INTRODUCTION
If I were asked which my favourite film was I would instantly say 'Rebecca' - but it must be the 1940 black and white Hitchcock version.
Usually when I watch a film of a book that I have enjoyed I am left disappointed, but I felt that this film stuck very much to the ... Read review
Adapted from the gothic romance novel by Daphne Du Maurier, Rebecca is a classic tale of ... more
love and hate. Maxim De Winter (Charles Dance) marries a woman half his age (Emilia Fox) only a year after his first wife, the beautiful and accomplished Rebecca d...
"Last night, I dreamt I went to Manderley again..." From the first classic line of this ... more
unforgettable film,Rebeccacasts its spell. David O. Selznick brought Alfred Hitchcock to the United States in order to give this adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's n...
Postage & Packaging: free Super Saver Delivery Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Production Year: 1977 - Drama - Director: Franco Zeffirelli - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring: Anne Bancroft, Robert Powell, Rod Steiger, James Mason, Michael York, Laurence Olivier
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Production Year: 1998 - Drama - Director: Giles Foster - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: Emily Mortimer, Joanna Lumley, Peter O'Toole
Advantages: A pure classic, wonderful, just wonderful!! Disadvantages: None at all
...adapted from the book - Rebecca -by Daphne du Maurier, and was the first American film project for Alfred Hitchcock. The producer was David O. Selznick, who had previously produced the classic Gone with the Wind. This is the only Hitchcock film that won an Academy award (for cinematography and Best Picture)
Joan Fontaine was chosen to co-star with Laurence Olivier. Among the other candidates to play Fontaine's role were Loretta Young, ... ...about the secret life of Rebecca de Winter is critical.
Leo G Carroll-as Dr. Baker
Edward Fielding as Frith, the butler. Another character who added a little humour to the film
And of course Hitchcock - for those who like to find Hitchcock's cameo appearances will find him early in the film, standing outside a telephone booth.
THE PLOT
The story is widely known but. I will try ... more
INTRODUCTION
If I were asked which my favourite film was I would instantly say 'Rebecca' - but it must be the 1940 black and white Hitchcock version.
Usually when I watch a film of a book that I have enjoyed I am left disappointed, but I felt that this film stuck very much to the original book and captured the dark, gothic theme well.
The film was of course, adapted from the book - Rebecca -by Daphne du Maurier, and was the first American film project for Alfred Hitchcock. The producer was David O. Selznick, who had previously produced the classic Gone with the Wind. This is the only Hitchcock film that won an Academy award (for cinematography and Best Picture)
Joan Fontaine was chosen to co-star with Laurence Olivier. Among the other candidates to play Fontaine's role were Loretta Young, Olivia de Havilland (Fontaine's real-life sister) and even Vivien Leigh. I think that the casting of Joan Fontaine (who was 22 years old) was excellent, I know that her acting in this role did take a lot of criticism, but having read the book I think that she put across precisely the weakness and naivety that the role of the shy second wife required. She was the narrator of the film and her character - as in the original book - remained unnamed throughout.
The combination of Selznick and Hitchcock led to the success of this film - Selznick's understanding of drama and romance combined with Hitchcock's use of suspense, mystery, and black comedy cumulated in a pure classic.
THE DIRECTOR
Alfred Hitchcock is known as the 'Master of Suspense' andwas born in London on 13 August 1899 and moved to Hollywood in 1939 after having much success in both silent films and early talkies.
Although nominated for Best Director at the Oscars many times, he - rather amazingly - never actually won one. He is regarded as the greatest British filmmaker of all time, directing more than fifty feature films in his career which lasted 60 years.
THE CAST
Laurence Olivier as Max de Winter- nominated for an Oscar. He came across as annoying and patronising - but that is exactly as he is portrayed in the book.
Joan Fontaine-as the second Mrs. De Winter-another nominee for an Oscar. Personally I thought she was perfect in the role, playing it neurotic and desperate to please.
George Sanders as Jack Flavell, Rebecca's second cousin adds a little humour.
Judith Anderson as the malevolent Mrs. Danvers. She played this role superbly, straight from the pen of Du Maurier.
Gladys Cooper-as Beatrice Lacy, De Winter's sister Brought some humour to the film in her Godiva outfit at the costume ball.
Nigel Bruce as Major Giles Lacey-the companion Gladys Reginald Denny-as Frank Crawley, estate manager of Manderley He gives critical information for the plot
C. Aubrey Smith as Colonel Julyan-the magistrate investigating the reopened inquest of Rebecca's death.
Melville Cooper as the Coroner-, his lines are very important to the plot.
