MovieChat Forums > The Letter (1940) Discussion > Like the film, however....

Like the film, however....

posted 10 years ago by mmitsos-1
2 replies | jump to latest

I have three MAJOR complaints:

1. The ever- intrusion w Max Steiner score. It's all over the film and is EXTREMELY annoying and headache - inducing

2. Gale Sondergaard's performance as Mrs. Hammond. PLEASE. What were they thinking????? She looked RIDICULOUS. Her stares and stiff neck turns were RUDICULOUS. Just grade B TRASH acting. Awful....a GRAVE weak point in this film.

3. The portrayal of just about every Chinese character was so stereotypically stupid; in particular, the portrayal of the little pischer that told the lawyer about the letter was so annoying. He was a fiendish, manipulative, ugly little pischer. I wish he had died in the film.

[–] mmitsos-1 10 years ago

Victor Sen Young...I guess that was the little pischer assistant. I could not STAND him. I couldn't stand any of his Charlie Chan films either (as "number one son").

[–] marhefka 10 years ago

mmitsos-1,

To tell you the truth, I never even noticed the score. So, obviously, I don't think it was intrusive.

Also, I actually liked Gale Sondergaard's performance. I thought her stares added suspense.

Yes, the portrayal of the Chinese characters was ridiculous.