The Letter was based on a play by W. Somerset Maugham written in 1924. It was first published in his collection The Causarina Tree.

W. Somerset Maugham reportedly based The Letter on a real-life incident in which a married woman in Kuala Lumpur shot a male friend dead and went to trial for his murder.

The play was first produced in London in 1927 and starred Gladys Cooper.

The Broadway production of The Letter opened on September 26, 1927 and starred Katharine Cornell as Leslie. It ran for 104 performances.

The Letter was performed twice for the Lux Radio Theatre. The shows were broadcast on April 21, 1941 and March 6, 1944. Herbert Marshall from the film's cast was one of the actors in both broadcasts.

William Wyler also directed a version of The Letter for television on NBC's Producers' Showcase on October 15, 1956. It starred Siobhan McKenna as Leslie, John Mills as Robert, Michael Rennie as Howard Joyce, and Anna May Wong as the Chinese Woman. It was 85 minutes long and was broadcast live.

Merle Oberon and Walter Huston starred in a Lux Radio Theatre broadcast version of The Letter in 1938, two years before the film was released.

Ann Sheridan starred in a 1947 film version of The Letter directed by Vincent Sherman. It was called The Unfaithful.

Lee Remick starred in a 1982 TV movie version of The Letter.

Paramount made the first film version of The Letter in 1929. It starred Jeanne Eagels as Leslie and Reginald Owen as Robert. Herbert Marshall, who played Bette Davis' husband Robert in the 1940 film, played the role of Leslie's murdered lover Geoff Hammond in the 1929 film. Jeanne Eagels received an Academy Award nomination as Best Actress for her performance.

The Santa Fe Opera announced that in July 2009 it will premiere a new opera based on The Letter. It is being called the first "opera noir".