REBECCA (1940)

Country: U.S.A.

Genre(s): Drama

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Cast: Joan Fontaine / Laurence Olivier / Judith Anderson

Plot

Having married Maxim de Winter, a wealthy widower and owner of England’s Manderly estate, a shy young woman finds the idyllic life she imagined for herself overshadowed by the memory of Maxim’s late wife and the mysteries surrounding her demise.

What I Liked

Famous for the being the product of an unlikely combination of producer David O. Selznick and director Alfred Hitchcock, “Rebecca” benefits from the combination of two very different approaches to filmmaking.  Selznick, the primary mastermind behind the previous year’s hugely successful “Gone with the Wind,” was noted for favorite big budget Hollywood epics, complete with massive sets, lavish costumes, and melodramatic performances.  Meanwhile, Hitchcock, who had to this point only done work in Europe, was known for his masterful use of simple settings, unnerving plots, and psychologically complex characters.  Both men were control freaks, Selznick being notorious for micro-managing every aspect of his productions, and Hitchcock insistent upon total creative control (and manipulation of his cast members).

So how did this clash between two powerful egotists with very different visions end up in anything other than disaster, much less in creating the 1940 winner for the Best Picture Oscar?  They had the right story to start with.  Daphne Du Maurier’s novel of the same name provided enough space for both men to work their magic to the satisfaction of themselves and their audience.  The majority of the film is set in the staggeringly massive Manderly mansion, a house with fireplaces bigger than some bedrooms I’ve lived in.  Here the Selznick eye for opulence and grandeur satisfies the Hollywood requisites of escapism and splendor.  Meanwhile, the plot gives us the tale of a fairy tale turned nightmare, a theme for which Hitchcock’s style of filmmaking was perfectly suited.  This remarkable combination makes Manderly itself feel like a living, breathing, and very ominous presence in the film, in much the same way the late Rebecca’s memory looms over all who reside there.

The casting for “Rebecca” was magnificent.  Laurence Olivier is equal parts charm and angst as Maixim de Winter, a man torn between his love for his new bride and the unforgiving secrets of his past.  Joan Fontaine, once of the most underrated leading ladies of the era, is sympathetic as a woman hopelessly trying to live up to everyone else’s the idealized memories of Rebecca.  Then there is Judith Anderson, looking for all the world like Bela Lugosi’s long lost sister, who is nothing short of perfect as the villainous Mrs. Danvers, the scheming housekeeper obsessed with Rebecca’s memory.

What I Didn’t Like

While the plot and underlying mood bear Hitchcock’s fascination with the perverse and the creepy, I still consider this film more of a Selznick production than a Hitchcock picture.  That is to say that the physical scope of the sets and costumes, combined with the inherent melodrama of the conflict, often overpower the subtler tones Hitchcock brought to the movie.  Granted, for a story like DeMaurier’s, Selznick’s is a benefit overall.  However, I’m much more of a Hitchcock fan than I am a Selznick fan, so my general feeling is that Selznick’s approach waters down Hitchcock’s, while Hitchcock’s talents strengthens those of Selznick.

Most Memorable Scene

***spoiler alert***

The staircase scene for the costume ball, without a doubt, is the most heart-wrenching and suspenseful moment of the film.  Long before the scene even takes place, any observant viewer will be aware that Mrs. de Winter, so intent on impressing her husband and his friends, is about to unwittingly perform social suicide with the costume she has selected.  As she reaches the stairs expecting her greatest triumph, her costume produces outrage and humiliation instead.  We can only watch helplessly as the poor woman descends to her own marital and social doom, cringing at the tragedy to come.

My Rating: 4 out of 5