The Letter (1940): cast, story & where to watch
1940 · Film · ★ 7.3
Released in 1940, The Letter is a drama, crime, mystery and romance film directed by William Wyler, running about 95 minutes. “Fascinating, Tantalizing and DANGEROUS!” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. After a woman shoots a man to death, a damning letter she wrote raises suspicions.
Who’s in it. The Letter stars Bette Davis as Leslie Crosbie, Herbert Marshall as Robert Crosbie, James Stephenson as Howard Joyce and Frieda Inescort as Dorothy Joyce, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.3/10, The Letter has been warmly received by audiences.
Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Letter page.
If you liked it. Fans of The Letter tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The Letter (1940)?
- In US, The Letter is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is The Letter worth watching?
- The Letter holds an audience score of 7.3 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama, crime, mystery and romance. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in The Letter?
- The Letter stars Bette Davis, Herbert Marshall, James Stephenson, Frieda Inescort and Gale Sondergaard.
- When was The Letter released?
- The Letter was released in 1940, with a runtime of about 95 minutes.