Rebecca (1940)

'Rebecca' might be the best film Hitch made in the '40s, and it still holds up great today. As matter of fact, it is one of the greatest psychological thrillers of all times (and not only my personal opinion, I dare to think). It starts of as sweet romance, the first 30 minutes really look and sound like lighthearted romantic comedy where charming man with troubled past falls into innocent young woman. But soon, the darker note are pressing in, and the viewer is tangled into the twisted mystery world of Manderlay. It is one of those movies where repetitive viewing, when you already know all the twists and turns (which some might be quite shocking, but never preposterous) never fails to engage the viewer. Also the cast and performances. Hitchcock's movies always starred some of the greatest actors of the time and most of them gave their best performances in Hitchcock's movies. 'Rebecca' is not an exception. Laurence Olivier is perfect as charming wealthy man with troubled mind, and Joan Fontaine just shines as innocent, but never dumb or dull, simple girl who is not used with the high class British lifestyle. George Sanders always manages to come off as charming, even in his villainous roles.Masterpiece in every aspect.

A self-conscious bride is tormented by the memory of her husband's dead first wife. Rebecca's way too silly plot ruins of what could have been a terrific film but unfortunately reaches it's breaking point as it keeps going and going, the acting was good i'll give them that for sure but as a whole? it's not that good of a film i mean it's no 'Psycho' or even just a 'Rear Window' at least and that's sad cause Alfred Hitchcock is a pretty good director or was is the right word but this movie is without a doubt one of his worsts cause of that silly little plot and story. (4/10)

The first 100 minutes is a little big too long, and is not intense enough. Nonetheless, the last 30 minutes are absolutely stunning, with twists and turns that you would never imagine. The titular figure "Rebecca" never appears, but we all know much about her by the end of the movie. After watching this movie, you should know why it is hard to win the Oscars by playing a role in Hitchcock's film: it is plot-driven, not performance-driven.

I was so scared when I watched this film as a kid. Mrs. Danvers is scarier than any vampire, she appears and disappears almost like a ghost, so ominous it's clear something must be terribly wrong with this household. One almost expects her to announce, "This is Hell and I am the Devil." For the young woman that moves into this house (Joan Fontaine), she sure is. A new wife of the owner, Max de Winter, she feels small and insignificant, constantly unfavorably compared to Rebecca, the deceased first wife, by Mrs. Danvers, the housekeeper. We see her roaming about the gigantic house, lost and confused. She doesn't even have a name and Rebecca does, still the lady of the manor, as ever. We never see a picture of Rebecca though, and our mind, just like the young Mrs. de Winter's, can't stop trying to imagine the greatest beauty to ever grace the earth. She was prettier than Joan Fontaine! Her husband Max, played by Laurence Olivier, doesn't help her much with his constant put-downs. Olivier was perhaps a better film actor than he had thought of himself. The film shifts from romcom, to psychological, to very real horror. Cynics would say, the natural stages of any marriage. But in the masterful hands of Alfred Hitchcock, it's art. The Selznick production - impeccable, as always. Judith Anderson as Mrs. Danvers will forever give me nightmares. Oh, the glory days when women were villains!