Witney Western

 

 (imdb)

THE LONG ROPE-1961-In a town run by a rancher named Ben Matthews (Robert J. Wilke), a judge (Hugh Marlowe) comes to preside over the trial of a Mexican accused of killing Matthew's brother. With the reluctant help of the sheriff (Alan Hale, Jr.), Stone investigates. He also meets gun-slinger Reb (Chris Robinson) who tries to reform. There's a trial where the real murderer is revealed and a quick gun fight. Also with William Kerwin and Lisa Montell. 

The Long Rope was produced by actress Margia Dean (she's in MESA OF LOST WOMEN). She hired veteran B-movie director William Witney who does a good job with this low budget minor western. Dean had planned at least one more movie but no more were ever made.

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The Original Letter

 

 (wikipedia)

THE LETTER-1929-First version of the classic story, later filmed with Bette Davis in 1940. In Singapore, Leslie Crosbie (Jeanne Eagels) a plantation owner's wife shoots her lover (Herbert Marshall in his US film debut) in a jealous rage after being jilted. Her jolly English husband Robert (Reginald Owen) stands by her when she pleads self-defense but the Chinese assistant to the judge on the case (Peter Chong) finds a love letter in possession of the murdered man's “half caste” mistress (Lady Tsen Mei). Mr. Joyce (O.P. Heggie; later the blind hermit in BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN) defends her. 3 weird looking women do a kind of striptease and footage of a mongoose fighting a cobra is briefly shown (the crowd is supposed to be betting on the outcome). When Leslie goes to buy the letter back from the mistress, they exchange all sorts of hateful racist dialogue. After Leslie is acquitted, the judge spills the beans to the husband about the letter. He decides her punishment will be to remain in Singapore forever (since she wanted to go back to England). She tells her husband the truth: that she “still loves the man I killed”. The End.

THE LETTER was star Jeanne Eagels' last movie and she was Oscar nominated for her performance. Unfortunately, she died soon after completing the film at age 39 after several years of alcohol and heroin abuse. French director Jean De Limur may have also directed Eagels in a lost movie JEALOUSY the same year.

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