Letter of Introduction

George Murphy and Andrea Leeds

John Stahl's Letter of Introduction is a 1938 Universal Studios concoction that, though constructed with disparate elements, manages to be a satisfying picture thanks to its highly competent cast and sensitive direction. The picture manages to be charming, humorous, and heart warming. The latter I found to be surprising since I am an old crocodile, but John Stahl pictures, like those of his contemporary Frank Borzage, have that effect. The picture is hard to categorize. I would call it a romantic melodrama with comic episodes. The melodrama part of the picture casts Andrea Leeds, fresh off an Oscar nominated supporting role in Stage Door, as Kay Martin, an aspiring actress living in a tenement in New York City. Her titular letter reveals that she is the bastard spawn of John Mannering (Adolphe Menjou), a topline actor and scion of an American theatrical family who is well-known as a serial philanderer. Mannering is also an alcoholic, so, essentially, the character is a thinly veiled portrait of John Barrymore.

Though Mannering acknowledges his daughter, neither choses to publicly divulge their relationship. This provides romantic complications for the both of them, since Kay is being pursued by a dancer (George Murphy) and Mannering is engaged to the comely and young Lydia (Ann Sheridan). The comic bits are shoehorned into the picture and feature ventriloquist Edgar Bergen and his dummy, Charlie McCarthy. Tolerance for Bergen's schtick is a matter of personal taste. However, his routines are, under the circumstances, reasonably well integrated into the plot. McCarthy serves as an uncontrollable id who ejaculates what is not normally said in polite society. Mercifully, Bergen's other dummy, the moronic Mortimer Snerd, makes only a brief appearance.

Another aspect of Letter of Introduction that give it a patched together, Frankenstein's monster feel, is that it is a regurgitation of 1937's Stage Door. Menjou and Leeds were in both films, as was the always welcome Eve Arden. Over ten screenwriters labored on this picture and, at least, they managed to give it some amusing showbiz repartee. Ms. Arden is especially sharp with her Gotham patter. Murphy is good, a lightweight talent in a bantamweight role, and gets too to show off his dance moves. Ms. Sheridan gets only one moment of oomph, but it's a doozy as she spies what she think is a cheating lover across a nightclub dance floor. Stahl is very precise at his placement of actors within the frame, letting all his players show their characters' emotions in pantomime. 

A Venn diagram between Adolph Menjou and John Barrymore would show many shared traits. Masterful thesps, they could both toss off a grand theatrical manner (hence the name John Mannering) that often crossed the border into ham. What Menjou lacks is Barrymore's sex appeal which Barrymore himself had lacked after checking into the Hotel California aka Cirrhosis by the Sea. No matter, the role calls for the actor to be more paternal than lecherous and Menjou is very good. As is the relatively forgotten Andrea Leeds who ditched Hollywood after marrying the heir to a horse breeding fortune in 1939. She seems especially adept at sincerity, often a bane for actresses. Memorable character bits are offered by Rita Johnson, Ernest Cossart, Frank Jenks, Jonathan Hale, and George Davis.

Letter of Introduction has been in the public domain since the late 1960s. Most copies are dodgy, the print showing on Tubi is quite poor. This is a shame since the cinematographer on Letter of Introduction was Karl Freund, one of the finest cinematographers of all time and a frequent collaborator of Stahl. I'd recommend the DVD released by oldies.com.