The Letter is a 1982 American television movie, starring Lee Remick, Ronald Pickup, Jack Thompson, Ian McShane and Christopher Cazenove and directed by John Erman. It is the third film version of the 1927 play of the same title by W. Somerset Maugham.
It screened as part of ABC Theatre.'ABC Theater' offers Lee Remick in The Letter Los Angeles Times 2 May 1982: m1.
Plot
Cast Lee Remick as Leslie Crosbie Ronald Pickup as Howard Joyce Jack Thompson as Robert Crosbie Ian McShane as Geoff Christopher Cazenove as Officer Withers Kieu Chinh as Chinese Woman Wilfrid Hyde-White as Judge Sarah Marshall as Dorothy Joyce Soon-Tek Oh as Ong James Hong as Old Man Molly Roden as Warden Larkin
Production Remick's casting was announced in April 1981.LEE REMICK SET FOR 'LETTER' Los Angeles Times 24 Apr 1981: g16. The story had been filmed twice before but Remick said "our version is different because we actually show what happened rather than relying on the woman's explanation."REMICK SHIFTS SCENES IN A TALE OF TWO CITIES: REMICK RETURNS Los Angeles Times 13 Apr 1982: i1.
The movie was an early international role for Australian actor Jack Thompson.
Reception The Chicago Tribune called it "wickedly wonderful."ABC delivers a 'Letter' postmarked intrigue: Marilynn Preston on TV ABC sends a 'Letter' postmarked intrigue Chicago Tribune 3 May 1982: c11.
The Los Angeles Times called it "quite remarkable...literate, sumptuously produced, beautifully acted."'THE LETTER': TROPICAL PASSIONS Brown, James. Los Angeles Times 3 May 1982: g
Awards Remick was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film.
The film won the Primetime Emmy Award for Cinematography for a Limited Series or a Special, Costume Design for a Special, and Art Direction for a Limited Series or a Special. Laurence Rosenthal was nominated for Music Composition for a Limited Series or a Special (Dramatic Underscore).
References
External links
The Letter at Letterbox DVD