This week’s mystery movie was the 1945 Paramount picture Love Letters, with Jennifer Jones, Joseph Cotten, Ann Richards, Cecil Kellaway, Gladys Cooper, Anita Louise, Robert Sully, Reginald Denny, Ernest Cossart and Byron Barr.
Screenplay by Ayn Rand.
From the novel by Chris Massie.
Photographed by Lee Garmes.
Art direction by Hans Dreier and Roland Anderson.
Photographic effects by Gordon Jennings.
Process photography by Farciot Edouart.
Sound by Don McKay and Don Johnson.
Set decoration by Ray Moyer.
Music by Victor Young.
Edited by Ann Bauchens.
Costumes by Edith Head.
Dialogue direction by Victor Stoloff.
Makeup by Wally Westmore.
Technical advisor Geoffrey Steele, Lieut. R.A.R.O. The Royal Dragoons.
Produced by Hal B. Wallis.
Directed by William Dieterle.
Further information on Love Letters is available from the AFI Catalog.
Love Letters is available on Blu-ray from Critics’ Choice Video.
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I picked Love Letters by going through the trades. And a screenplay by Ayn Rand? That piqued my curiosity.
I don’t expect Bosley Crowther to like it, but I have been surprised before….
Uh-oh. He did NOT approve of such goings-on. I mean he really, really hated it (The New York Times, Aug. 27, 1945):
Whatever reputation as an actress Jennifer Jones may have got for herself in The Song of Bernadette is quite likely to suffer a terrible dent as the result of her performance in Love Letters, now at the Rivoli. And the distressing thing about it is that this isn’t entirely the lady’s fault. A worse script or less expert direction has seldom been tossed at an innocent star’s head. The gist of this sentimental twaddle is a bit hard to give in outline, but it has to do with a young lady who suffers amnesia, largely because she discovers that her love letters weren’t written by the man she thought. But along comes the eloquent fellow who really did write these deathless gems and, by patient thought and love-making, he wins her back to her right mind. There’s a murder mixed up in the doings and a good bit of wounded-veteran gloom, but that business about the love letters and amnesia forms the bulk of the show….. Somewhere in this claptrap a symbolic meaning may be hid, but it comes no further toward expression than that “distant promise of beauty untouched.”
And that’s just an excerpt. Wow! He hated it. Big time!
For Monday, we have a mysterious fellow.
Update: This is Robert Sully.
For Tuesday, Monday’s mysterious fellow has a mystery companion. Side of the Head Guy has been cropped out because even the side of his head has insufficient mysteriousness.
Update: For Friday, adding mysterious Side of the Head Guy.
Update: This is James Millican, center, and Robert Sully, right, with Joseph Cotten as Side of the Head Guy.
Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie and Monday’s mystery guest).
For “Hm Wednesday,” we have a mysterious fellow.
Update: This is Byron Barr, whom you may recall as “one Nino Sachetti” in Double Indemnity.
Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (Tuesday’s mystery guest and Side of the Head Gent) and Greg (Tuesday’s mystery guest No. 1).
For “Aha Thursday,” we have a mystery woman.
Update: This is Ann Richards.
We also have a mysterious fellow.
Update: This is Cecil Kellaway.
Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (Wednesday’s mysterious fellow), Mike Hawks (Tuesday’s mystery guest No. 1) and Sylvia E. (Tuesday’s mystery guest No. 1).
For Friday, we have a mysterious couple.
Update: This is Jennifer Jones and Joseph Cotten.
Brain Trust roll call: Greg (Thursday’s mysterious fellow), Howard Mandelbaum (Thursday’s mystery guests), Mary Mallory (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Anne Papineau (Thursday’s mystery fellow), B.J. Merholz (Thursday’s mystery chap), Bob Hansen (mystery movie, Thursday’s mystery fellow and the mysterious stars), Sylvia E. (mystery movie and all mystery guests), L.C. (mystery movie and mysterious cast), Mike Hawks (mystery movie, and Monday’s and Thursday’s mysterious guests) and Benito (Thursday’s mystery fellow).
ladailymirror.com 
Robert Sully in LOVE LETTERS (1945).
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Tex Beneke. Why not?
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Tex Beneke was a popular guess! But alas….
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I knew it wasn’t Beneke: Why not? Because Tex parts his hair on the other side. And I didn’t think I would be the only one fooled by the likeness. This is a fun Mystery Photo.
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Tex Beneke…..from the Glenn Miller orchestra….Sun Valley Serenade?
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Tex Beneke?
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James Millican.
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Tuesday’s mystery fellow #1: James Millican?
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Joseph Cotton is the side of head gent.
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Bill Williams today, big band whatzisname Monday
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Great guess, but alas….
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Byron Barr.
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For “Hm Wednesday”, Gore Vidal?
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Very interesting guess! Alas, I’m afraid not.
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James Millican at left from Tuesday.
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The guesses have been a hoot in this “lookalikes” mystery. I would looove to see a movie starring Bill Williams, Tex Beneke and Gore Vidal!
I have no guesses, except for guessing correctly that Howard would nail it. I don’t think that counts though.
Will await Thursday’s image.
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Tuesday’s guy on screen left looks so familiar. I’ll throw in the names of both James Millican and Louis Jean Heydt. My guess is that he’s not either of them but what the heck.
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Berry Kroeger on Wednesday?
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Thursday’s mysterious gent is Cecil Kellaway, but I still can’t figure out the movie.
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Ann Richards, Cecil Kellaway.
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LOVE LETTERS. Anthony Marsh Monday, James Millican, who I just saw in HIS GIRL FRIDAY Friday with Marsh Tuesday, Robert Suly, and Cecil Kellaway and Ann Richards today.
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Cecil Kellaway
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Cecil Kellaway
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Thursday’s mystery man is Cecil Kellaway, and the mystery movie is Love Letters, from 1945. The stars are Jennifer Jones and Joseph Cotten.
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Love Letters 1942
Monday – Robert Sully
Tuesday – James Millican and Robert Sully
Wednesday – Arthur Hohl
Thursday – Ann Richards / Cecil Kellaway
Which leaves Gladys Cooper, Jennifer Jones and Joseph Cotten
All thanks to Mr Kellaway.
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Love Letters (1945) w/Joseph Cotton, Jennifer Jones, Cecil Kellaway, Ann Richards, Robert Sully, Gladys Coopers, Anita Louise, Reginald Denny, Byron Barr…
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It’s Thursday afternoon and only a handful of correct guesses. We ain’t doing so hot, are we?
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Everyone will get it by Friday!
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Robert Sully, Ann Richards and Cecil Kellaway in LOVE LETTERS.
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Cecil Kellaway, aka Winnie The Pooh
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Cecil Kellaway is today’s guest.
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Joseph Cotten Tuesday and Cotten and Jennifer Jones today.
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Joseph Cotton and Jennifer Jones in “Love Letters”, 1945.
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Jennifer Jones, Joseph Cotton.
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Jennifer Jones and Joseph Cotten.
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