Rebecca

Rating:
Summary: Perfect Rainy Day Flick
Review: Hitchcock's first US film still holds up today. Dark, moody, gothic; all these words describe what is one of the best book-to-movie transitions ever. The unnamed mousy heroine (Joan Fontaine, somewhat twittery) impulsively marries the brooding and apparently grief-stricken Max de Winter (the intense Laurence Olivier) and tries to be Lady of the Manor at Manderly. She is thwarted constantly by her own insecurity and the malevolent Mrs. Danvers (Judith Andersen, Mistress of Stern). Twists and turns abound as we try to figure out if Max murdered his wife Rebecca, if she was pregnant, if she was having an affair with her own cousin (the sinfully delicious George Sanders). It's not easy to guess the ending; perfect for watching during a rainy Sunday afternoon.

Olivier originally wanted his bride-to-be Vivien Leigh in the role Fontaine portrayed so winningly. One cannot imagine the confident and beautiful Leigh succeeding as a milquetoast, even one who grows a backbone at the end.

The musical score is perfect; some of the effects are weak, but easily overlooked. One of my favorite Hitchcock films ever!

Rating:
Summary: Brilliantly Brought to the Big Screen
Review: Alfred Hitchcock lost nothing in bringing Rebecca, Daphne DuMaurier's dark gothic romance novel to the screen. Joan Fontaine is the pretty and shy companion to an unsympathetic social-climbing, wealthy woman, Mrs Van Hooper, who seems to enjoy being cruel to Fontaine and putting her down at every turn. When Fontaine meets, falls in love with and marries a rich still grieving widower, you cheer as she escapes Van Hooper's cruelly. But not before she belittle's Fontaine one more time and says out loud what Fontaine is thinking. Why would someone like Maxim deWinter (Laurence Olivier) be interested in someone like her? Fontaine feels no welcome upon her arrival to deWinters Manderly estate. She is greeted by the grim faced housekeeper, Mrs Danver's (played splendidly by Judith Anderson) who seems to hate her on sight. Nor does she feel that she is mistress of Manderly. When Mrs. Danver's calls for Mrs. deWinter on the intercom Fontaine is startled and replies in a confused manner.This movie has many layers. Relationships are blurred. Rebecca's shadow hovers like a mist and lingers in every corner of the house. Everyone appears obsessed with Rebecca even in death. Fontaine finds that Manderly was not as happy as it was professed to be and that Rebecca's fate was the result of her dark side and her secrets. The end is a shocker. This is a must see for classic film buffs.Vannie(~.~)

Rating:
Summary: "We can never go back to Manderley again"
Review: Joan Fontaine laments as she opens the film, obviously several years removed from her time at the lush, oversized estate, which recalls "Tara" from Gone With the Wind as a residence which is actually also a character in the movie. People remember the houses from these two films almost more than the characters. No coincidence that both films were produced by the ridiculously meticulous David O. Selznick. GWtW was of course the most popular film of all time, so Selznick figured he had the right idea about how to make a film. Details, right down to the last corner.

Alfred Hitchcock had made a career in London making films with complete autonomy. He basically called all the shots. When he got to America, he signed a four movie deal with Selznick. Rebecca is the first and best of the three. (no, not a mistake, I'll explain later) Rebecca was the only film by Hitchcock to win best picture from the Academy, although Hitch did not win best director. The film was basically a tug of war between producer and director. Selznick wanted the book followed religiously, Hitch wanted to take the basic idea of the book and add his own touches. Selznick wouldn't allow it, so Hitch was forced to make the film exactly by the book.

The film stars Fontaine as an unnamed young woman who while working as a paid companion for the unbearable Mrs. Van Hopper (Florence Bates), she meets and falls in love with the brooding Maxim de Winter (Lawrence Olivier). They marry after a quick courtship and go "home" to Manderley, Olivier's mammoth estate. Fontaine is very young and has no idea what she is getting into, especially when it dawns on her that Olivier's late first wife, Rebecca, still dominates the house. Her stationery, napkins, and rituals are still present, and Fontaine feels she has no chance against this woman.

The other problem in the house is the housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers (Judith Anderson),who creeps around the house, showing up at any time to frighten Fontaine. She is still obsessed with Rebecca, still keeps Rebecca's old room the same way, hairbrush at the correct angle on the vanity. She makes Fontaine feel she will never measure up, will never be a great lady of Manderley, something that Mrs. Van Hopper tried to tell her as well. Everyone and everything in the house revolves around this dead Rebecca, so much so that Fontaine almost can't live through it.

