No scenery chewing here. Image: IMDb
Director Alfred Hitchcock was famous for “storyboarding” a movie before filming it.
He would meticulously plan camera shots and final edits, filling his shooting script with drawings. (“A traveling artist’s sketch pad,” one reporter quipped.¹)
In his book, Hitchcock & Selznick, film historian Leonard J. Leff explores Hitchock’s filmography and cinematic style.
“He invariably caught a scene’s emotional tone in his imagery,” he writes. “Part of the effect relied on scale, part on juxtaposition. … [L]ong shots followed by close-ups – or vice versa – accentuated one another and lent vitality to a film; furthermore, cutting from a full shot to a small ‘thing’ endowed an object with great power or menace.”²
An excellent example of these visual polarities is the 1940 gothic thriller, Rebecca.
The film, based on the novel by Daphne du Maurier, is about a young, naïve girl (Joan Fontaine) who meets and suddenly marries a wealthy, temperamental man (Laurence Olivier).
After they wed, this unlikely pair settle into Olivier’s sprawling ancestral home, Manderley, an estate reeking of wealth and privilege. Not only is poor Fontaine desperately out of her element, she discovers Olivier’s deceased wife, Rebecca, still Rules the Roost. Stationery and linens bear her initials, for example, and her staff give Fontaine pitying looks.
Fontaine’s character is the opposite of Rebecca in social graces and appearances. She is a small person in a big memory, a motif Hitchcock continually hammers at. For instance, he uses long shots of Fontaine in large rooms, and places enormous doorknobs at her eye level to make her seem more awkward and diminutive.
He shows us a backward child floundering in a world of duplicitous grown-ups.
Notice how small Fontaine looks in this scene. Image: IMDb
Fontaine’s character doesn’t really advance the story – she’s peripheral to events – but she does introduce us to Manderley’s environment of contradictions: Olivier’s character is wealthy, but poor in spirit; the head housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers (Judith Anderson), is an employee who is deferred to as The Boss.
And: Rebecca is dead, but regarded as though she’s alive.
Leff says one of the film’s themes is attraction and repulsion. “Hitchcock’s staging,” he writes, “alternately widening and narrowing the spaces between the characters in the large, airy room, mirrored the attraction-repulsion theme that tortures the young heroine…”³
It’s a heap o’ drama, to be sure, but there are no grand theatrics here, thanks to what Leff calls Hitchcock’s philosophy of “negative acting”.
Hitchcock once explained his approach to the film’s producer, David O. Selznick. “You do not put a dramatic expression into a face,” he said, “but you already have the face in a contrasting condition, say smiling, then to get a dramatic reaction, you allow that smile to drain away from the face.”4
We suppose the ultimate Negative Acting would be no actors at all – and Hitchcock does exactly that. Look at the scene where Rebecca’s death is “reenacted”. As one of the characters provides the voiceover description of events, Hitchcock moves the camera through the set as though the characters are present. It’s surprisingly vivid, and we’re convinced we’ve just witnessed these pivotal actions.
Hitchcock on the set. Image: IMDb
Rebecca was a critical success, and it earned a tidy profit of $700,000 US (nearly $13M in today’s dollars), but producer Selznick was disappointed. The film wasn’t the Box Office Smash he hoped it would be.
Hitchcock didn’t seem to love this film, either, and Leff says later in his career he practically disowned it. “‘Well, it’s not a Hitchcock picture,’ the director said, explaining his dissatisfaction with Rebecca.… His possessiveness applied to people and pictures: unless he could control them, he dismissed them.”5
However, the film was nominated for eleven (11!) Oscars, winning best picture and best black & white cinematography, which surely Took The Sting Out.
Frankly, Rebecca is not one of our favourite Hitchcock films, despite the cinematography and the stellar cast, but it is well worth studying for Alfred Hitchcock’s filmmaking techniques.
Notes
- ¹Leff, Leonard J. (1987) Hitchcock & Selznick: The Rich and Strange Collaboration of Alfred Hitchcock and David O. Selznick in Hollywood. New York, NY: Weidenfeld & Nicholson, p. 60.
- ²Ibid., p. 60.
- ³Ibid., p. 62.
- 4Ibid., p. 71.
- 5Ibid., p. 84.
- This post is part of the The 4th ALFRED HITCHCOCK Blogathon, hosted by Maddy Loves her Classic Films.
