The Letter (1940 movie)

The Letter is a 1940 American crime drama movie directed by William Wyler and is the second adaption of the 1927 play of the same name by W. Somerset Maugham. It stars Bette Davis, Herbert Marshall, James Stephenson, Frieda Inescort, Gale Sondergaard, Bruce Lester, Cecil Kellaway, Sen Yung, Doris Lloyd and was distributed by Warner Bros.. It was nominated for 7 Academy Awards in 1941.

Plot
Leslie Crosbie, the wife of a British rubber plantation manager in Malaysia shoots dead Geoffrey Hammond, a well known member of the exparate community. Leslie tells the servant to send for the new district officer and her husband Robert, who is loading rubber for shipment. Leslie explains that she kills Hammond to protect her honor. 
The widow of Hammond has a letter written by Leslie. Her attorney, Howard Joyce, agrees to bribe the widow in order to not tell the DA about the letter. He knows full well this could ruin his career but does so under Leslie's manipulation. Leslie is acquitte.

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Category:1940 drama movies
Category:1940 crime movies
Category:1940 crime drama movies
Category:1940s American crime drama movies
Category:Movies based on plays
Category:Movies directed by William Wyler
Category:Warner Bros. movies
Category:Movies set in Malaysia
Category:Movies set in Singapore