Rebecca never appears in the film, yet it is amazing how much of a character she is. When Fontaine tries to dress up for a ball, Danvers suggests a portrait on the wall which is supposed to be a long dead relative of Maxims. Of course, when Fontaine wears the dress, she realizes from Maxim's reaction that the woman and the dress were Rebecca and that she just reminded him of her.

Eventually the film goes into Rebecca's death in some detail. We never know for sure that we know all the details of the death, but it doesn't really matter. By the end of the movie, all the major characters in the film will have been changed. Some will have been destroyed forever.

Criterion has done a great job with this film, giving us a great transfer, as always, along with a superb commentary. The second disc features trailers, interviews with Fontaine and Anderson, making of featurettes, examples of Selznick's letters and his attention to detail, and how maddening it got for the master.

By the way, Selznick got three films out of Hitchcock. They were Rebecca, Spellbound, and The Paradine Case. Well, he really got four, but he gave one of them to RKO studios because he was unhappy with the story and he thought it would interest no one. What was the film Selznick gave away? It was Hitch's best film of all time in my opinion--Notorious. What a waste it would have been had Selznick been allowed to ruin Hitch's masterpiece.

Rating:
Summary: A Perfect Video for a Rainy Night!
Review: If you love Hitchcock or if you love golden screen star Laurence Olivier, you will fall head over heals in love with this film! I came across REBECCA while I was in college, majoring in English Literature. I first read the book, which by the way is an excellent read. Then, I viewed this film and was required to write a long paper on a comparison of the two. On a whole, the screenplay remains true to the book, so if you want the ending of this film to maintain its shock value, read the book last.

REBECCA is mysterious and haunting. The second Mrs. de Winter, played by Joan Fontaine, is plain, timid and shy. While on vacation with her overbearing employer, she meets the wealthy, handsome and intriguing Max de Winter, played by Laurence Olivier. She is awe-struck by him and even more surprised when he begins to pursue her. In a matter of days, they marry. She hardly knows anything about this man, except that he loves his beloved estate. However, when he takes his new bride home, she discovers that the huge mansion has some dark secrets and that his late wife, Rebecca, still lives in spirit at the estate. And Rebecca isn't exactly . . . hospitable.

Buy this video today! You won't be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: Gothic Greatness
Review: From the opening shots and line about dreaming of a visit to Manderly again, to the final shots of Mrs. Danvers and the flames, Alfred Hitchcock creates a dark, eerie atmosphere that will remain with the viewer every time you see the film. Although Rebecca is never seen, her presence is felt throughout the entire movie. Laurence Olivier, as the late Rebecca's tortured husband is good, although I think his moods and personal torture are played too strongly. Joan Fontaine, never an actress I have especially admired, is surprisingly excellent as Olivier's new, unnamed, naive wife, thrust into a world she is unprepared to deal with. But the greatest performance of the film belongs to Judith Anderson as Mrs. Danvers, Rebecca's housekeeper, and consequently, Fontaine's nemesis. With her daunting profile and posture, and her chilling delivery of lines, she creates one of the most memorable film characters I have ever seen. With its winding plot, terrific performances, and the direction of Alfred Hitchcock creating tension and atmosphere on a Gothic scale, Rebecca is one of the greater suspense films I have ever seen.

Rating:
Summary: Yummy Classic Movie
Review: I have seen all of Hitchcock's American work. If you are familiar with his movies, you probably agree that, with the exception of "Family Plot", his films are delicious brain food! Rebecca is a beautiful, mysterious and tragic piece. Olivier and Fontaine are at the peak of their talent and beauty. By the way, if you like Joan Fontaine in this film, her performance is equally good in Hitchcock's Suspicion, with Cary Grant. Why aren't most modern actors this good, hmmm? Hey Mr. Soderbergh, please don't remake this one! There's a reason why we call them 'Classic'.

Rating:
Summary: Yummy Classic Movie
Review: I have seen all of Hitchcock's American work. If you are familiar with his movies, you probably agree that, with the exception of "Family Plot", his films are delicious brain food! Rebecca is a beautiful, mysterious and tragic piece. Olivier and Fontaine are at the peak of their talent and beauty. By the way, if you like Joan Fontaine in this film, her performance is equally good in Hitchcock's Suspicion, with Cary Grant. Why aren't most modern actors this good, hmmm? Hey Mr. Soderbergh, please don't remake this one! There's a reason why we call them 'Classic'.

