transitioning into early talkies. She was nominated posthumously for her role in THE LETTER (1929) at the 2nd Academy Awards in 1930. Her final resting place is at the Calvary Cemetery in Kansas City, MO.
Interestingly, it is Herbert Marshall who portrays “Geoffrey Hammond,” in the 1929 film, but portrays “Robert” in the 1940 film. Hammond meets his fate so quickly that we don’t see him in the ’40 film, but the ’29 version spends more time getting to know the ill-fated character. English actor Herbert Marshall (1890 – 1966) often played soft-spoken gentlemen. He lost his leg in WWI; he had a prosthetic wooden leg which was unaware to most public throughout his long career in Hollywood. It also didn’t slow down his acting career with over 90 acting credits across stage, film, and television and five decades.
Some of the other differences between the two film versions surround meeting “Li-Ti” who is a mistress/Asian prostitute of Hammond in the ’29 film but is his Eurasian wife in the ’40 film. Note worthy is that this role was portrayed by the Chinese-American actress, Lady Tsen Mei (1888 – 1985, birth name, Josephine Augusta Moy) in 1929. Whereas in 1940, this role went to Gale Sondergaard (1899 – 1985) a white actress. Disappointing to not see this role go an Asian American actress like Anna May Wong, but unfortunately this was a common practice seen more after the Pre-Code era.
Classic film fans may know Sondergaard as the first wicked witch of the West in WIZARD OF OZ (1939) prior to replacing her with a less conventionally attractive persona of Margaret Hamilton. She was also the first ever winner of the Best Supporting Actress Oscar (her film debut in ANTHONY ADVERSE, 1936). She also suffered a two-decade long hiatus in her film career after her husband, Herbert J. Biberman, was part of the infamous “Hollywood Ten” and as such was imprisoned for six months and placed on the Hollywood blacklist.
When Warner Brothers considered purchasing the film rights of THE LETTER in April 1938 from Paramount, they first approached Joseph Breen, head of censorship, prior to signing the deal. Breen rejected the entire film from the onset. But changes in the script would be made to appease the censors including softening the miscegenation issue by switching Ti-Li from Chinese mistress to secret Eurasian wife, and Leslie was to get her consequences in the end, to indicate justice for murder. Some of the casting in the run included Raymond Massey, and then George Brent as Robert Crosbie; but Brent preferred the attorney role of “Howard Joyce,” which was wisely already cast with James Stephenson. Bette was always the top choice for the lead.
By April 1940, William Wyler was signed on as director, after a brief, initial consideration of Edmund Goulding. He requested to have Howard Koch work the script for ten days. Screenwriter Howard Koch (1901 – 1995) is known for his adaption of HG Wells’ “War of the Worlds as “Invasion from Mars” for Orson Welles’s famed radio broadcast that panicked Americans into a frenzy. Among his great works, he is also noteworthy as a screenwriter for CASABLANCA (1942), which he adapted from the play, “Everybody Comes to Rick’s,” along with the Epstein brothers, Julius and Philip. After Jack Warner coerced Koch into writing a Russian sympathizing MISSION TO MOSCOW (1943) to appease the American Government during then-ally USSR’s efforts against Nazi Germany, it would later come to ruin Koch’s reputation when the HUAC was rooting out Communist sympathizers in Hollywood. Jack Warner named Koch for his left-leaning politics and cited that film as an example. Koch was blacklisted as a result and fled to England to write under a pseudonym. He eventually returned to America years later, but his golden Hollywood years were gone. Wyler also requested Gregg Toland as Cinematographer, but this request was not obliged.
As we explore the exotic and moody rubber plantation setting outside Singapore, it offers as an interesting comparison to Wyler and Davis’s collaboration on JEZEBEL. Again, of white privilege and strict adherence to cultural norms; in this case Bette’s “Leslie Crosbie” will use her position within white privilege like a shield to extoll her own set of ethics- and by her own hands.
The last time Davis and Wyler worked together was during JEZEBEL (1938). Keep in mind, this was also a turbulent time on set where Bette was navigating a work power play with her director, with a little romantic power play on the side. As we mentioned last time, Bette eventually divorced her husband Ham during DARK VICTORY (1939), but were the romantic sparks with Wyler completely fizzled? Wyler gave Bette an ultimatum when he began dating actress Margaret Tallichet (1914 – 1991), leaving a message that he would marry Margaret if Bette didn’t give him a reason not to. Bette ignored the message. William Wyler and Margaret were married on October 23, 1938, after less than 3 weeks of dating. They had five children together and were married for 43 years, until Wyler’s death in 1981. One might think this would add weird tension on the set of their first picture together following this, but the two obsessed over the quality of their work. By now, Bette knew their working relationship was the best type of partnership. “I personally, after ‘Jezebel’ would have jumped into the Hudson River if [Wyler] had told me so. That’s how much belief I had in his judgement as a director.”
However, there was a specific point of disagreement on the set of THE LETTER. Wyler insisted that Leslie look right into her husband’s eyes when she delivers the hard blow and most iconic line of the film, “… with all my heart, I still love the man I killed.” Davis thought it too cold-hearted, and she should look away in shame during the line, not after. “I couldn’t conceive of any woman looking into her husband’s eyes and admitting such a thing… I felt it would come out of her unbeknownst to herself, and therefore she would not be looking at him.” But he won that battle, and they shot it Wyler’s way. Even many years later, at the AFI tribute to Bette Davis, the subject was brought up, jokingly but minds hadn’t changed. Wyler: “Even today, 37 years later, 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 Brothers and re-shoot the scene her way.” Bette smiled slyly and nodded in agreement.