Rebecca: starring Laurence Olivier, Joan Fontaine, George Sanders. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Written by Robert E. Sherwood & Joan Harrison. Selznick International Pictures, 1940, B&W, 130 mins.
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I admire the work in Rebecca, but I have only seen it twice in my lifetime.
A Hitchcock film becomes a favourite of mine after multiple viewings. The best example of that is Suspicion. I didn’t like it at all as a teenager (probably over my head). In recent years I have gone through bouts of watching it at every opportunity and every opportunity gave me more of a reason to seek out more opportunities. I suppose somewhere in there is the key to Hitch’s genius for me.
Now, I must find another opportunity to watch Rebecca and discover where that will lead.
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You make a good point. I think I became spoiled by other Hitchcock films because I loved ’em when I first saw them. But Rebecca is a different story…however, I’ve only seen it 2-3 times. Maybe a future viewing will change my mind.
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Funny, me neither, even though it is a beautifully made film. It doesn’t have the smartness and humor and pacing of his hallmark films either before or after. Must have been that pesky, meddling Selznick Touch!
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Haha! I agree! Rebecca starts to feel too long after the 90-minute mark, in my opinion.
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I have the same mixed feelings about Rebecca. Producer David O Selznick’s very heavy involvement in the film contributed to it getting so much recognition (and Academy awards!), but it also changed Hitchcock’s vision dramatically. I think of it like the Stanley Kubrick-Steven Spielberg hybrid, AI: Artificial Intelligence. It’s part Kubrick, but part Spielberg. Nonetheless, I mainly like Rebecca. It has so many good qualities to it. Thank you for posting your interesting work on the film!
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I mainly like Rebecca, too. I shouldn’t think of it as a Hitchcock film, just enjoy it on its own merits.
Thanks for stopping by. Sorry I missed your comment for a couple of days. 😦
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This was the first film in which I was aware of Lawrence Olivier as a notable actor, and for a long time I found his acting style off-putting. Not sure if it had anything to do with “negative acting.” Eventually I saw him in other stuff and recognized his versatility, but even now I find it hard to shake my initial impression of him based on this movie, as if he was as cold and informal as Maxim DeWinter.
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Funny you should say that. I wasn’t sold on Olivier, either, the first time I saw him in a movie. (Can’t remember which one.) But he’s grown on me over the years.
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I haven’t seen Rebecca, but I do know that Hitchcock wasn’t too fond of Rope either, which is strange because that one was very good. It’s really interesting how creators feel about their own body of work because many times, it doesn’t line up with the critical or fan consensus. It seems to happen quite often with especially prolific creators. I do want to see Rebecca at some point because I have heard good things about it.
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I really like Rope. Some folks call it “gimmicky”, but I think it’s clever – plus imagine the planning it would take to pull it off. It’s hard to see why Hitchcock wouldn’t be pleased.
I hope you get the chance to see Rebecca, and I also hope you really enjoy it.
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I think I remember hearing somewhere (maybe from a teacher in film school) that Joan Fontaine was so sick of hearing the Rebecca score all the time, anytime she was at an awards ceremony or red carpet or something, that it drove her mad. I thought it was a funny bit of trivia – While Rebecca isn’t in my top three for Hitchcock films, I still enjoyed it, the shots are pretty amazing.
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I didn’t know that about Joan Fontaine, but I can see how something like that would drive you crazy. I hope your summer is going well!
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We’re hanging in there 🙂 Trying to stay sane in these crazy times! Hope you are doing well also
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Rebecca is one of my favourite Hitchcock films. None of the other screen adaptations of this story ever captured the atmosphere of the novel apart from this one. I consider this to be in his top five films. Love your focus on the techniques Hitch used in this.
It’s one of his most interesting films from a visual perspective I think. What I love most about his films is that there never seems to be a wasted shot. Everything we see is there for a purpose. Most likely because it was so thoroughly storyboarded and prepared in advance. The only other director I can think of whose films also make me feel like this is Stanley Kubrick.
Thanks so much for joining me to celebrate Hitch again, Ruth.
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Agreed. No shots are wasted in this film, and the atmosphere is consistent throughout. And even though there are lots of stories about Joan Fontaine’s inexperience on the set, she was a brilliant casting choice. I can’t imagine anyone else in this role.
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Hitchcock was a genius, no doubt, even though he was quite the misogynistic jerk. My favourite Hitchcock film is actually The Trouble With Harry, a bit different for him. Rebecca is a great study in space, and the comment above about Kubrick is definitely something I agree with!
