Wordiezett So much average

CommentsXp Best movie ever!

Calum Hutton It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

Erica Derrick By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Ian (Flash Review)Counter to the majority of suspense films out there today, Hitchcock derives great suspense from two things that are not literally characters on the set, which creates an eerie atmosphere and discomfort as the story plays out. One core suspense point I'll leave as a surprise and the other I'll say is the metaphorical character of the film, the massive mansion, accentuates the underlying tension. The story kicks off with a young woman, who is an assistant to a wealthy older lady staying in Monte Carlo, who catches the eye of a wealthy gentleman. She is enticed by his charm as well as his wealth. As their romance takes off, she is brought to his mansion complete with a full staff and is slow to warm herself to the icy head housekeeper who has a mysterious fondness for the wealthy man's former lady. Will she regret her new station in life in the lonely mansion? Will she gain the confidence needed to navigate the housekeeper's unusual emotions and trumpet herself as the new lady of the house? Nicely paced, well edited, communicative shot framing, smart and engrossing dialog and crisp black and whites make this a stellar and memorable Hitchcock suspense film.

chaswe-28402 The ending is more than a little ex machina. Very unpleasant types: Hecate van Hopper, Maximum de Winter, Deathly Danvers, Flakey Favell Foulenough, combine to bully a sweet, pretty, innocent, young girl with no name. But she slowly grows strong, takes Maxim in hand, and in the end sees off the others. This all takes place at Manderley, not Mandalay. Joan Fontaine is gorgeous.Florence Bates, as van Hopper, has a vicious Hitchcockian way with a cigarette, a stubbing technique later adopted by Jessie Royce Landis in To Catch a Thief. Was this another way Hitchcock decided later to repeat himself ? Just a thought. I don't think he showed up personally in Rebecca.An unusual Hitchcock perhaps, because it is heavy on atmosphere, somewhat reminiscent of Edgar Allan P, and although there is a modicum of suspense, it is slightly flat in that department. It's almost as if Alfred was feeling his way with his first film under American skies. Rebecca's death throes, her smile of satisfaction as she expires, reminds me of Claggart, although the film of Billy Budd was not produced until 22 years later. A gripping watch, but Olivier is extremely unappealing in his role. Other reviewers have explained that Selznick interfered with the direction of this film.

zkonedog Despite the fact that Alfred Hitchcock is widely renown as one of the great directors of his time, it is a bit strange how so many of his films (especially the later ones) have such lame plots. Hitch can make practically anything watchable, but Cold War stinkers like Topaz or Torn Curtain, for example, just weren't going to be classics with even the greatest at the helm. In the case of "Rebecca", however, the overall plot is equal to Hitch's masterful style, producing an epic film worthy of its Oscar statue.For a basic plot summary, "Rebecca" begins with the the meeting and courtship of Maxim de Winter (Laurence Olivier) and the lady who will become his wife (Joan Fontaine). When the couple arrive at Maxim's elegant mansion, however, the new bride discovers just how deep the love of Maxim's first wife runs through the home, especially in maid Mrs. Danvers (Judith Anderson).The main plot element of this film reminds me very much of "Vertigo" in the sense that a supernatural presence is hinted at. Viewers never quite know what is going on (further hinted at by Hitch's adept film & music touch) until quite literally the final minutes of the movie. I won't give away any details here, but suffice it to say that the mysteries throw enough curve-balls to keep you on the edge of your seat in wonder.The acting is also top-notch. Olivier & Fontaine shine in their leading roles, but Anderson's Danvers pretty much steals the show in this one as one of the great creepy movie characters of all time. Comparable to Nurse Ratched in "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest".Overall, "Rebecca" has got to be up near the top of all "Best of Hitchcock" lists, as it excels in pretty much every element of film-making. Whereas other Hitchcock films rely on Hitch's tricky camera work or silly humor to a large extent, "Rebecca" is just a fantastic story translated well onto the big screen. You can't really go wrong watching this effort.

grantss A young woman is in Monte Carlo, working as a ladies' companion, when she meets the recently-widowered, and very wealthy, Maxim De Winter. They fall in love and get married soon thereafter. The De Winters take up residence in Maxim's family estate, Manderley. Mrs De Winter finds it hard to fit in. The presence of Maxim's deceased wife, Rebecca, seems to permeate through the house and Mrs De Winter can't shake the feeling that she is constantly being compared to her and that she is an interloper. Mrs. Danvers, Rebecca's personal maid, also takes care to make things as uncomfortable as possible for the new Mrs De Winter. Mrs De Winter has the constant fear that memories of Rebecca will drive her and Maxim apart. Over time, she grows to know more and more about Rebecca...Brilliant psychological drama, based on a Daphne Du Maurier novel and directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Carries all of the Hitchcock trademarks - the slow-burning intensity, the mystery, the psychological games, the twists and the powerful conclusion.While the plot does develop slowly, especially in the early-to- middle section, this movie is by no means boring. More than engaging, it is a totally immersive experience. You see everything through Mrs De Winter's eyes, feeling her apprehension and fears and love for her husband.At a point, the plot takes off and then we have intrigue upon intrigue, with some great revelations and twists along the way. Powerful, profound ending.Excellent performances from Sir Laurence Olivier (though that's a given) and Joan Fontaine in the lead roles. Both received Oscar nominations, as did Judith Anderson for playing Mrs. Danvers. Hitchcock received his first (of five) Best Director Oscar nominations for this movie.The movie itself won the 1941 Best Picture Oscar, beating out, amongst others, another masterpiece - The Grapes of Wrath.