Notorious [Blu-ray] | DVD Review

Winner of the Oscar for best picture in 1941, Rebecca was director Alfred Hitchcock’s first Hollywood film. It also continued producer David O. Selznick’s amazing hot streak, coming on the heels of his Oscar win for Gone with the Wind in 1940. The two films cemented Selznick’s reputation as the world’s leading purveyor of gothic chick flicks, while Rebecca proved that Hitchcock, already considered Britain’s top director, could function just fine on American soil. Gone with the Wind and Rebecca nearly shared another key similarity. Selznick had penciled in Vivian Leigh to star in both pictures, but changed his mind after filming the Civil War epic. Officially, Sleznick’s reason was fear of over-exposing Leigh due to Gone with the Wind’s tremendous success. But in truth, Hitchcock strongly preferred another actress; a pretty young starlet from Santa Clara County – whose early career had been so disappointing she’d recently been fired by RKO – named Joan Fontaine.

Based on Daphne du Maurier’s breathless bodice ripper, Rebecca is the type of film that’s difficult to take seriously today, steeped as it is in the passions and privileges of a refined world that no longer exists. But to the audience of 1940, with conflicts in Europe and Asia threatening to engulf the entire planet, this tale of tortured gentry was a welcome escape. Over the years the film has remained a popular property, enjoying a theatrical re-release in 2006 in the UK, and there are reports of a remake in the pipeline from DreamWorks. Hitchcock aficionados generally consider Rebecca among the director’s finest achievements, complete with unforgettable imagery, superb performances and a hypnotic, foreboding atmosphere. In addition, Rebecca pushed the standard thriller envelope with subtle but undeniable hints of sexual dysfunction, incest and lesbianism.

The story is familiar one; its lineage tracing back to the likes of Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre. A young, naïve personal assistant (Joan Fontaine) accompanies her frumpy boss (Florence Bates) on a vacation to Monte Carlo. There she encounters the mysterious Maxim de Winter (Laurence Olivier), a well-heeled widower more interested in staring wistfully at the sea than the roulette table. After a brief romance and hastily arranged marriage, the couple arrives at de Winter’s estate called Manderley; a sprawling country mansion that makes stately Wayne Manor look like a tool shed. But Manderley is no smoothly run Downton Abbey, for awaiting the new Mrs. de Winter is an icy reception from chief servant Mrs. Danvers (Judith Anderson, before she was a Dame) and some puzzling hints from boathouse idiot Ben (Leonard Carey). Before long, Fontaine realizes that a ghost roams Manderley’s cavernous halls: the memory of the late Rebecca de Winter, and her gloomy shade has infiltrated every soul and stone with guilt, longing and dread.

Physically, Rebecca was the type of movie David O. Selznick knew how to produce. Manderley’s sumptuous sets are a study in obsessive overstatement; each surface such an architectural wonder actors often seem lost and vulnerable amid the splendors. Perhaps this competition brought out the best in Rebecca’s cast, for they weave a tapestry of brilliance and conviction. Young Olivier is a marvel here, his mastery of elegant minimalism a joy to watch; each line reading a jewel in a satin lined box. The stiffly menacing Anderson shoots electric daggers out of her eyes while George Sanders, as Rebecca’s cousin Jack, shows once again why he’s enshrined in the Despicable Sleazeball Hall of Fame. But most impressive is Fontaine, her delicate edges creating profound empathy in a challenging, and at times thankless role. Viewers will feel an immediate transference as Fontaine gracefully commands our attention and nurtures our sympathies. She would win an Oscar the following year for Suspicion; surprisingly the only Hitchcock directed performance to ever take the Best Actress award. But it was this turn in Rebecca that salvaged her stalled career, and put her back on the track to stardom. As of this writing, Miss Fontaine, now in her 90s, is still active and reportedly happily tending to her gardens in Carmel. We wish her all the best, she’s earned it.

