William Wyler's The Letter (1940) was nominated for seven Oscars in 1940 and remains a compelling example of two essential noir staples: dramatic lighting and the art of the femme fatale. I was watching it for Seasons of Bette, but the dramatic cinematography and Bette's heyday called out for a closer investigation from multiple sets of eyes...
The Letter's 11 Best Shots
in rough chronological order (click on the image for the 12 corresponding articles)
Her body language that it bleeds such layers into her character...
-A Fistful of Films
When William Wyler controls the moonlight, it shines with the all power of a Hollywood spotlight...
-We Recycle Movies
'Oh, it was all instinctive. I didn't even know I'd fired.'
- Sorta That Guy
The right blend of scared innocent and hardened survivalist, enough to be believable to her in-movie audience while sending out signals to the theater audience...
- Alison Tooey
We are witnessing a flashback occur in the present without leaving the scene...
- The Film's The Thing
The shadows of blinds in the protagonist’s face might be something that we now immediately associate with film noir...
-Coco Hits NY
Wyler is founding noir right here...
- Cal Roth
This fetishistic attention to Mrs Hammond's "exoticism" actually serves to level the playing field...
- The Film Experience
But what I really love about this particular shot is the costuming...
-Entertainment Junkie
It's almost like a standoff in a Western, except the women aren't on equal footing...
- Film Actually
One of the most visual performers of the sound era offers up an entire film's worth of great expressions...
-Antagony & Ecstasy
I try to think this is the moment where the film ends...
-Manuel Betancourt
Next Tuesday night (April 22nd)
Disney's POCAHONTAS (1995). Can you sing with all the colors of the wind? If so, please join us by selecting your best shot. The more pairs of eyes, the better the cinematic visions. [More Upcoming "Best Shot" Episodes]