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The Trouble With Harry is a lot of fun – I love Shirley MacLaine in that role (and every other role).
You make a good point about Rebecca as a study in space. It’s skillfully and artfully done.
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It’s a good adaptation of the book, quite atmospheric, but I can see why to Hitchcock fans it wouldn’t be a favourite.
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The film has fabulous atmosphere, doesn’t it? It’s beautifully done.
Would you list Rebecca as a Top Five/Ten Hitchcock film?
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I haven’t seen all of them but yes it would be in my top 5.
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Rebecca is certainly well done and as you say has a great atmosphere indeed, but in the end it’s not one of my Hitchcock’s favorites. Nonetheless I will try to find it in it’s original version, because I’m afraid that out Italian transposition was not that good…
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I know what you mean when it comes to dubbed or poorly translated versions. I hope you can find the original. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
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Great write up! Rebecca isn’t my favorite Hitchcock film, either. I tend to favor his noir films and thrillers like North by Northwest or Rear Window.
But there’s no denying the man could storyboard a film, like no one else. Like a grim cartoonist. 🙂
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Bahaha! A grim cartoonist! Perfect description.
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You and your readers might be interested in knowing more about the life and career of the great Judith Anderson who ‘made’ Rebecca with her portrayal of Mrs Danvers. See my biography, Judith Anderson: Australian Star, First Lady of the American Stage, 2019.
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Thanks very much! I will definitely check it out – https://www.amazon.com/Judith-Anderson-Australian-First-American/dp/1875703063.
I absolutely LOVE the front cover.
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I haven’t watched Rebecca yet but when I do eventually, the cinematography will be much more meaningful because of your review. I learned a lot!
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I would be especially interested in your take on this film, given your knowledge of photography.
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Hi, I’ve only seen ‘Rebecca’ once, and that was just a few years ago. I thought it worked well as a mood piece. But this was more a David Selznick picture than an Alfred Hitchcock film. Selznick was forever trying to top himself with ‘Gone With the Wind.’ So Hitch is basically in service to a big bestseller and producer. Still, it’s a well-done version of the classic novel.
Cheers and very informative piece!
Rick
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Very true. Selznick was editing Gone With the Wind while Rebecca was in production, and, understandably, he wanted two big hits. But, in the end, this film wasn’t going to be what either men wanted. However, as a mood/period piece, it’s a terrific film.
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Hitchcock’s disowning this movie reminds me of when a musician can’t stand something that is massively popualr with their fans. Being a huge rush fan, the best examplefor me is the fact that Geddy Lee hates the song Tom Sawyer, yet that’s the song most readily identified with them!
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What! Geddy Lee hates the song Tom Sawyer?! Wow – it’s a hard song to sing and he does it so well. That is really surprising.
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He’s on record as saying it;s “the worst song” on “Moving Pictures.” Speaking as a guy who has been in a Rush cover band, he’s kind of not wrong…but then again that album is two sides of awesome!
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Wonderful exploration of the intricacies of Rebecca and Hitchcock’s approach to filmmaking. I can understand why Hitchcock might disown Rebecca, a reaction, perhaps, to his mighty struggles with Selznick. But he could never argue that it wasn’t a great launch for his film career in the U.S.: 11 Oscar nominations including his one and only nod for Best Director. The movie may not have outdone GwtW – none did for years – but Rebecca was #5 among the year’s top grossing films. Of course, Hitchcock went on to greater heights without Selznick and that may explain some of his later dismissiveness toward Rebecca.
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Yup, Rebecca did all right with the box office and Oscar noms – a person could hardly ask for better.
Hey, is it true Hitchcock cast Raymond Burr in Rear Window because of his resemblance to David O. Selznick?
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So they say. Raymond Burr’s build, hair/hair color and the fact that he wore glasses in Rear Window are very similar to Selznick’s look at the time.
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Love just about everything done by Hitch..
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He truly was one of the greats.
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Well done, Ruth. I’ve watched “Rebecca” many times, and your absorbing review called several key scenes to mind. Hitchcock was clearly a visual master, something that he demonstrates throughout even what he considered a compromised film.
I’ve heard it said that the stronger the villain, the stronger the story, and Miss Danvers is one of his most memorable. Dame Judith Anderson’s acting, and Hitchcock’s framing of her, is a chilling cinematic delight.
Hats off to a very good post!
