Welcome to Dial H for Hitchcock, a monthly online gathering where we discuss the work of "the Master" (of suspense and quite a bit more). Alfred Hitchcock's first American film, Rebecca (1940), is the featured film this month.By the late 1930's, Hitchcock's reputation was riding high based on several suspense films he'd made in Britain. He came to Hollywood under contract to producer David O. Selznick. Selznick intended Rebecca to rival his previous film, the award-laden Gone With the Wind (1939). The two men had a contentious collaboration on Rebecca but ultimately produced a critical and commercial success that was nominated for 11 Academy Awards. It won two: Best Picture and Best B&W Cinematography.
Rebecca is a favorite of mine, and here are a few reasons why...
A strong sense of atmosphere that underscores the story's gothic quality and mood of vague but insistent foreboding. Manderley, where much of the action occurs, conveys a cavernous and chilly ambiance of inhospitable elegance.
Multi-layered characters, evocative performances. Joan Fontaine is palpably anxious and apprehensive as the second Mrs. de Winter. She doesn't miss a beat and, late in the film, smoothly portrays the young woman's transition as she gains poise and confidence. Laurence Olivier's Maxim de Winter is guilt-riddled, highly strung and volatile...with aristocratic charm. Judith Anderson creates one of Hitchcock's and the screen's great villains as the unbalanced and eventually dangerous Mrs. Danvers. George Sanders as Jack Favell and Florence Bates as Mrs. Van Hopper both play unsavory types, but with comic overtones. Favell is an oily bounder, but a witty one. Van Hopper is insufferably demanding and grandiose - and more than slightly ridiculous.A final note...Hitchcock reportedly edited "in camera" to prevent Selznick from re-editing his work. Rebecca strikes me as classic Hitchcock with the Selznick treatment: top-notch cast, the finest writers and technicians - and a big budget that shows.
Those are some of my thoughts...but what do you think? What are your opinions, observations and comments...and, if you've read Daphne du Maurier's novel, how would you compare the film to the book?
Eve, I think a monthly discussion focusing on one of Hitch's films is a marvelous idea. Count me in! I agree wholeheartedly that the atmosphere (the seaside setting in addition to the house), the performances, and the characters combine for great effect in REBECCA. I also find it fascinating that we never see the most interesting character: Rebecca herself. I think this marks the beginning of Hitchcock's "Invisible Women" trilogy. In REBECCA, the "invisible woman" is a real person, but everything we learn about her is from other people, of course. In VERTIGO, Madeleine was a real person, but we know nothing about the real person...we only know the character of Madeleine as created by Gavin and portrayed by Judy. We do see a physical representation of Madeleine, but it's Judy playing a role. Finally, in PSYCHO, the most dominating character is Norman's mother. But again, we never see her except as a corpse. But we do see and hear her as another personality of Norman. In this case, Norman isn't knowingly playing a role...he is his mother (or his perception of her). I think these three films follow a logical progression in how an "invisible" character evolves from real to portrayed to a combination of the two. It makes me wonder if Hitch would have tacked VERTIGO and PSYCHO if he hadn't done REBECCA first.
ReplyDeleteI have always loved both the book and the movie. I was named after the book Rebecca actually. I think Daphne du Maurier's most brilliant inspiration in the book, which Hitch honored in the movie, was in giving the 2nd Mrs. De Winter no name of her own. She did not want the name Rebecca upstaged. This technique also portrayed the young wife as a girl who had not developed her own personality and will, but was always in the shadow of Rebecca. She seemed to be a ghostly figure rather than Rebecca, who was a palpable personality. Finally, the young wife developed the strong maturity shown after the truth came about Rebecca, and her individuality became stronger as Rebecca's hold became weaker. Another point of great interest is the relationship between Mrs. Danvers and Rebecca. There are definite lesbian undertones, shown particularly well when she insists that the young wife look at all of Rebecca's things in her magnificent bedroom. She spoke of Rebecca as a lost love, stroking the fur coats. displaying even her silken underwear, holding the diaphanous nightgown. This was not all to make the young wife feel inferior. It was also to show Mrs. Danvers' true feelings and obsession with Rebecca. This book and the movie, which was almost completely true to the novel, were works of brilliance, both by Daphne du Maurier and Hitchcock. Rick, I had never thought about your invisible woman theory. Very insightful. Wonderful selection, Eve.
ReplyDeleteEve,I am a huge fan of Alfred Hitchcock's. Lawrence Olivier and Joan Fontaine are fantastic in this film. I also thought the entire cast played their roles perfectly. Especially Judith Anderson who played the very creepy housekeeper. She did a wonderful job tormenting the new bride and undermining her every attempt to make her husband happy.. Wonderful review.
