Rebecca
Premiere Collection
Included in the "8 Master Works From the Master of Suspense" Box Set
Laurence Olivier, Joan Fontaine and Judith Anderson headline this Best Picture Oscar Winner based on Daphne Du Maurier's novel about a man's fatal obsession with his late wife.
Member Reviews
worth watching! - tbird
the lighting is beautiful, the setting drew me in as well. the plot is very strong and i really enjoyed watching the characters.the male character was very cute with a gorgeous face as well as the female character.very well crafted.i thought the ending fizzled slightly, but you might disagree.this one is worth watching for sure.Hitchcock's Most Complex Piece - c4th
Rebecca is a complex piece that begins with a slow psychological build up to a murder mystery with surprising twists and turns. There is much debate about how this compares to other Hitchcock creations but the Academy showered it with recognition. It was nominated for eleven Oscars and won in the Best Picture and Best Cinematography categories.
A naive young girl from a simple background, brilliantly played by twenty-two year old Joan Fontaine, meets and marries a wealthy widower. Adapting to her new life is difficult as she realizes she is caught in an environment that stifles her own identity by casting her under the relentless shadow of her husband’s deceased wife, Rebecca. Slowly she manages to draw out small bits of information concerning Rebecca and the circumstances surrounding her drowning but not without a strain on her marriage that tests her conviction and personal fortitude.
This alone is sufficient to create a suspenseful psychological thriller but the plot adds another level. Before the complete truth is reached, our young heroine finds herself embroiled in further personal dilemma that twists and turns its way into a complex murder mystery, which stretches the piece to over two hours in length.
Many may be disappointed by the absence of a cleverly staged murder scene commonly expected from this director. The murder is implied only. A few may find the character development and build up slow and somewhat laborious. Most that are fans of Hitchcock or classics in the genre will enjoy.Great Best Picture winner from Hitchcock. - estefan
Though it begins like a simple romance story, the Hitchcock trademarks start crawling in and that's when Rebecca really gets going. Though some scenes you can see coming a mile away, others manage to arrive completely by surprise, which is a credit to both the screenplay and Hitchcock's direction. Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine are both excellent together, with George Sanders especially stealing the show, even with his small screen-time. Only Judith Anderson doesn't really work as her performance is far from subtle and we see she's evil and manipulative right from her opening scene. Meanwhile, Rebecca has got to be one of the biggest off-screen character in cinematic history, as she seems to surround the picture even though she never appeared. Though, I wouldn't call it the best picture of 1940 (Fantasia, Pinocchio and the nominated Great Dictator are completely superior in every way), it's a strong effort from Hitchcock, nonetheless.
Member Reviews
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worth watching! - tbird
the lighting is beautiful, the setting drew me in as well. the plot is very strong and i really enjoyed watching the characters.the male character was very cute with a gorgeous face as well as the female character.very well crafted.i thought the ending fizzled ...Hitchcock's Most Complex Piece - c4th
Rebecca is a complex piece that begins with a slow psychological build up to a murder mystery with surprising twists and turns. There is much debate about how this compares to other Hitchcock creations but the Academy showered it with recognition. It was ...Great Best Picture winner from Hitchcock. - estefan
Though it begins like a simple romance story, the Hitchcock trademarks start crawling in and that's when Rebecca really gets going. Though some scenes you can see coming a mile away, others manage to arrive completely by surprise, which is a credit to both ...