The Letter (1940)

Bette Davis, Herbert Marshall, and James Stephenson feature in The Letter, a 1940 American film noir criminal thriller directed by William Wyler. The script by Howard E. Koch is based on W. Somerset Maugham's 1927 play of the same name, which was adapted from his own short tale.

Leslie Crosbie (Bette Davis) murders a guy in Singapore, claiming he tried to take advantage of her. Her husband, Robert (Herbert Marshall), hires attorney Howard Joyce (James Stephenson) to defend her when she is jailed. During the trial, Howard comes upon an incriminating letter that calls Leslie's story in doubt. The two become involved in a blackmail plan with a Malayan clerk (Victor Sen Yung) and the wife of the dead man (Gale Sondergaard). After the premiere of this film, Davis was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress. Davis and the whole cast were acclaimed for their performances by critics, and the film is still worth seeing today.