The Letter (1940)
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Film Structure
Film Music Structure for
The Letter
Number
Scene Type
Time
Theme
Variant
Gesture
On-screen
1
opening title sequence
0:00:00
Signature
WB Shield
2
0:00:08
Letter
Bette Davis
3
0:00:11
Hammond A
The Letter
4
0:00:25
Hammond B
Cast list
5
0:00:44
Hammond A
Cast list
6
establish location
0:00:58
Plantation
Plantation sign
7
0:01:21
Native
Men sleeping in hammocks at the plantation
8
NIF
Native
Uncut
9
murder scene
0:02:57
Hammond A
Shimmery
Leslie stands over the dead body
10
0:03:43
Hammond A
Revolver
Leslie talks with the workers
11
0:04:12
Native 2
Leslie talks with the workers and asks them to leave
12
0:04:29
Underscoring (Mysterious)
Leslie leaves the room
13
0:04:42
Hammond A
Mysterioissimo
Worker looks around the room
14
0:04:55
Hammond A
Crying
Leslie cries in the other room
15
action scene
0:05:14
Runners
Workers run through jungle
16
0:05:50
Mr. Hammond Has Been Shot
Boy tells Robert that Mr. Hammond has been shot
17
0:06:04
Underscoring (Dramatic)
Worker talks to Robert
18
transition
0:06:11
Hammond A
Distressed
Robert arrives at the plantation
19
0:06:21
Underscoring (Tense)
Robert goes in the house
20
advance plot
NIF
Hammond A
Not in Film
21
0:12:42
Underscoring (Tense)
Leslie relates the situation before the murder
22
0:13:14
Hammond A
The Story
Leslie says she loves Robert
23
0:13:28
Hammond A
Deception
Leslie gets emotional and talks about the struggle
24
0:14:07
Hammond A
Risoluto
Leslie gets back up to continue her story
25
0:14:31
Hammond A
Tragic
Leslie tells her story
26
0:14:42
Hammond B
Screwyoso
Leslie tells her story
27
0:15:10
Letter
Sarcastic
Men accept Leslie's story
28
0:15:28
Letter 2
Robert comforts Leslie
29
0:15:53
Andante Doloroso
Men walk outside to look at dead body
30
0:16:09
Hammond A
Dark
Men look at dead body
31
0:16:38
Creeping
Man creeps across the screen
32
0:16:48
Film wipe
Film wipe
33
0:18:36
Murder
Howard explains that Leslie could be charged with murder
34
love scene
0:18:55
Hammond A
Shimmery
Leslie stares at the moon
35
0:19:26
Hammond B
Screwyoso
Leslie closes the blinds
36
0:19:45
Letter
Sarcastic
Leslie looks at Robert
37
0:20:07
Letter 2
Robert embraces Leslie
38
0:20:33
Kiss
Robert kisses Leslie
39
advance plot
0:21:46
Hammond A
Delicato
Men admire needlepoint
40
0:22:26
Hammond A
The Story
Leslie speaks with Howard
41
0:22:41
Letter
Sarcastic
Leslie and Howard leave
42
0:22:58
Hammond A
Ominous
Leslie leaves the house and Mrs. Hammond appears
43
establish character
0:23:27
Mrs. Hammond
Mrs. Hammond enters the shed to find the body of her dead husband
44
0:24:12
Mrs. Hammond
Appassionato
Mrs. Hammond looks at her husband
45
transition
0:24:33
Law Office
Sign for Mr. Joyce's law firm
46
advance plot
0:30:04
Hammond A
Mysterioso
Howard in his office
47
0:30:23
Hammond B
Screwyoso
Howard grabs the letter
48
0:30:45
Mrs. Hammond
Lawyer
Howard speaks with his secretary
49
0:30:58
Hammond A
Walking
Leslie leaves the cell to go to the visiting room
50
0:31:24
Waiting
Howard waits for Leslie
51
pivotal scene
0:34:20
Hammond A
Tense
Howard tells Leslie about the letter
52
0:34:35
Deception
Leslie lies about the letter
53
0:34:47
Hammond A
Deception
