The Letter

If you want to watch a GREAT version of The Letter you need to watch Bette Davis, 1940 movie. It was rated much higher then Remicks version. Remick didn't have the stuff to even make this. Remicks was just a made for tv movie while Davis stole the show in her movie version. Why do they continue to remake classic movies and then fail?

I saw the Lee Remick remake when it first came out, and was mind-blown by it. When I saw the Bette Davis version, I was disappointed that it lacked so much of the texture provided by the re-make. The oppressive climate, the contemptuous attitude toward the natives, the cultural isolation of the profiteers, and the stunning confrontation scene involving the transfer of the letter were all more palpable than in the earlier film, making for a much richer and more complex realization. It's not easy to find this one, but there are ways, and you won't be disappointed.