While Bette may have come realize Wyler’s brilliance, one actor that needed some persuading was co-star James Stephenson. Stephenson (1889 – 1941) was not Wyler’s top pick but Jack Warner wanted his contract player. Stephenson often argued with Wyler and grew weary of his notorious multitude of takes. After several times of Stephenson storming off, Bette would coax him back on set. “Every time Jimmy would leave, I would run after him and make him come back saying, ‘It will be worth it … You will give the great performance of your career under Wyler’s direction.” Perhaps Bette was right- it was indeed a highlight of his career. But perhaps it was also not worth it, because James Stephenson died only the next year, of a heart attack. The Brit actor was only 52 years old.
One of the most alluring aspects to THE LETTER, is the cinematography. Examples of shadows and light with haunting and glowing beauty. The contrasts of light and dark, with special attention to night scenes, of which there are many. We see Bette Davis standing alone, cast in the long, linear shadows of plantation blinds as the moon casts a splintered glow upon her face. We begin the film with the moon and clouds revealing Leslie’s shocking crime. She recoils as the moon bares light to her darkness. As the film ends, there is a sense of closure as the moon and clouds return.
One might be asking, is THE LETTER a film noir? As the “Czar of Noir” Eddie Muller’s puts it, while the definition of film noir is noted as beginning with THE MALTESE FALCON (1941), this precursor to that classic definition, stands outside the genre, on its own. It’s a prestigious vehicle made just for Bette Davis, which Muller calls her the “acting equivalent of Alfred Hitchcock” because “she transcended genre.” “They both cannot be categorized; these artists created their own category.” And Eddie Muller agreed that director William Wyler could be defined as the same.
Italian born cinematographer Tony Gaudio (1883 – 1951) worked successfully in the silent era after emigrating to the States in 1909. And while he was not Wyler’s nor Bette’s first pick (she preferred Ernie Haller), his talent is unmistakable. He knew how to photograph Bette very well from experience, as he was the Warner Brothers’ contracted Director of Photography across many of her films including KID GALAHAD (1937), THE SISTERS (1938), JUAREZ (1939), THE OLD MAID (1939), THE GREAT LIE (1941), THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER (1941). His exceptional skill in color photography can be seen in key scenes of THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD (1938).
Observe closely in Bette’s portrayal of Leslie Crosbie. Watch her range of emotion, when and how she navigates ethics, how she expresses with her eyes and body language. Note how “Leslie” uses the power of her manners, culture, status, and classism to manipulate those around her to position herself in the best light and strategize her own survival. Notice how she exudes control over every little action and word she skillfully places. Ultimately, is Leslie possessed with a mental condition of obsession? Or taken by a lover’s moment of passionate fury? Is she a stalker? Or, is she is the clinical definition of a sociopath?
Additionally, pay attention to the nods of foreshadowing and irony. Look for the visuals of symbolism. What does the delicate lace symbolize? Could Leslie be like a spider, dare even a black widow, as she is continually spinning her web? What do you make of the contrast between Leslie’s all white lace and the dark, sinister figure of Mrs. Hammond? How much of this is Asian racial stereotype and how much is irony? Where do you see other examples of racism/appropriation depicting the Asian characters here? Was this an accurate depiction of British colonial life in an Asian plantation?
For those of you who are radio broadcast fans, yes, there was a Lux Radio Theatre Broadcast- two, in fact. One from April 21, 1941, and another from March 6, 1944. Each starred the original casting of Bette Davis and Herbert Marshall. There have been several versions of THE LETTER in addition, including foreign adaptations, mostly during the 1930s, and a 1982 film starring Lee Remick.
THE LETTER was nominated for seven Oscars- Best Picture, Best Director (William Wyler), Best Actress in a Leading Role (Bette Davis), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (James Stephenson), Best Cinematography, Black-and-White (Tony Gaudio), Best Film Editing (Warren Low), Best Music, Original Score (Max Steiner).
Cast and Crew:
Directed by: William Wyler
Produced by: William Wyler, Hal B. Wallis, Robert Lloyd
Writing by: W Somerset Maugham (play), Howard Koch (screenplay)
Music by: Max Steiner
Cinematography: Tony Gaudio
Costumes: Orry-Kelly
Jeweller: Eugene Joseff
Bette Davis – Leslie Crosbie
Herbert Marshall – Robert Crosbie
James Stephenson – Howard Joyce
Frieda Inescort – Dorothy Joyce
Gale Sondergaard – Mrs. Hammond
David Newell – Geoffrey Hammond (uncredited)
Bruce Lester – John Withers
Elizabeth Inglis – Adele Ainsworth
Cecil Kellaway – Prescott
Victor Sen Yung – Ong Chi Seng
Doris Lloyd – Mrs. Cooper
Willie Fung – Chung Hi
Tetsu Komai – “Head boy”
Release date: November 23, 1940
Budget: $35k under the $700,000 allotted
Filming dates – May 27 – July 19, 1940 (only 3 days over)
Filming locations: 4 sound stages on the WB lot
Sources:
“Noir Alley with Eddie Muller.” Turner Classic Movies. June 3, 2018.
“Jeanne Eagles Funeral Held” October 7, 1929. The Pittsburgh Press. P. 45.
IMDB
“Dark Victory, The Life of Bette Davis.” By: Ed Sikov. Henry Holt and Co. 2007.
“AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Bette Davis.” 1977