Rotten Tomatoes
Submit search Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

The 13th Letter

Play trailer Poster for The 13th Letter 1951 1h 25m Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
86% Tomatometer 7 Reviews 33% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
When Dr. Pearson (Michael Rennie) comes to a quiet Quebec town to set up his medical practice, he attracts the notice of Cora (Constance Smith), whose husband, Paul (Charles Boyer), is the town's other doctor, and Denise (Linda Darnell), eldest daughter of the family in whose house he lodges. When an unknown person begins writing letters attacking Dr. Pearson and Cora for having an affair, a complex web of rumors, lies and accusations begins to ensnare nearly everyone in town.

Critics Reviews

View More
Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader 10/23/2007
One of [Preminger's] best efforts of the period. Go to Full Review Variety Staff Variety 10/23/2007
Well-made and with an offbeat location site, film is an interesting account of the effects of poison pen letters on a small Quebec village. Go to Full Review Clyde Gilmour Maclean's Magazine 10/24/2019
Notable for the "debut" of ex-lover Charles Boyer as an old man with side-whiskers and very little hair, this is an interesting yarn about an outbreak of scandalous anonymous letters... Go to Full Review TV Guide 10/23/2007
3/4
While not nearly as good as the original, Henri-George Clouzot's Le Corbeau, Preminger's film does have some power and a great deal of suspense. Go to Full Review Derek Smith Cinematic Reflections 04/02/2004
3/4
'More than simply an Americanized [version of a] foreign film' Go to Full Review Film4 Staff Film4 09/16/2003
The movie is redolent with atmosphere. Go to Full Review Read all reviews
The 13th Letter

My Rating

Read More Read Less WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW POST RATING

Cast & Crew

View All

Otto Preminger

Director

Charles Boyer

Dr. Paul Laurent

Linda Darnell

Denise Turner

Michael Rennie

Dr. Pearson

Constance Smith

Cora Laurent

Francoise Rosay

Mrs. Gauthier
View All

The 13th Letter

The 13th Letter (1951) The 13th Letter (1951) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis When Dr. Pearson (Michael Rennie) comes to a quiet Quebec town to set up his medical practice, he attracts the notice of Cora (Constance Smith), whose husband, Paul (Charles Boyer), is the town's other doctor, and Denise (Linda Darnell), eldest daughter of the family in whose house he lodges. When an unknown person begins writing letters attacking Dr. Pearson and Cora for having an affair, a complex web of rumors, lies and accusations begins to ensnare nearly everyone in town.
Director
Otto Preminger
Screenwriter
Howard Koch
Production Co
Twentieth Century Fox
Genre
Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Runtime
1h 25m