Absolutely perfect Gothic Thriller that has many imitators but few of equal quality.
With "Rebecca" about to hit the Broadway stage (as a musical!), I thought it was time to write my review of perhaps my favorite Hitchcock film. I recall the first time I saw this on TV almost 30 years ago on the late show, I had set my VCR to tape it, but woke up to start watching a bit of it, and stayed up all night to watch it all. That's how good a film it is. Daphne Du Maurier's tale of a shy companion who shocks her employer by winning the most desired wealthy widow in England is gripping, suspenseful, and filled with innuendo. Joan Fontaine never gave a more lovely performance as the awkward bride who leaves her hysterically selfish employer (Florence Bates) to marry the brooding Maxim De Winter (Laurence Olivier) and finds animosity from the darkly dressed Mrs. Danver (Judith Anderson) who resents her intrusion because of her devotion to Maxim's late wife, Rebecca. The mystery of how Rebecca died and what kind of woman she really was is explored, and with the intrusion of scoundrel George Sanders and some well-meaning advice from Maxim's toothy sister (Gladys Cooper), the new Mrs. De Winter (her first name is never revealed) finds out more than she bargained for.
If you thought Olivier's Heathcliff in "Wuthering Heights" was dark and somewhat depressing, wait until you meet his more civilized Maxim. Joan Fontaine's bride is as far from Merle Oberon's "wild and sweet" Cathy as you can find, but as far as Gothic tales of brooding men and their lost souls go, the two movies make a perfect double feature. Samuel Goldwyn and David Selznick were Hollywood's most famous independent producers, so sometimes their careers are compared. They share many of the same players, and in the case of these two films, the same photographer (Gregg Toland). Fontaine and Olivier work well on screen together, even though they apparently did not share a close working relationship. It is, however, the supporting players who are the shining stars.
Anderson's Mrs. Danvers is a role we've already seen on screen (usually played by Gale Sondergaard), but being Anderson's second film (and first in 7 years), there was a lot of curiosity surrounding her considering her reputation as one of Broadway's hottest dramatic actresses. Mrs. Danvers isn't a one dimensional evil housekeeper; You understand her affection for the late Rebecca from the very beginning, and in every movement Anderson makes, you cannot take your eyes off of her. I can't praise her highly enough. Sanders' suave villain (who playfully calls Mrs. Danvers "Danny") is extremely likable and almost equal in stealing away the attention of the leads. Gladys Cooper and Nigel Bruce add on a delightful "pip pip" quality to their eccentric characters, while in her brief time on screen, Florence Bates is hysterically funny, putting out a cigarette in her cold cream, and coolly telling Fontaine how she can never truly be a "great lady".
Every moment here is a classic movie memory, from the opening narration to Fontaine's first vision of De Winter, and then, the rainy ride down to where Fontaine sees Mandalay for the first time. The light first quarter darkens the moment we see Anderson pop into view as Mrs. Danvers. A cold pause, then "How Do You Do" reveals the tension, and from there, everything is set. Anderson explodes in two scenes-the first where she finds the hiding Fontaine in Rebecca's old room, and later, when Fontaine confronts Anderson after discovering her treachery. The film sags just a bit with the discovery of a body that might be Rebecca's, but that is minor. C. Aubrey Smith is memorable in his small role as Maxim's attorney. The final shot will live on in your memory, just as Mandalay lived on in the second Mrs. De Winter's.
While "Rebecca" won Best Film at that year's Academy Awards, many film historians prefer the message drama "The Grapes of Wrath" as the better film. I find the two rank very close, and also quibble over between the choice of Jane Darwell for Supporting Actress over Anderson's Mrs. Danvers. A big mistake was not nominating Sanders. A BBC version years later is also very good, a bit more faithful to the novel, and benefits from Diana Rigg as a more approachable Mrs. Danvers and a very diva-ish performance by Faye Dunaway in the Florence Bates role.
