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Film The Letter (1940)

  • Letter-40_large

A rubber plantation in British Malaya is the stormy backdrop for The Letter, a 1940 black-and-white blockbuster vehicle for Hollywood hurricane Bette Davis. Directed by William Wyler and based on a 1927 play by Somerset Maugham, this melodramatic potboiler tells the tale of Leslie Crosbie, a ballsy murderess who delivers a cautionary message: never pen your guilt. The film — screened here tonight as part of LACMA's centenary tribute to Davis — picked up seven Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actress, and Davis' portrayal of Crosbie still ranks as one of her wickedest performances.

– Julian Hooper

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