Leslie starts to worry about the letter
54
0:35:11
Hammond A
Risoluto
Leslie decides how to defend her having written the letter
55
0:35:39
Denial
Leslie denies writing the letter
56
0:36:08
Letter
Agitato
Leslie changes her mind and admits to having written the letter
57
0:36:16
Letter
Frantic
Leslie defends her actions as having written the letter
58
0:36:22
Underscoring (Tense)
Leslie explains why she wrote the letter
59
0:36:42
Hammond A
The Story
Leslie tells Howard more lies about the letter
60
0:36:53
Underscoring (Tense)
Howard takes out the letter
61
0:37:07
Hammond A
Risoluto
Howard reads the letter to Leslie
62
0:37:21
Hammond A
Tragic
Howard talks to Leslie
63
0:37:34
Hammond B
Screwyoso
Howard talks to Leslie
64
0:37:54
Hammond A
Shimmery
Howard talks to Leslie
65
0:38:20
Collapse
Leslie collapses on the ground
66
advance plot
0:38:57
Hammond A
Resigned
Howard talks to Leslie in the hospital
67
0:39:25
Hammond B
Con Moto
Leslie asks Howard about the letter
68
0:39:32
Hammond A
Plotting
Howard and Leslie plot their next move
69
0:40:00
Law Office
The Plea
Howard asks Leslie to be honest
70
0:40:33
Hammond A
Despair
Leslie despairs
71
0:40:57
Hammond A
Deception
Howard says he doesn't despise Leslie
72
0:41:12
Letter 2
Howard says he will do what he can to help Leslie
73
0:42:17
Letter 2
Triste
Howard disapproves of Leslie's lack of faithfulness to her husband
74
dinner
0:48:42
Sociable
People having dinner
75
0:49:41
Hammond A
Uneasy
They discuss the trial
76
0:49:58
Sociable
Ending
Pleasant conversation
77
advance plot
0:50:37
Lento Mysterioso
They plan to get the letter
78
0:51:14
Lento Mysterioso
Expressivo
Howard is upset about committing a crime
79
0:51:41
Hammond A
Ominous
Leslie and Howard sitting in the room
80
0:51:49
Mrs. Hammond
Howard and Leslie wait for Ong Chi Seng
81
0:52:07
Hammond A
Delicato
Howard and Leslie talk about lacework
82
0:52:33
Hammond B
Ethereal
Howard and Leslie talk
83
0:52:55
Hammond A
Tragic
Howard and Leslie talk
84
0:53:10
Hammond B
Screwyoso
Howard and Leslie talk
85
transition
0:53:20
Hammond A
Leaving
Howard and Leslie leave the house
86
0:53:35
Hammond A
Screwyoso
Howard and Leslie walk away
87
0:53:54
Mrs. Hammond
Grandioso
Howard and Leslie drive to meet with Mrs. Hammond
88
0:54:15
Chinese Quarter
Howard and Leslie enter the Chinese Quarter
89
0:55:30
Chinese Shop
Howard and Leslie enter a shop in the Chinese Quarter
90
0:56:29
Mrs. Hammond
Mysterioso
Howard and Leslie wait in the shop
91
0:57:04
Mrs. Hammond
Dagger
Leslie looks at a Chinese dagger
92
conflict
0:57:27
Mrs. Hammond
Slowly
Howard and Leslie walk into the back room
93
0:59:08
Glass Curtains
Mrs. Hammond enters through the glass curtain
94
1:00:13
Mrs. Hammond
Glass Curtains
Leslie pays Mrs. Hammond
95
1:01:27
Hammond A
Glass Curtains
Leslie removes the shawl from her head
96
1:01:57
Hammond B
Glass Curtains
Leslie approaches Mrs. Hammond with the money
97
1:02:21
Glass Curtains
Leslie faces Mrs. Hammond, then Mrs. Hammond throws down the letter
98
1:02:40
Mrs. Hammond
Glass Curtains: Contempt
Leslie stoops down to pick up the letter
99
1:02:50
Hammond B
Glass Curtains: Dark
Leslie faces Mrs. Hammond again and looks at the letter
100
1:03:08
Mrs. Hammond
Solemn
