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  • The Letter (1999)
  • 107 min | Drama
The Letter (1999)
107 min | Drama

A well-bred, lovely, spiritual, sad young woman marries an attentive physician who loves her. She feels affection but no love. Soon after, without design, she falls in love with Pedro Abrunhosa, a poet and performance artist. He also loves...See moreA well-bred, lovely, spiritual, sad young woman marries an attentive physician who loves her. She feels affection but no love. Soon after, without design, she falls in love with Pedro Abrunhosa, a poet and performance artist. He also loves her. She keeps her distance from him, confessing her love to a friend who is a nun and, later, to her husband. Hunger for her love and jealousy consume him; she attends him as he wastes away. With his death, she can marry and express her passion, but what she does and how she explains herself, particularly to her cloistered friend, is at the heart of the film. Glimpses of convent life and of Abrunhosa on stage give contrast and mute comment. Written by See less
Writers
Manoel de Oliveira (scenario and dialogue) | Madame de La Fayette (inspired by the book "La Princesse de Clèves") (as Mme. de Lafayette) | Jacques Parsi (translation: French)
Producer
Cinematographer
Casting Director
Production Designer
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Status
Edit Released
Updated May 21, 1999

Release date
Oct 1999 (United States)

Contacts

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Cast

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17 cast members
Name Known for
Chiara Mastroianni
Mme de Clèves Mme de Clèves   See fewer
Pedro Abrunhosa
Pedro Abrunhosa Pedro Abrunhosa   See fewer
Antoine Chappey
M. de Clèves M. de Clèves   See fewer
Leonor Silveira
La religieuse La religieuse   See fewer
Françoise Fabian
Mme de Chartres Mme de Chartres   See fewer
Maria João Pires
Maria João Pires Maria João Pires   See fewer
Anny Romand
Mme de Silva Mme de Silva   See fewer
Luís Miguel Cintra
M. Da Silva M. Da Silva   See fewer
Stanislas Merhar
François de Guise François de Guise   See fewer
Claude Lévèque
Le médecin de Mme de Chartres Le médecin de Mme de Chartres   See fewer
Alain Guillo
Le directeur de Jouillerie Le directeur de Jouillerie   See fewer
Jean-Loup Wolff
Le médecin de l'hôpital Le médecin de l'hôpital   See fewer
Marcel Terroux
Le Jardinier Le Jardinier   See fewer
Claude Sempere
Voix Off Présentateur TV Voix Off Présentateur TV   See fewer
Marianne Bey Zave
Emploièe de Mme de Chartres Emploièe de Mme de Chartres   See fewer
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