Florence Bates as Mrs. Edythe Van Hopper, the companion who hired Fontaine's character as a paid companion. She created a wonderfully tactless character
Leonard Carey as Ben-the addled seaman, whose evidence about the secret life of Rebecca de Winter is critical.
Leo G Carroll-as Dr. Baker Edward Fielding as Frith, the butler. Another character who added a little humour to the film
And of course Hitchcock - for those who like to find Hitchcock's cameo appearances will find him early in the film, standing outside a telephone booth.
THE PLOT
The story is widely known but. I will try to outline the story without giving away the ending or too much of the story.
The film opens with waves roaring against craggy rocks, and a narrative by the central character who will never be given a first name, only to be known as the second Mrs. De Winter as the plot unfurls. This is where we first see the building that is as much a character as any that the actors portray - it is the ancestral home of Mr. Max De Winter- the stunning and imposing Manderley Estate.
We are then taken back to Monte Carlo, where a rather shy and plain young woman is acting as a paid companion to an overbearing pompous socialite. When she sees a handsome, brooding man on the cliffs she at first thinks he is contemplating suicide, when she tries to stop him he dismisses her coldly It turns out that the man is the infamous and wealthy Maxim De Winter. The girls companion - the boorish Mrs. Edythe Van Hopper - is eager to meet Mr De Winter, the man who has travelled abroad to get over the loss of his brilliant and beautiful wife Rebecca, who died tragically. To cut a long story short, after a very brief period Max asks our protagonist to marry him and they return to Cornwall to the legendary Manderley.
It is at Manderley, we meet the intimidating, forbidding and cold Mrs. Danvers, who makes it obvious that she neither approves of nor likes De Winter's second wife. The dead wife, Rebecca, haunts the house - not physically but in that fact that she lives in everything conserved in the house; her rooms are kept intact as they were at the time of her accident in the West Wing of the mansion, overlooking the sea,
Our new Mrs De Winter becomes more and more unhappy, her husband seems to grow more distant and endless attempts to rekindle their marriage go wrong.
Danvers, in true Hitchcock style, messes cruelly with her new mistresses mind, even suggesting she kill herself. It becomes evident to the second wife that her failing marriage is due to the fact that her husband simply cannot let go of his first, and true love, Rebecca.
There are secrets that though we discover, things are not as they first seem. Our 'heroine' begins understand more and more that there are secrets and facts to be discovered.
There are several developments ahead for her to discover - including a former lover of Rebecca, and some staggering facts to come to life.
STORY CHANGES, It is a known fact that Hitchcock would have liked to have added some ironic twists to the story but Selznick wanted to remain true to the original book. This he did - well as much as the American film censors would allow. The one major change to the film from the novel is difficult to give without giving away too much of the story. I will not add it here just in case there is anyone who doesn't know - but should you wish to know - just leave me a comment and I will message it to you! Another change was that, in the book Du Maurier (who herself had lesbian relationships) made implications that Rebecca and Mrs. Danvers had an amorous relationship but the censors said that this was NOT to be implied - this WAS 1940!!
CINEMATOGRAPHY AND MUSIC
The photography in this film is what makes it such a classic. The use of lighting, shadows, and images add to the dark and gothic th Hitchcock wonderfully eerie Manderley mansion a key part of the story line. The dramatic lighting and camera techniques accent the dark theme of the film. The ending is one of the most memorable endings in films.
Franz Waxman's score for 'Rebecca' gave the film both a romantic and tragic atmosphere - it was perfect.
DVD DETAILS
This is a film only review, but the details of the DEVD are as follows: · Format: Black & White, PAL · Region: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe. Read more about DVD formats.) · Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 · Number of discs: 1 · Classification: PG · Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment · DVD Release Date: 1 Jan 2008 · Run Time: 126 minutes
Film Extras: Moving Menus and Chapter Points Cast Biographies, Quotes and Trivia Film Trivia, Awards and Taglines Photo Gallery Hitchcock Extras: A Conversation with Hitchcock An interview with Kim Newman The Real Me (The Thin One) Extracts from Francois Truffaut's Book "Hitchcock" Biography, Quotes and Trivia Available from Amazon from £4.99
FINAL RECOMMENDATION Rebecca. My favourite book. My favourite film. This film should be a MUST SEE for any fan of Hitchcock's work or of gothic romance. This film is now an amazing 69 years old - a timeless classic.
Summary: Hitchcock and DuMaurier - what a wonderful combination !!