Leslie and Howard leave
101
trial
1:08:54
Mrs. Hammond
Bitter
Leslie sees Mrs. Hammond as they leave the courtroom
102
party
1:09:09
Sociable
Leslie and Robert meet with friends
103
conflict
1:14:42
Hammond A
Restless
Robert asks about the letter
104
1:14:57
Hammond A
Wild
Robert waits for a response
105
1:15:08
Distress
Robert confronts the lawyer
106
1:15:28
Hammond A
Molto Agitato
Robert argues with Leslie
107
1:15:45
Underscoring (Dramatic)
Robert asks to see the letter
108
1:16:14
Letter 2
Tragic
Robert reads the letter
109
1:16:36
Hammond A
Confession
Leslie confesses to Robert
110
1:17:35
Mrs. Hammond
Confession
Leslie confesses to Robert
111
1:17:52
Hammond A
Deception
Leslie confesses to Robert
112
1:17:59
Hammond A
Tragic
Leslie confesses to Robert
113
1:18:13
Hammond B
Ethereal
Leslie confesses to Robert
114
1:18:32
Hammond A
Dramatic
Leslie confesses to Robert
115
1:19:00
Letter 2
Mournful
Robert cries after hearing the confession
116
transition
1:19:41
Hammond A
Guilty
The full moon on a dark night
117
advance plot
1:19:49
Foxtrot No.1 A
Leslie getting ready for the party
118
1:20:02
Mrs. Hammond
Foxtrot
Ong is seen in the mirror dropping something
119
1:20:05
Foxtrot No.1 B
Leslie getting ready for the party
120
1:20:53
Hammond A
Foxtrot
Leslie looks at the full moon, then sees the knife
121
1:21:15
Mrs. Hammond
Foxtrot 2
Leslie looks around to see who left the knife
122
party
1:21:36
Foxtrot No.1 C
Leslie goes to the party
123
1:22:12
Foxtrot No.2
Leslie dances at the party
124
1:23:25
Foxtrot No.3
Robert talks to friends at the party
125
climax
1:25:08
Hammond A
Foxtrot No.3
Leslie leaves the party, stares at the moon, and is worried
126
1:25:39
Hammond A
Distraught
Leslie cries
127
1:26:07
Underscoring (Mysterious)
Leslie talks to Robert
128
1:26:36
Hammond A
Ethereal
Leslie and Robert look at each other
129
1:26:52
Underscoring (Tense)
Leslie talks to Robert
130
1:27:06
Letter 2
Tense
Leslie talks to Robert
131
1:28:04
Deception
Lohengreenish
Robert asks for Leslie's love and devotion
132
1:29:01
Hammond A
Very Slow
Leslie says she loves the man she killed then cries
133
1:29:32
Mrs. Hammond
Dirge
Leslie heads towards the door
134
1:29:49
Mrs. Hammond
Missing Dagger
Leslie opens the door
135
1:30:02
Hammond A
Climactic
Leslie finds that the knife is gone
136
1:30:30
Shadow
Leslie leaves the house
137
1:30:42
Native
Climactic
Leslie wanders through her garden
138
1:31:18
Deception
Appassionato
Close-up of Leslie
139
1:31:36
Hammond A
The Moon
Leslie watches the moon go behind a cloud
140
1:31:55
Mrs. Hammond
Ambush
Leslie moves through the gate
141
1:32:48
Hammond A
Deliberate
Mrs. Hammond approaches Leslie with a knife
142
1:33:01
Mrs. Hammond
Revenge
Mrs. Hammond stabs Leslie
143
1:33:31
Policeman
A policeman comes to investigate but does nothing
144
1:33:42
Hammond A
Reckoning
Mrs. Hammond walks away and we see Leslie's dead body
145
NIF
Letter 2
The Body
146
resolution
1:33:58
Foxtrot No.3
Camera pans to the party going on in the house
147
1:34:18
Hammond A
Foxtrot No.3B
Leslie's lacework
148
1:34:28
Hammond A
Ending
Camera pans to the moon and The End title appears
149
end title sequence
1:34:41
Letter
End credits
150
1:34:44
Hammond A
End Title
End credits