The Letter (1999): cast, story & where to watch
1999 · Film · ★ 5.9
Released in 1999, The Letter is a drama film directed by Manoel de Oliveira, running about 107 minutes.
What it’s about. 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 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.
Who’s in it. The Letter stars Chiara Mastroianni as Mme de Clèves, Pedro Abrunhosa as Pedro Abrunhosa, Antoine Chappey as M. de Clèves and Leonor Silveira as La religieuse, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 5.9/10, The Letter has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.
Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Letter page.
If you liked it. Fans of The Letter tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The Letter (1999)?
- Streaming, rental and purchase options for The Letter change frequently. Check our where-to-watch page for the latest availability in your country.
- Is The Letter worth watching?
- The Letter holds an audience score of 5.9 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in The Letter?
- The Letter stars Chiara Mastroianni, Pedro Abrunhosa, Antoine Chappey, Leonor Silveira and Maria João Pires.