Rebecca

The new adaptation of Rebecca has been highly anticipated, because it’s rare for anyone to take on a remake of a Hitchcock film. In this case, it was of course rather an adaptation of Du Maurier‘s original novel, but it’s impossible to watch this new film without thinking of the wonderful 1940 version with Laurence Olivier. While the new Rebecca might not satisfy all fans, it is definitely worth returning to Manderley (in contrast to some earlier TV adaptations between 1940 and now).

The story in all three versions (1938 novel, 1940 adaptation and 2020 remake) is quite the same: a young, penniless woman, who works as a companion for a rich lady, meets the wealthy and charming Maxim de Winter and falls in love with him. When he unexpectedly proposes to her, her life is changed forever and she is swept up in his world. Together, they go to his estate Manderley, where a very different and lavish lifestyle awaits her. This new world, however, is overshadowed by the memories of Maxim's first wife Rebecca, who died under mysterious circumstances and still dominates life at Manderley in strange ways. The young Mrs. de Winter finds herself in an uncomfortable and at times uncanny situation....

The book Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier is a Gothic novel, and has remained one of the most popular examples of this genre until today. The fact that it was adapted by Alfred Hitchcock so shortly after being released shows the extent of the impact it had. The original adaptation is done in traditional Hitchcock style, making the most of the suspenseful story and with great performances by its two stars, Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine. It made the film very successful, and won countless accolades. It won for example Oscars for the best picture and best cinematography in a black and white film, besides 9 more nominations including for Hitchcock, Olivier and Fontaine. The visuals and cinematography make it unforgettable, and it has remained a popular classic until today.

The biggest visual difference between the two film adaptations is the new one is - not surprisingly in 2020 - in color. Besides that, it has remained rather close to the original in terms of the settings, costumes and atmosphere. Lily James is a fitting actress to show the innocence and naiveté of the young Mrs. de Winter, and Armie Hammer plays the different facets of Mr. de Winter convincingly. The supporting cast is stellar, with Ann Dowd as the rich employer, Kristin Scott Thomas as the stern housekeeper and Sam Riley and Keeley Hawes as relatives of the family. There are only a few creative moments which stand out in terms of filmmaking, during some dream sequences and with several uses of prolepsis. This is definitely different in style from Hitchcock, but in my opinion fittingly done to the story and the visuals overall.

Overall, if you can watch this movie without being prejudiced and comparing everything to the standards of Hitchcock, this is a well-executed and visually beautiful adaptation with a great cast. It is certainly a bit less spooky than the 1940 adaptation, but has its haunted moments as well. At times it feels  a bit like Downton Abbey, not only because actress Lily James was in both productions - but that's not in insult coming from me. On the other hand, the Jane-Eyre-vibes which come up in every Rebecca discussion are also there, due to the many plot similarities - again, rather a compliment from me, and just based on the similarities in the original manuscripts. If such modern adaptations bring classic literature and filmic masterpieces closer to a younger generation, I think that's a good thing. The fact that the film is produced by Netflix and available there only enhances that situation. 

(Images: IMDB)