Rating:
Summary: A classic shines.
Review: A stunning transfer from Criterion. "Rebecca" remains one of the finest films of the 1940's, and features Joan Fontaine as the second mistress of Manderley, forever living in the shadow of her mysterious predecessor. Lawrence Olivier is perhaps detached in his performance, but nevertheless embodies the master of Manderley as few others of his generation could. "Rebecca" also contains the paranoia, suspense, and dreamlike mood that would color much of director Alfred Hitchcock's later work. Criterion continues to put the major DVD distributors to shame with its transfers of old films, and once again proves that although higher in price, their DVD's are worth every penny.

Rating:
Summary: "We can never go back to Manderley again"
Review: Joan Fontaine laments as she opens the film, obviously several years removed from her time at the lush, oversized estate, which recalls "Tara" from Gone With the Wind as a residence which is actually also a character in the movie. People remember the houses from these two films almost more than the characters. No coincidence that both films were produced by the ridiculously meticulous David O. Selznick. GWtW was of course the most popular film of all time, so Selznick figured he had the right idea about how to make a film. Details, right down to the last corner.

Alfred Hitchcock had made a career in London making films with complete autonomy. He basically called all the shots. When he got to America, he signed a four movie deal with Selznick. Rebecca is the first and best of the three. (no, not a mistake, I'll explain later) Rebecca was the only film by Hitchcock to win best picture from the Academy, although Hitch did not win best director. The film was basically a tug of war between producer and director. Selznick wanted the book followed religiously, Hitch wanted to take the basic idea of the book and add his own touches. Selznick wouldn't allow it, so Hitch was forced to make the film exactly by the book.

The film stars Fontaine as an unnamed young woman who while working as a paid companion for the unbearable Mrs. Van Hopper (Florence Bates), she meets and falls in love with the brooding Maxim de Winter (Lawrence Olivier). They marry after a quick courtship and go "home" to Manderley, Olivier's mammoth estate. Fontaine is very young and has no idea what she is getting into, especially when it dawns on her that Olivier's late first wife, Rebecca, still dominates the house. Her stationery, napkins, and rituals are still present, and Fontaine feels she has no chance against this woman.

The other problem in the house is the housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers (Judith Anderson),who creeps around the house, showing up at any time to frighten Fontaine. She is still obsessed with Rebecca, still keeps Rebecca's old room the same way, hairbrush at the correct angle on the vanity. She makes Fontaine feel she will never measure up, will never be a great lady of Manderley, something that Mrs. Van Hopper tried to tell her as well. Everyone and everything in the house revolves around this dead Rebecca, so much so that Fontaine almost can't live through it.

Rebecca never appears in the film, yet it is amazing how much of a character she is. When Fontaine tries to dress up for a ball, Danvers suggests a portrait on the wall which is supposed to be a long dead relative of Maxims. Of course, when Fontaine wears the dress, she realizes from Maxim's reaction that the woman and the dress were Rebecca and that she just reminded him of her.

Eventually the film goes into Rebecca's death in some detail. We never know for sure that we know all the details of the death, but it doesn't really matter. By the end of the movie, all the major characters in the film will have been changed. Some will have been destroyed forever.

Criterion has done a great job with this film, giving us a great transfer, as always, along with a superb commentary. The second disc features trailers, interviews with Fontaine and Anderson, making of featurettes, examples of Selznick's letters and his attention to detail, and how maddening it got for the master.

By the way, Selznick got three films out of Hitchcock. They were Rebecca, Spellbound, and The Paradine Case. Well, he really got four, but he gave one of them to RKO studios because he was unhappy with the story and he thought it would interest no one. What was the film Selznick gave away? It was Hitch's best film of all time in my opinion--Notorious. What a waste it would have been had Selznick been allowed to ruin Hitch's masterpiece.

Rating:
Summary: Rebecca - not Hitchcock's best...
Review: If you are a die hard Alfred Hitchcock fan, than this DVD is a must own! However, I feel this DVD is over priced for what you get. The movie itself isn't Hitchcock's best work, a bit dry and boring in parts...which I rarely say about Alfred Hitchcock films.