Intro.
Aside from the posting rules on my blog, I don't really have a system for picking films. Usually I just get into phases where I watch a lot of films by the same actor, actress, director or something. But I can't always choose, especially since my sources of films are 1) my own collection, 2) my friends' collections, 3) whatever's on cable, and 4) the library. Luckily I've been getting to know some fellow classic film fans and sometimes swap DVDs. My friend Jen just lent me Rebecca, insisting that I had to see it. I've always loved Hitchcock, so I settled down a few nights back and watched. Overview
Rebecca opens in Monte Carlo, where a pretty young woman (Joan Fontaine) meets rich, handsome widower Mr. Maxim de Winter (Laurence Olivier) through her employer, the wealthy but annoying Mrs. Edyth Van Hopper (Florence Bates). When Edyth takes ill, her young companion spends her time with Maxim, and the two begin a sweet romance. It's a bit of a May-December love, but it's more than enough to make them both happy. They marry and he returns with his new bride, the second Mrs. de Winter, to his grand estate, Manderley. There is a shadow over the entire place, as the former Mrs. de Winter, Rebecca, drowned just off shore. The second Mrs. de Winter can feel Rebecca's presence everywhere - her initials are on everything, the staff all seems to compare her to Rebecca. Even Maxim has moods where he is cold and aloof. Worst is the housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers (Judith Anderson), who hates Mrs. de Winter as strongly as she loved (and still loves) Rebecca. It seems that nothing Mrs. de Winter can do can make anyone like her and soon she grows even more shy and withdrawn, even considering suicide at one point (with coaxing from Mrs. Danvers that is). One night a shipwreck off shore drags up Rebecca's sunken boat - the one she had died on and was never found. Her body is onboard, which means that the body buried in the family plot had been misidentified. An inquest begins and much bigger problems test the love of Maxim and his new wife. Rebecca seems to have won for a time, but the story holds a few more unexpected twists and shocks than anyone expects.Highlights
The characters in this film are unforgettable. The simple fact that our heroine, the shy, sweet girl who marries Maxim, has no name. She is so overshadowed by Rebecca, she can't even claim a name other than "the second Mrs. de Winter." That's a very powerful statement. Nevertheless, she is the heart of this film - the audience can connect with her. There's an entry on IMDb that says Olivier had wanted his girlfriend Vivian Leigh in the role, so he had been awful to Joan Fontaine. Hitchcock used this to his advantage and told Joan that everyone on set felt that way - they all hated her. He wanted to get her into the same frame of mind as her character and it must have worked - she is amazing! Her leading man, despite how he may have acted off screen, is ever so charming and gentle with her as his bride, yet we can see the change come over him once they reach Manderley. It's fine acting, subtle but moving. And finally there's the amazingly evil Mrs. Danvers - what a villainous woman! She reminded me a lot of Madame Sebastian from Hitchcock's film Notorious. So stark, so chilling, I sure wouldn't want her mad at me! Okay, I know I geek out over every Hitchcock film's cinematography, but it's with good reason! Rebecca is no exception - everything about it is beautifully orchestrated. I loved especially how Manderley was filmed as Mrs. de Winter moved about it. At times the shadows of light through the windows make it look like a church or a prison. At one point we see her sleeping and the bars from the window are framed like a jail over her face. She's trapped by this dead woman. There are times when she is framed against massive structures like a giant iron-scrollwork window or the towering fireplace where she looks as small as she feels. It's so well done, I can't really say enough. Good framing and camerawork can tell more of a story than the actors, so when you combine those with such great talent as Olivier and Fontaine, you know it'll be a wonderful film.
Review and Recommendation
I loved this film. It's smart, funny, and completely breathtaking. It'll have you on the edge of your seat. I highly recommend it to everyone, not just because of the suspenseful story or great acting, but for an example of film making at its finest.
P.S. I should note that this film was based on the book by Daphne du Maurier and comes highly recommended by my friend Catherine. She also confirmed that the wife was unnamed in the book as well. Thanks, Catherine!!
