Letty Lynton
| Letty Lynton | |
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Original film poster.
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| Directed by | Clarence Brown |
| Produced by | Hunt Stromberg (uncredited) |
| Written by | Wanda Tuchock (adaptation) |
| Screenplay by | John Meehan |
| Based on |
Letty Lynton by Marie Belloc Lowndes |
| Starring |
Joan Crawford Robert Montgomery Nils Asther Lewis Stone May Robson |
| Cinematography | Oliver T. Marsh |
| Edited by | Conrad A. Nervig |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
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Release date
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Running time
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84 min. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $347,000 |
| Box office | $1,172,000 |
Letty Lynton is a 1932 American Pre-Code drama film starring Joan Crawford, Robert Montgomery and Nils Asther. The film was directed by Clarence Brown, and based on the 1931 novel of the same name by Marie Adelaide Belloc Lowndes (this novel iteself based on a historical alleged murder committed by Madeleine Smith). Crawford plays the title character, in a tale of love and blackmail.
The film has since become famous due to its unavailability. It is also remembered for the "Letty Lynton dress", designed by Adrian - a white cotton organdy gown with large ruffled sleeves, puffed at the shoulder. Macy's department store copied the dress in 1932, and it sold over 50,000 replicas nationwide. Letty, the character played by Crawford, also gets away with murder, in a classic example of a Pre-Code Hollywood movie.
New York City socialite Letty Lynton has been living in Montevideo, Uruguay and wants to end her affair with Emile Renaul. On a steamship to the United States, Letty sees wealthy American Jerry Darrow and is immediately attracted to him. At dinner, their attraction increases, and after two weeks at sea, they have fallen in love.
On Christmas Eve, a worried Letty tells her maid that they must leave the boat in Havana because she doesn't want Jerry to know about her wild past, but when Jerry comes to her room to propose, she accepts. In New York, Letty is shocked to see Emile waiting for her on the dock. Making an excuse to Jerry, she leaves the boat before him and learns from Emile that he flew from South America to see her and plans to take her back with him. After she leaves Emile in the customs office, Letty goes home, accompanied by Jerry, who tells her that they have been invited to the home of his parents in Upstate New York and will leave that night, after Letty tells her mother about the engagement. Letty's mother, Mrs. Lynton, is an embittered woman who shows no affection for Letty, whom she regards as irresponsible. Soon Emile arrives, having read about the engagement in the newspapers, and warns her to meet him in his hotel room that night or he will show Jerry her explicit love letters. Letty is revolted and resolves to commit suicide rather than spend her life with Emile. She calls Jerry to change their departure to the next day, then goes to Emile's hotel, taking a bottle of poison with her. Letty begs for her letters, but he refuses and tells her that their affair will only be over when he says so. While Emile goes to the door to talk to a waiter, Letty puts the poison in her champagne glass, planning to drink it herself.
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