Love Letters (1945)

Director:

William Dieterle

Writers:

Christopher Massie (novel)
Ayn Rand (writer)

Release Date:

26 October 1945 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Romance

Plot:

Allen Quinton writes a fellow soldier's love letters; tragedy results. Later, Allen meets a beautiful amnesiac who fears postmen...

Plot Keywords:

Love | Love Letter | Murder | WWII | Male Female Relationship

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars.

Cast

Jennifer Jones	...	Singleton
Joseph Cotten	...	Allen Quinton
Ann Richards	...	Dilly Carson
Cecil Kellaway	...	Mac
Gladys Cooper	...	Beatrice Remington
Anita Louise	...	Helen Wentworth
Robert Sully	...	Roger Morland
Reginald Denny	...	Defense counsel Phillips
Ernest Cossart	...	Bishop
Byron Barr	...	Derek Quinton
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Harry Allen	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Conrad Binyon	...	Boy in library (uncredited)
Nina Borget	...	Italian waitress (uncredited)
Matthew Boulton	...	Judge (uncredited)
Clifford Brooke	...	Cart driver (uncredited)
David Clyde	...	Postman (uncredited)
Alec Craig	...	Dodd (uncredited)
Catherine Craig	...	Jeanette Campbell (uncredited)
Louise Currie	...	Clara Foley (uncredited)
Mary Field	...	Nurse in Italy (uncredited)
Helena Grant	...	Attendant (uncredited)
Ethyl May Halls	...	Mary, bishop's wife (uncredited)
Lumsden Hare	...	Mr. Quinton (uncredited)
Winifred Harris	...	Mrs. Quinton (uncredited)
Arthur Hohl	...	Jupp (uncredited)
George Humbert	...	Italian innkeeper (uncredited)
Katie Johnson	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Connie Leon	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Anthony Marsh	...	Young Man at Party (uncredited)
James Millican	...	Jim Connings (uncredited)
Ottola Nesmith	...	Elderly Nurse (uncredited)
Constance Purdy	...	Old hag (uncredited)
Ian Wolfe	...	Vicar (uncredited)

Directed by
William Dieterle

Writing credits
Christopher Massie		(novel "Pity My Simplicity") (as Chris Massie)
Ayn Rand		(writer)

Produced by
Hal B. Wallis	....	producer

Original Music by
Victor Young

Cinematography by
Lee Garmes

Film Editing by
Anne Bauchens

Art Direction by
Roland Anderson
Hans Dreier

Set Decoration by
Ray Moyer

Costume Design by
Edith Head

Makeup Department
Wally Westmore	....	makeup supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Richard McWhorter	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Don Johnson	....	sound recordist
Don McKay	....	sound recordist

Visual Effects by
Farciot Edouart	....	process photography
Gordon Jennings	....	special photographic effects
Loyal Griggs	....	process photography assistant (uncredited)
Paul K. Lerpae	....	special photographic effects assistant (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Homer Plannette	....	gaffer (uncredited)

Other crew
Geoffrey Steele	....	technical advisor
Victor Stoloff	....	dialogue director

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1945) (USA) (theatrical)
• MCA/Universal Pictures (1958) (USA) (TV)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (199?) (USA) (VHS)
• Critics' Choice Video (199?) (USA) (VHS)
• M.P.E.A. (1949) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for language including sexual references, and for some thematic elements.

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

West Germany:16 | Finland:S | USA:Approved (PCA #10072)

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

One of over 700 Paramount Productions, filmed between 1929 and 1949, which were sold to MCA/Universal in 1958 for television distribution, and have been owned and controlled by Universal ever since.

Goofs:

Continuity: Dilly Carson relates to Allan Quinnton that she found Singleton sitting by the fireplace with a bloody knife and a letter from which Dilly quotes the signature line, "I think of you my dearest as the distance promise of beauty". But during the climactic flashback, we see the letter with that very line burning in the fireplace.

Quotes:

Allen Quinton: I couldn't possibly say what I'd like to say right now.
Singleton: What?
Allen Quinton: I'd like to say that you're lovely.
Singelton: Go ahead, say it. I'd like to hear it.
Allen Quinton: You're lovely.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Blue Velvet (1986)

Excellent (old) Ayn Rand

Although lacking the thematic elements of screenwriter Ayn Rand's subsequent novels, the script to this movie has an elegant plot and style characteristic of Rand's ever-popular novels The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged. Jennifer Jones is stunning as the quintessential innocent. I have watched the movie about three times and enjoyed it tremendously each time.