LETTER FROM AN UNKNOWN WOMAN REVIEWED
“Letter from an Unknown Woman” was my introduction to Ophuls. While I saw his important films later, there was something about “Letter from an Unknown Woman” that stood out to me. Louis Jordan exists as a hero to die. So much of the film is spent relishing in his past mistakes. Joan Fontaine is the focus of the film as the titular character. The film splits itself into three parts, as we learn about the woman that Jordan left behind.
At times, you wonder what could’ve been if things went right. But, that’s not this kind of movie. Ophuls makes a woman’s picture that goes out of its way to criticize the ineffective man in the woman’s life. While she tries to hide a child from Jordan and goes out of her way to help his career, she seems well aware that she’s losing her life in the process. In that sense, Louis Jordan’s final fate makes sense in a bit of cosmic poetry. No matter what you do, you will ultimately lose. Damn do I love the nihilism of this film.
SPECIAL FEATURES
- Commentary
- Interviews
- Video Essay
- Essay
A/V STATS
- 1.37:1 1080p transfer
- DTS-HD MONO
