The Letter ( A Carta ) ( Le Lettre )

The Letter (DVD) (*)

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Original Title: A Carta
Alternate Title: Le Lettre
Screened, competed or awarded at:
Cannes Film Festival

Language Selections:
English ( Subtitles )
French ( Dolby Digital 2.0 )
French ( Subtitles )
Portuguese ( Subtitles )
Spanish ( Subtitles )

Product Origin/Format:
Portugal ( PAL/Region 0 )

Running Time:
105 min

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen (1.66:1)

Special Features:
Cast/Crew Interview(s)
Interactive Menu
Photo Gallery
Trailer(s)

Movie filmed in 1999 and produced in:
France ( France, Benelux )
Portugal ( Spain, Portugal )
Spain ( Spain, Portugal )

Directed By:
Manoel de Oliveira

Written By:
Manoel de Oliveira
Madame de La Fayette
Jacques Parsi

Actors:
Chiara Mastroianni ..... Mme de Clèves
Pedro Abrunhosa ..... Pedro Abrunhosa
Antoine Chappey ..... M. de Clèves
Leonor Silveira ..... La religieuse
Françoise Fabian ..... Mme de Chartres
Maria João Pires ..... Maria João Pires
Anny Romand ..... Mme de Silva
Luís Miguel Cintra ..... M. Da Silva
Stanislas Merhar ..... François de Guise
Claude Lévèque ..... Le médecin de Mme de Chartres
Ricardo Trepa ..... Intrus
Alain Guillo ..... Le directeur de Jouillerie
Jean-Loup Wolff ..... Le médecin de l'hôpital
Alexandre Nanaia ..... Le Jardinier
Marcel Terroux

Synopsis:

Veteran Portuguese director Manoel Oliveira brings the events and characters of a famous 17th-century French novel, La princesse de Cleves by Madame de Lafayette, to the modern day in this film about passion and matrimonial virtues. Mademoiselle de Chartres (Chiara Mastroianni) has her first experience of heartbreak when a youth who believes in free love abandons her. One night, her mother's friend Mrs. Silva introduces her to Jacques de Cleves, a doctor of good reputation. The doctor fell in love with the young girl the day he saw her in a jewelry store in the Place Vendome, choosing a necklace in the company of her mother. Mademoiselle de Chartres agrees to marry the doctor to cure her broken heart but subsequently falls in love with a young and fashionable singer, Pedro Abrunhosa. Realizing the dangers of following one's passions, her mother warns her before she dies, reminding her of her reputation and her duties to her husband. But she is too much in love to care. Besides, she is a rebellious woman at heart. Using a story written almost three centuries ago, Oliveira makes light of the social order which is affecting humanity even today. Remarkably, he does this with a good dose of humor. Chiara Mastroianni combines beauty with dignity as the woman who has no choice but to follow her passions no matter where they lead her. In competition at the 52nd Cannes Film Festival, 1999.

This product was added to our catalog on Tuesday 28 October, 2008.

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