Six years after exploding to stardom in Of Human Bondage, Bette Davis equalled that excitement with another W. Somerset Maugham role as an adulteress using her sexual wiles to escape a murder conviction in The Letter. The film throbs with sultry tension thanks to Davis, an impeccable supporting cast, atmospheric cinematography and the artistry of three-time Academy Award┬о winner* William Wyler, DavisтАЩ director on Jezebel and The Little Foxes. Nominated for seven Oscars┬о, including Best Picture, Actress, Director and Supporting Actor, The Letter remains one of HollywoodтАЩs most special deliveries, a peerless example of melodrama as movie art.