“Rebecca” (1940) – Alfred Hitchcock’s Haunting Literary Masterpiece About Housekeepers

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Starring: Laurence Olivier, Joan Fontaine, George Sanders

‘A Remarkable Classic’

“Rebecca” is directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Its screenplay is written by Robert E. Sherwood and Joan Harrison. The script is an adaptation of Daphne Du Maurier’s novel. The adaptation is by Philip MacDonald and Michael Hogan. This film stars Laurence Olivier, Joan Fontaine, George Sanders, Judith Anderson, and Reginald Denny. Its plot follows a naive young woman, who marries a rich widower and settles in his gigantic mansion. She finds the unforgettable memory of the first wife maintaining a grip on her husband and the servants. “Rebecca” is the winner of two Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Cinematography.

Alfred Hitchcock has created an unforgettable masterpiece. The master of suspense has fully lived up to his strengths as a director. This is a film that demonstrates how legendary he is. Hitchcock directs this film with the perfect use of lighting, sets, cast, and script. The result is a flawless movie. Black and white cinematography doesn’t work for some films, but it works extravagantly here. It seems as though this film would not have been as good if it weren’t in black and white. Each shot is visually stunning and full of huge amounts of detail. George Barnes’ Academy Award win for Cinematography was fully deserved.

Laurence Olivier delivers a brilliant performance as a rich widower. Handsome, graceful, and charming; Olivier does full justice to his role. He proves that he was one of the best actors working in Hollywood at the time. Joan Fontaine is great as the widower’s second wife. She is elegant, beautiful, and charming in her spectacular role. The rest of the cast is terrific; each person does a great job. Judith Anderson particularly stands out as the suspicious and often spooky mistress.

The screenplay for this film plays an important role in enhancing it. The dialogue is quirky, comical, and charming; showing the certain innocence of the time period. It is also intelligent and highly sophisticated.

“Rebecca” is one of the finest films Alfred Hitchcock ever made. It is an engaging, intriguing, and interesting movie that stands as an outstanding achievement in the mystery genre. Recommended for all movie buffs.

5/5 stars