Advantages: Close to the original story, tense atmosphere Disadvantages: Joan Fontaine's acting a little false at times
...part of the house that Rebecca used to inhabit is shut off; and the servants, especially the housekeeper, Mrs Danvers, constantly refer to the original Mrs de Winter, who was apparently beautiful. Mrs Danvers seems to despise her new employer and does her best to make Mrs de Winter feel unwanted and awkward in her own house. Joan's character is further upset when she witnesses Maxim frequently losing his temper, apparently comparing his new wife ... ...there was another version of Rebecca starring Charles Dance, but I am quite surprised that there hasn't been a more recent version. As a fan of mystery films and novels, this is right up my street, but I think this film stands as an excellent film in its own right. Highly recommended. Available from Amazon for £4.97. What a bargain. And available for less if you buy a used copy or shop around on ebay. ...
sunmeilan 01.12.2005 (05.12.2005)
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Rebecca (DVD)
Advantages: A fantastic film full of drama, suspense and brilliant acting and writing Disadvantages: None at all
...Max is not pining for Rebecca and the only person who had anything good to say about her was the virulent Mrs Danvers, so the new Mrs De Winter regains her confidence and decides to rebuild Manderley in a blaze of glory regaining her self respect and her husband's love. Cast: Laurence Olivier George Fortescue Maximilian 'Maxim' de Winter Joan Fontaine ... The Second Mrs. de Winter George Sanders Jack Favell Judith Anderson Mrs. Danvers Nigel Bruce ... ...shots in the same way Rebecca haunts the new Mrs De Winter. Hitchcock directs the film brilliantly creating a sweeping prison in Manderley and a brutal Prison warden in Mrs Danvers, he is subtle and knows when to allow his actors to overdo it and when to reign them in, the script is superb, barbed and knowing but leaving doubts and holes all the time for you to consider, this is a wonderfully paced, introspective film that demands further viewings, ...
paulie1975 28.09.2009
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Rebecca (DVD)
Advantages: excellent story Disadvantages: acting a bit stiff in places
...a handsome widower whose wife Rebecca was drowned in a sailing accident the year before. The pair fall in love and marry, but when the honeymoon is over and they return to Manderley, Mr de Winter's grand estate in England, cracks start to appear. Rebecca's memory seems to have a hold over the house and everybody in it, there are reminders of her everywhere and her old room is kept as a shrine exactly as she'd left it the night she died. The housekeeper ... ...about making the timid new bride's life as uncomfortable as possible, pointing out all her flaws and making her see just what a failure she looks next to a woman as beautiful, talented and respected as Rebecca. How could Maxim possibly love her, when everybody knows he's still in love with Rebecca? Just as life seems hopeless for her, a shipwreck changes all their lives forever...
The acting is not always fantastic in this film, but that's easy ...
CG1anon 27.07.2007
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Rebecca (DVD)
Advantages: A Hitchcock classic. Disadvantages: A little wooden.
...Daphne Du Maurier's celebrated novel REBECCA came free with the Times, because of this you don't get much more than the film, there is some advise on what to expect from the Times in this section in the future. The film directed by Hitchcock was named the Best Picture in the 1940s by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. It was brought to use by ABC Motion Pictures Inc. The film is rated PG parental guidance fit for viewing by persons ... ...the death of his wife, Rebecca in a boating accident the year before. She and Max fall in love, get married and return to Manderlay, his large country estate in Cornwall. The second Mrs. de Winter (Lady de Winter) meets the housekeeper Mrs. Danvers and discovers that the memory of Rebecca still has a strange hold on everyone at Manderlay, particularly on Mrs Denvers, the housekeeper, who begins driving the young wife to madness.
***CINEMATIC EXPERIENCE***
...
JeffreyB 13.01.2006 (19.01.2006)
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Rebecca (DVD)
Advantages: Very atmospheric and close to the original. Full of suspence and intrigue. Disadvantages: Olivier's well-documented real-life dislike of Fontaine shows through at times.
This classic re-telling of Daphne Du Maurier's famous novel is undeniably one of Hitchcock's best, with a superb cast, wonderful sets and a great script.
Obviously, Rebecca's success is mainly due to the basis gained from Du Maurier's novel, however, even with such a grounding, a lesser director probably would have failed to create such a success.
Superb casting perfects the film, especially with the inclusion of Judith Anderson, who plays the ... ...of this fantastic film is that Olivier's dislike of Fontaine being chosen over his then (English) wife, Vivien Leigh, shows through his performance at times. Whilst this ensured that Fontaine appeared even more scared as the new mistress of Manderley, he was, at times, too harsh.