Rebecca looks marvelous on blu-ray. In fact, frame-for-frame, it’s the best transfer of Fox’s Hitchcock series. Wonderfully balanced and clean, Rebecca looks new without appearing over-processed or excessively tweaked. As typical of Selznick, the film is superbly art directed with a well chosen palette of values providing excellent separation and pleasing compositional aesthetics. The full frame aspect ratio of 1.33:1 doesn’t feel the least bit restrictive, as each shot is densely packed with tasty visual elements.

The mono track has been nicely cleaned up, and sounds impressively alive for its vintage. The technique-laden actors here knew how to enunciate while sounding natural, and each word of dialogue is clearly rendered. The music and effects track is offered as a separate element, so fans of composer Franz Waxman can bask in his lush, romantic orchestrations.

Commentary with Film Critic Richard Schickel
The esteemed Time magazine critic’s drowsy commentary often feels more like a play-by -play for the hearing impaired than conventional criticism. He does go into interesting background on most of the minor characters, while placing Rebecca within the broader perspective of Olivier’s career. Schickel has some amusing anecdotes about the community of expat British actors in Hollywood, and their attempts to bring cricket and high tea to laid-back Santa Monica. But the informational gems are quite spotty, and ultimately Mr. Schickel seems rather bored with the entire endeavor. For die-hard Rebecca enthusiasts only.

The Making of Rebecca
The most interesting of the supplements, this 28 minute documentary goes in-depth on a variety of issues concerning the production. Hitchcock’s granddaughter Mary Stone, Peter Bogdanovich, Bruce Dern and a number of critics and scholars discuss the difficulties of the Selznick-Hitchcock relationship, beginning with their early competition for the Du Maurier novel, and Hitchcock’s clever and constant avoidance of Selznick’s meddling. We learn about the pair’s aborted plan to make a film about the Titanic – after Selznick had purchased an ocean liner to use as a set – and Hitchcock’s unsuccessful effort to affect a rapprochement between Fontaine and her estranged sister Oliva De Havilland. This supplement is highly recommended.

The Gothic World of Daphne Du Maurier
Rebecca author Du Maurier is profiled in this 20 minute piece, featuring interviews with scholars Nina Auerbach, John Cook and others. Hailing from a theatrical family, Du Maurier’s flair for dramatic fiction became apparent at a young age, but success ultimately brought her little happiness. Her confused sexuality is discussed, along with her shyness and reclusive tendencies. In all, the segment is a entertaining look at a tortured talent, whose life often seemed to parallel her literary creations.

Screen Tests
In grainy, unrestored snippets we see the screen tests of Margaret O’ Sullivan, Vivian Leigh and Laurence Olivier.

Radio Plays
No less than three 60 minute radio versions of Rebecca are included: a 1938 adaptation with Orson Welles featuring music by Bernard Hermann, a production from 1941 with Ronald Colman and Ida Lupino and a 1950 revival with Olivier and Vivian Leigh.

Hitchcock Audio Interviews
In this audio-only extra, Hitch and Peter Bogdanovich debate when, and when not, to move the camera, and Hitchcock reveals his strong preference for locked down frames. Later, in conversation with Francois Truffaut, the director discusses some of Rebecca’s narrative inconsistencies and Selznick’s reticence to change any aspect of the novel, even minor details. Recommended for Hitchcock fans.

Original Theatrical Trailer
This teaser, which promises “The Most Glamorous Film Ever Made”, appears to be from a re-release, as it mentions the film’s past success.

By the sheer quality of its moviemaking, Rebecca remains an involving and enjoyable entertainment, despite its creaky, cobweb-bound narrative essence. Alfred Hitchcock’s extraordinary ability to bridge the auteur with the journeyman created a film of almost invisible technique, yet his quiet hands deftly controlled every frame. The brilliant performances of Olivier, Fontaine, Anderson and Sand elevate the film beyond its overwrought Victorian pulp origins and infuse it with crackling, convincing vigor. Rebecca miraculously manages to be both dated and vital, and stands as a superb masterwork from Alfred Hitchcock’s early days in Hollywood.

Reviewed by David Anderson

Movie rating – 4

Disc Rating – 3.5