ReplyDeleteGreat start on what is destined to be a splendid and popular feature at the Café! I will say that I like REBECCA, but it's not a Hitch favorite. I'm not a fan of either Fontaine or Olivier, but the film has a strong story, and, as Eve pointed out, there's a definite atmosphere. I can't offer anything meaningful in this discussion, especially since my comments follow a terrific article and the thoughtful comments from Rick, Becky & Dawn (and yes, I'm stupid, too). But I'm looking forward to more "Dial H for Hitchcock"!
ReplyDeleteI really can't improve on all your comments, Eve, Rick, Becks,Sark, and Dawn. The one thing that none of you have mentioned is the music. Franz Waxman's score is for the glue that holds the film together. This score was a major milestone for Waxman and lead to 3 other films with Hitchcock: The Paradine Case, Suspicion,and Rear Window. The film run time is 2 hrs 12 min, and has 71 music cues. Sslznick also inserted music by Max Stiener's Little lord Fauntleroy into the film the music for Beatrice ion reel 5 part 3 on the soundtrack mis Stiener. I hve to thank John W. Waxman Franz's son)
ReplyDeletefor this information fron the notes to the Naxos CD of the Rebecca score
BTW Eve, Olivier was not the first or even second choice for Max. Ronald Coleman could not make up his mind and William Powell was not available.
I wasn't aware of the "invisable woman" trilogy at all...good point, Rick. As for Danvers, I read the book when I was so young I couldn't pronounce "rhododendrons" (which I think appears on the first page), so I don't remember how she was portrayed by du Maurier, but have read that there were no lesbian overtones in the novel, tho there definitely are in the film. My understanding is that the big difference btw book and film is the ending. In the book Maxim shoots Rebecca but, on film, the Production Code wouldn't allow a murderer to get away with it so Rebecca's death was made accidental. Sark, I hope you will take another look at Rebecca, it may grow on you. This is one of those Hitchcock films that I've liked more and more over the years. But...Mrs. Danvers...this is Hitchcock's first American film and one of its great strengths is Mrs. Danvers' character and Judith Anderson's brilliant portrayal...Hitchcock's best B&W films all seem to have a similarly pivotal villain (well conceived, beautifully acted) - Uncle Charlie, Bruno, Alexander Sebastian, Norman Bates - that elevates the film.
ReplyDeletePaul - I had read that Colman was first choice for Maxim, he would've been good I think, but Powell wouldn't have been right. I have mixed feelings about Waxman's score, but think it works. I like the opening, with strings, disonant and implying suspense. At times, tho, a little romantic for me - but Rebecca is a romance, among other things...
ReplyDeleteGreat movie to start with. My first time watching it believe it or not was in 11th grade English and I loved it from the very beginning. Of course a lot of my class mates were not paying attention but I was totally into it. The music, the photography, the acting all combined to make an excellent film. I thought the performances were top notch too. I very much enjoyed George Sanders wonderfully droll performance as Jack Favell. After seeing Sanders in this film, I did my best to watch him in anything else he acted in. The writing in this film was excellent, that's one of the reasons our teacher wanted us to see it. Was I ever grateful to her for doing that. So much classic dialogue like Favell saying marriage with Max is not exactly a bed of roses is it? Ouch!..Great choice LadyEve.
ReplyDeleteThis is a superb choice for the first "Dial H for Hitchcock" entry. Eve, I honestly think that this paragraph you penned:
ReplyDelete. . . A strong sense of atmosphere that underscores the story's gothic quality and mood of vague but insistent foreboding. Manderley, where much of the action occurs, conveys a cavernous and chilly ambiance of inhospitable elegance.
may be one of the best written on the Cafe's board. I fully concur. "Rebecca" is resplendent in its atmospheric tone. You express your thoughts so beautifully!
Becky, your love for this movie rings through faithfully. I loved your response to this blog.
And, Rick, I think your "Invisible Women" theory is very perceptive. This is a really excellent thread.
Have anyone seen the 1997 British REBECCA with Diana Rigg as Mrs. Danvers? My wife and I both enjoyed it. Because it's longer (about three hours), there's more time for relationships to evolve and for the characters to show their true selves. As a result, Mrs. Danvers doesn't come across so quickly as a villain. It's a more gradual nastiness and Diana Rigg gives a nicely-shaded performance. (By the way, Eve, I think your writing rocked on this post, too.)
ReplyDeleteRick, I saw that version of REBECCA on PBS a and enjoyed it. Charles Dance as Maxim...and the young actress was very good, too.