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Thanks so much! Judith Anderson gives a perfect performance, doesn’t she? The way she allows a flicker of emotion to cross her face shows she had excellent control.
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Absolutely. The way she looks at Fontaine, for example, as she’s giving her a tour of Rebecca’s room — sizing her up as she looks to see if her campaign to drive the new wife either way or insane is working. Very effective!
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Interesting that Hitchcock didn’t love this one!
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It is interesting, although having to work with the somewhat micromanaging David O. Selznick may have somerhing to do with it, too.
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Are any of his storyboards available for us to see?
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Some of his biographers have included one or two them in their books, but *looks around, whispers* I haven’t actually searched for any myself online. 😶
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Great post. As others have said Hitchock’s disdain for this film is because of the studio interference which he wasn’t used to back home in England, and it would be the last film he made where paid attention to them, and would use his films to subvert their wishes to suit his own ideas.
I don’t know if you know this story but apparently, for the final scene of the house fire, Selznick wanted the smoke to rise up an form the letter “R”, but Hitchcock fought him tooth and nail to get the more subtle shot of the embroidered handkerchief we all know instead. You can see why Hitch was ticked off with producers by that point! 😛
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Yeah, the smoke with the “R”‘would’ve been way over the top.
It’s a good thing Hitchcock didn’t bother with studio interference later on. Although Rebecca is a fine film, Hitchcock needed more autonomy.
Thanks for dropping by!
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Great point about Negative Acting to bring out in tackling Rebecca And also Hitchcock’s visual techniques to make Joan/Mrs. de Winter seem small and insignificant. Hitchcock was not above using similar techniques against Kim Novak when they they first began working together on Vertigo, as a way of showing dominance.Great post on this classic.
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Thanks! The more I learn about Hitchcock’s techniques, the more I admire his work. Truly a gifted filmmaker.
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Alfred Hitchcock was the definitive director of suspense, carefully weaving the actors like a spider’s web, thereby deceiving the audience throughout the film. Excellent post!
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Thanks for dropping by! And you’re so right about Alfred Hitchcock. I couldn’t have said it better myself.
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It is an absolute pleasure! And, thank you so very much.
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A good film allows a lot of articles about it, focusing on many different elements, and you proved it. Rebecca is a good film – although not my favorite Hitchcock – and you added a new lens to analyze it. I particularly liked the focus on Joan Fontaine’s caharacter and how she is oppressed by everybody and even the things – like the doorknobs I’ve never paid attention to.
Thanks for the kind comment!
Kisses!
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You’re right! I never thought about it before, Le, but a good film does allow a lot of different views of it, as well as multiple analyses. Hitchcock’s films, especially, lend themselves to that, don’t they?
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Reblogged this on Lady D's and commented:
An excellent movie. Particularly the explanation the young Mrs De Wonter gives as she dreams of Manderley again.
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Thanks for the reblog! 🙂
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Pleasure, I loved your blog
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Your analysis of how the film was made is so interesting! I am trying to imagine the story I’m writing (nonfiction narrative biography,1920s-1930s) as a film. I think it will help me set up the story better and decide what to keep in and edit out, imagining scenes, and now you’ve given me even more food for thought. It’s fascinating that Hitchcock physically drew scenes as he imagined them and set some up using space as contrast, to make characters appear more or less important. I love this peek behind the scenes. I think this will affect the way I watch other movies as well. Lately my husband and I watched a modern film,and both wondered why it just wasn’t working because the story line was actually pretty good. I think it was all about the directing — camera angles, etc. What fills the frame can be so powerful and affect the way we see a scene. Hitchcock was truly a master.
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Thanks for stopping by! 🙂 You said it – Hitchcock truly was a master. He understood framing and how film works, and he used that to his considerable advantage.
By the way, I’ve been enjoying the discoveries you’ve been making in your research. It’s been fascinating to see the gems you’ve uncovered, and it’ll be exciting to see how they all fit into the overall narrative.
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Funny to think Rebecca is the only Hitchcock film to win Best Picture. I’m not even sure it would scape into my Top 10 films of his.
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Many would agree with you. In many ways, it’s more of a David O. Selznick film, isn’t it?
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Yep, very true
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This is one from Hitchcock I would like to see, I see Netflix did a reboot or remake does it compare well to this?
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I saw the Netflix remake, which I liked (beautifully filmed), but I didn’t think it was as memorable as the Hitchcock version.
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