Letter from an Unknown Woman

Discussion of programming on TCM.
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ken123
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Re: Letter from an Unknown Woman

Post by ken123 »

Thank you mrsl. :D
markfp
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Re: Letter from an Unknown Woman

Post by markfp »

I haven't watched the whole thing yet, but I did a spot check of my recording and it's just BEAUTIFUL! Either it was mastered from the original negs or at the very least a pristine 35mm print. I can't imagine a DVD looking any better.
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sandykaypax
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Re: Letter from an Unknown Woman

Post by sandykaypax »

I finally watched Letter from an Unknown Woman yesterday. I had seen it once, about 20 years ago, on VHS. I agree with the others here that the print TCM showed was stunningly beautiful. I definitely liked it better now, in my 40's, than I did in my 20's. BUT I still got so annoyed with Lise for not telling Stefan WHO SHE IS when he sees her at the opera. WHY?

Joan Fontaine gives a lovely sensitive performance in the film. My favorite performance of hers is still in Rebecca, though.

I think I may have been distracted for a few moments as I was watching the film because I don't know why he never came back to Lise. Did I miss something? He tells her he will be back in 2 weeks, and the next thing I know, she has just given birth to their son.

Sandy K
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ChiO
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Re: Letter from an Unknown Woman

Post by ChiO »

I revisited LETTER FROM AN UNKNOWN WOMAN last night and saw a number of things that flew by me the other times. Although the narrative is one that might have made latterday Douglas Sirk blush, Ophuls' camera -- beyond its obvious lyricism -- does add meaning to what otherwise would have been the worst sort of weepie. It struck me that despite all of the interiors, there are remarkably few solid doors; however, the film is replete with barriers: windows, railings with grillework, iron gates and fences with bars, french doors, curtains. Those barriers enable Lisa always to see the other side, creating a separation, but allowing a vision as to what is on the other side and thereby making the separation even more heartrending both for her and the audience.

With each viewing, Stefan gets emptier -- not merely a womanizing scoundrel, but a cipher. Stefan's shrouded-in-mist recollections of Lisa at the end are not fond or bittersweet memories, but glimpses of her only at their initial meetings that started each episode. No memory of a night at the carnival or a departure at the train station or her final visit -- only the meetings because, for him, a meeting was the important event, the start of a game of conquest and their actual time together was not worth a memory. And in a bit of irony not caught before, I realized that in the background of many of the exteriors there, rising as a phallic symbol, is St. Stephen Cathedral.

Perhaps this film is not about a "romance" in the usual sense at all. The physical and, to some extent, the emotional aspect of her attraction to him is minimal. Lisa was drawn to Stefan, not when she saw him, but when she heard his music. She then studied music at the library. When together, she wanted him to play the piano. And when she left him with finality, perhaps it wasn't just that he did not remember her, but because she learned that he had stopped playing and locked his keyboard. From her perspective, it was not a romanticized full physical and emotional relationship that she wanted from him. He was her Muse -- the representative of a world of culture (Vienna, not backwater Linz) and the potential fulfillment of her intellectual life. Discovering that, in fact, as Stein might say of him, there is no there there, is the greatest disillusionment of all.
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charliechaplinfan
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Re: Letter from an Unknown Woman

Post by charliechaplinfan »

That's really insightful, it's been a while since I saw this movie, maybe I'll have to dust off my copy. Letter was the first ophuls film I ever saw, since then I've searched him out and rented or bought everything I could by him. Maybe I'll see Letter through news eyes.
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
feaito

Re: Letter from an Unknown Woman

Post by feaito »

I agree with Alison ChiO, that's a very interesting, insightful and very well written essay on one of my favorite films, which by the way I also had planned to revisit soon.
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Re: Letter from an Unknown Woman

Post by feaito »

Last night I revisited the film with two friends who were impressed by the movie, especially by Joan Fontaine's luminous performance, the masterful camera movements, the awesome cinematography and the flawless sets and its superb atmosphere. Ophüls really achieved something out of this world in this masterpiece.

The print I watched is the one included in a Region 2 PAL DVD release and its absolutely flawless, pristine and all in all perfect....a video essay by film historian Tag Gallagher is a marvelous bonus, since it analyzes in deep this wondrous film. He talks about Lisa's -in his view- sadomasochistic nature and sheds a new light -for me at least- on the story and the film....in one part of the essay he says "these two share a disease and not love..."

What a grand film. I'll never get tired of watching it over and over again. Can anyone believe this film was not shot on location? What a wonderful craftsman was Max Ophüls.
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charliechaplinfan
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Re: Letter from an Unknown Woman

Post by charliechaplinfan »

Joan Fontaine and Louis Jourdan aren't who I'd class as the best screen actor and actress, they are movie stars, they look so beautiful together and when I watch this movie I feel like they were made for those parts. Actors in Ophuls films always give good performances, even when they play against type, there is a naturalness to their performances. I can only imagine that he was an actors director.
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
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moira finnie
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Re: Letter from an Unknown Woman

Post by moira finnie »

Our member Mary-Kate has created a beautiful tribute to this film, incorporating the traditional song, "She's Like the Swallow." An excellent choice of music and images, friend!
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CineMaven
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Re: Letter from an Unknown Woman

Post by CineMaven »

What a fantastic job of editing was done on this video. Maricatrin captured it all...the love, the heartbreak and the devastation. Great choice of music. She captured the film's essence. Seeing her video made me read this entire thread from stem to stern. Made me re-examine my own November thoughts on the film as well. Re-reading every one's accounts made me feel a tad sorry for Jourdan. ( A tad...just shy of a smidgen but more than a skoosh. ) I mean, if someone offered YOU their entire heart - soul - devotion - adoration - being - love in its purest - unadulterated - 150%-proof form, and you did not have to work for it, or earn it or return it and they laid it at your feet...would you not drink from that fontaine? ( Use the name of your choice. )

Okay TCM. For the next TCM film festival, you must ask for submissions of fan-made videos of their favorite films, genres or movie stars and spotlight the best ones during the festival. Remember, you heard it here first!

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Re: Letter from an Unknown Woman

Post by feaito »

Beautifully achieved and utterly moving Maricatrin. Congratulations. Thanks for posting it Moira.
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Re: Letter from an Unknown Woman

Post by Maricatrin »

Moira, feaito, CineMaven - thank you all so much for the wonderful comments! Moira, I had no idea you were subscribed to my channel; it was so nice of you to post my video here!

CineMaven, your comment about it capturing "the film's essence" thrilled me, as that is my favorite thing to do with my music videos: tell the movie's story over again, so that someone who has not seen the film will get an idea of what the film is about (and hopefully want to see it?)

I'm a much more visual than verbal person, I guess --- writing is like pulling teeth to me, but video editing is a real pleasure and one of my favorite hobbies. So I'd continue to make videos even if I didn't know other people enjoyed them --- but knowing they do certainly is an added bonus! :D

Thanks again.
https://www.youtube.com/c/MaricatrinsMusicVideos
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moira finnie
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Re: Letter from an Unknown Woman

Post by moira finnie »

Mary-Kate, your videos are a joy to view and hear. Any time you would like to post more here, I think you have a ready and appreciative audience. If anyone would like to see all of the inventive and appealing videos on our fellow member's channel, you can see them here. I'll also post this note in the Youtub'n thread under the General TV &Media section:
http://www.youtube.com/user/MissMaricatrin
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