ReplyDelete(Toto, thanks for appreciating that particular sentence, it was the one I had the most trouble with).
Did anyone else notice how Jasper the dog quickly bonded with the second Mrs. de Winter? And when Mrs. Danvers peeks in on the two of them just before she torches Manderley, Jasper gives her a wary look...very nice touch, don't you think?
Everyone, all of your posts have made me want to revisit Manderley, both on film and the printed page. I had forgotten about the dog scenes, Eve. And I am quite fond of canine commentary!
ReplyDeleteAnother eye-catching Hitchcock dog was the Great Dane that belonged to Herbert Marshall in Foreign Correspondent. The dog, which was huge, seemed threatening but was mostly docile.
ReplyDeleteThe use of deep focus has been credited with adding to the atmosphere of Rebecca. It was apparently one of only two or three films that utilized deep focus before Citizen Kane - which is famous for it...
Eve, that's a great point about the use of deep focus, which originated in European cinema (Renoir employed it in the 1930s). Indeed, your intriguing REBECCA discussion inspired me to pick up some of my Hitch books again, in particular the Truffaut interviews and "Hitchcock & Selznick" by Leonard Leff. In the Truffaut book, Hitch states that "REBECCA is not a Hitchcock film." In fact, Leff says that Selznick supervised the editing while Hitch moved on to FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT. Selznick was not altogether satisfied with Joan Fontaine's performance and tried to improve it in the editing room by recutting scenes and having her redub some of her dialogue. Selznick also produced a radio adaptation of REBECCA and reissued the film closer to Oscar voting--as part of his successful campaign to earn a Best Picture Oscar for the film. Finally, in the Truffaut book, Hitch shared this fascinating insight: "Mrs. Danvers was almost never seen walking and rarely shown in motion. If she entered the room in which the heroine was, what happened is that the girl suddenly heard a sound, and there was the ever-present Mrs. Danvers, standing perfectly still by her side." Hitchcock felt that to show Mrs. Danvers walking would have humanized her.
ReplyDeleteRick - I'd have to disagree with Hitchcock that Rebecca wasn't a Hitchcock film, but I understand how he must've felt about Selznick's tinkering. It's definitely the best of the three films he made with Selznick (Selznick loaned out Hitchcock for most of their contracted films). I read that he walked off the set at or near the completion of The Paradine Case, their last film together.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read Truffaut's book on Hitchcock - what great insight Hitchcock had on his characters. Mrs. Danvers was perfection and it's clear from what Hitchcock told Truffaut that credit belongs to both the actress and the director for that.
This is such an excellent blog. The Hitchcock-Truffaut book is truly a fun read.
ReplyDeleteIt's gratifying to see so many interested in Rebecca and Hitchcock...
ReplyDeleteWas thinking about the Hitchcock/Selznick wrestling match...I've often heard & read that Hitchcock worked directly from elaborate storyboards and that when working w/Selznick he filmed as little as possible and only what he wanted in order to control the editing process in terms of Selznick's interference. I have to wonder if the Selznick experience didn't push Hitchcock more quickly toward producing his own films...
I think you're right on target, Eve. But I also think that Hitchcock learned from his relationship with Selznick. The Hitchcock films of the 1950s and 1960s (which include most of my faves) are "painted on a larger canvas"--not always in terms of scope, but in terms of ambition. VERTIGO, which is essentially a two-person film, benefits mightily from the setting of San Francisco as well as its obsessive relationships. REAR WINDOW tackles voyeurism and turns an apartment building into a character. These films are very different from 39 STEPS, SABOTEUR, THE LADY VANISHES, etc. Undoubtedly, the differences can be attributed to Hitch's personal growth as an artist, but one wonders if Selznick's showsmanship qualities had some influence, too.
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ReplyDeleteGreat point, Rick, I completely agree. I enjoy many of Hitchcock's pre-Hollywood films, but starting with Rebecca he was working on another level. I'm sure much credit goes to Selznick and what Hitchcock absorbed from working w/him - Hitchcock was new to Hollywood and Selznick was at top of the heap when they connected. If the experience with Selznick pushed him to begin producing his own films, it was to Hitchcock's (and our) advantage. As you pointed out earlier, Hitchcock followed Rebecca with Foreign Correspondent (an underrated film) - then Mr. & Mrs. Smith (needed Cary Grant in the male lead), Suspicion (of the ruined ending) and Saboteur (weak leads) - and then Shadow of a Doubt, the next of his masterpieces. But my point is, there was a gap between Rebecca and Shadow of a Doubt, so I'd to say Selznick deserves a good amount of credit for the excellence of Rebecca.
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