A real treat. Captivating from its famous opening lines to its pyrotechnic finale, this is one of Hitchcock's finest -- and that's saying something.
Rebecca (1940)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:35
Fresh:35
Rotten:0
Average Rating:8.7/10
Consensus: Tense and unpredictable, Alfred Hitchcock's American debut is a masterpiece of Gothic films. Though held back by plot deficiencies and excessive length, it remains a thrilling, superbly atmospheric early example of the director's genius, and netted Joan Fontaine a hard-earned Best Actress nomination.
Theatrical Release:30-06-2006
Synopsis: 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... 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. [More]
Starring: Joan Fontaine, Laurence Olivier, George Sanders, Nigel Bruce
Starring: Joan Fontaine, Laurence Olivier, George Sanders, Nigel Bruce, C. Aubrey Smith, Reginald Denny, Gladys Cooper, Judith Anderson
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Story: Daphne Du Maurier
Producer: David O. Selznick
Screenwriter: Robert E. Sherwood, Joan Harrison
Composer: Franz Waxman
Reviews for Rebecca
[A] classic female gothic romance, beautifully adapted from Daphne du Maurier's novel, and hauntingly accompanied by Franz Waxman's score.
Hitchcock shows superb technical control and attends to his trademark motifs, from monstrous mother figures to the fetishisation of clothing.
This time Hitchcock does it all his way, does a splendid job and has a splendid cast to do it with.
The meandering storyline, however, ultimately prevents the film from living up to its reputation as one of Hitchcock's best...
Anderson, Sanders, and Florence Bates all reveled in nasty roles; they look delighted sharpening their talons on Fontaine's little brown wren.
Through its first two-thirds it is as perfect a myth of adolescence as any of the Disney films, documenting the childlike, nameless heroine's initiation into the adult mysteries of sex, death, and identity.
Alfred Hitchcock's first American film is an atmospheric triumph of suspense.
Hitchcock's first American film is a superbly mounted Gothic thriller with a good Joan Fontaine as the timid wife, superb Judith Anderson as the malevolent housekeeper, and uncharacteristically mediocre Olivier as the tormented husband.
Remains one of the Master's most overrated and underrated movies at the same time.
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