However, I don't think that anybody can deny that Hitchcock's atmospheric production is full of suspence! ...
laurapaura 31.01.2007
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Rebecca (DVD)
Did you enjoy it?
Story
Characters / Performances
Special Effects
How does it compare to ...
Similar reviews »
Reviews which might be of interest for "Rebecca (DVD)"
Advantages: Great for larger ladies, fun, not irritating, works well Disadvantages: Can get a bit boring after a while, a bit easy for fitter people
on TV and bought the DVD from Amazon. To me, this seemed something new - someone who I could relate to, who had lost more weight than I needed to (Rebecca lost twelve stone) and someone I liked and admired.
BEGINNING THE WORKOUT
So the DVD arrived and I began exercising, something I usually hate. Rebecca completes the whole workout alongside trainer Laurie 'Tchad' Francois, who is great too. Not only is he pretty nice to look at, but he has a lovely voice and is very motivating, but not in an annoying way. I usually come to dislike the trainers after repeated viewings, but Rebecca and Tchad are very good and haven't irritated me yet!
The music is recognizable, though without vocals. I particularly enjoy the No Limits track by 2 Unlimited and the slower music to the cool down.
The first time I tried the workout, I began by doing ...
Advantages: Enjoyable, easy to follow workout with added extras Disadvantages: Some of the banter could get annoying in the future
NOT JUST A WORKOUT DVD, BUT AN ENTIRE LIFESTYLE CHANGE!
Hi I'm Rebecca Wheatley. You may not recognise me but I was Amy the receptionist in Casualty.
That was 12 stone ago and back when I was a size 32! In just 27 months I've dropped half my body weight and become a size 12/14 by following Slimming World's eating plan and taking up exercise for the first time ever.
*************************************************************
W ow - 12 stone in 27 months - size 32 to a size 12/14!
Now that's the way to grab your interest.
Already being a member of Slimming World, and on the look out for a workout I can do at home (with 2 young children getting to the gym is virtually impossible), I was intrigued when I saw the advert on TV for Rebecca's DVD?
Then I read the blurb on the back, which made me all the more interested ...
Advantages: Fun, variable, tones and burns fat, good music Disadvantages: The annoying Lucy!
INTRODUCTION
If you have read my recent reviews, you'll know I am losing weight through following the Slimming World healthy eating plan and exercising. So far, I have lost 13 pounds in 11 weeks, which I am really pleased about.
As I have already written about, I began my new exercise 'regime' by exercising to Rebecca Wheatley's workout DVD, but after doing this for a few weeks, I bought another one - Rosemary Conley's Brand New You workout DVD. I usually can't stand Rosemary Conley - there's something about her that makes me want to scream at the TV! However, this one features Coleen Nolan, who I love watching in Loose Women and have followed her progress as she has lost weight recently.
So I decided to risk it and bought the DVD from Amazon. The cover has a very unflattering photo of a size 18 Coleen on the front, next to ...
Drama which centres on a brooding Englishman who is haunted by memories of his first wife who died in a drowning accident. Based on the novel by Daphne Du Maurier.
A string of classic suspense films produced in England had earned Alfred Hitchcock a reputation in the United States, and his first American production, REBECCA, cemented his fame. Based on the novel by Daphne du Maurier, REBECCA was conceived to rival producer David O. Selznick's previous epic, GONE WITH THE WIND. This psychological thriller, however, derives its grandeur from Hitchcock's careful cultivation of the title character's haunting legacy. Joan Fontaine takes the starring role and narrates the story of her life as the second Madam de Winter. Fontaine, young and innocent, meets the worldly and sophisticated Maxim de Winter (Laurence Olivier) while vacationing on the Riviera. After a whirlwind romance and marriage, the two return to his opulent English estate, Maderley, where Fontaine begins to realize she is not entirely welcome in her new role. Chief among her detractors is housekeeper Mrs. Danvers (Judith Anderson), who points out her every failing in relation to the previous mistress of the house, Rebecca. Fontaine is nearly driven to suicide by her inability to understand the mysterious legacy of the first wife. However, when a ship washes ashore, the mystery begins to unravel, setting the stage for the memorable and fiery climax."
![Rebecca [DVD] [1997]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78504442.jpg)
![Rebecca [DVD] [1940]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78528269.jpg)
![Rebecca's Nasty Girls [DVD]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/77983954.jpg "Rebecca's Nasty Girls [DVD]")
