Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #108197 in DVD
• Released on: 2001-11-20
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: DVD-Video, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 130 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
"Last night, I dreamt I went to Manderley again..." From the first classic line of this unforgettable film, Rebecca casts its spell. David O. Selznick brought Alfred Hitchcock to the United States in order to give this adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's novel the proper atmosphere. The resulting film is a stunning marriage of their sensibilities. It paid off critically and financially as well. Like Gone with the Wind, which Selznick released a year earlier, Rebecca won the Academy Award for Best Picture.

Laurence Olivier stars as Maxim de Winter, who, reeling from the recent and unexpected death of his glamorous wife Rebecca, impulsively marries a young and adoring governess (Joan Fontaine). The new Mrs de Winter tries to fit into her role as mistress of the great house Manderley, but every step she takes is haunted by Rebecca's spirit. The ghost's brooding presence is personified by the insanely meticulous Mrs Danvers, brilliantly portrayed by Judith Anderson. As Fontaine's character begins to uncover the dark secrets of the de Winter clan, the house seems to take on a life of its own.

Passionate love and romance blend seamlessly with typically Hitchcockian emphases on guilt, sexuality and Gothic horror. The production values are stunning and the cast is excellent, down to the least of the supporting players. While Rebecca has enough surprises to captivate even the most jaded of moviegoers, it is also one of those rare films that improves with each viewing. --Raphael Shargel

Customer Reviews

One of Hitch's Best
This 1940 film was a star at the Oscars, winning two and gaining a raft of nominations in almost every class. Hitchcocks first Hollywood studio-bound feature, it oozes deft cinematography, eerie scenes, brilliant studio sets and acting. Of course it has that slick direction from Hitch that we've come to expect from later films. It's exciting, romantic, gothic, it even has a lesbian sub-plot, and shows a young dashing Olivier (before his over-acting days came..) and the ever-gorgeous Joan Fontaine. Each scene is exquisitely lit, the dialogue is succinct, incidental music is passionate and the book-based story intelligent. No matter that it's 1940 black and white, I'm 30 and found the film 'spine-tinglingly' enchanting.

Rebecca - a gem of a thriller.
Rebecca is by far one of Alfred Hitchcock's most entertaining and often overlooked masterpieces. In this film his US directorial debut we see at work the first signs of his genius as the master of film suspense coming to life. Laurence Olivier is great as the tortured Maxim haunted by the memory of his beautiful and mysterious first wife and Joan Fontaine puts in a good performance as the shy dowdy second wife of Maxim who slowly unravels dark hidden secrets behind Rebecca's tragic death. They don't make classic thrillers any more like Rebecca and I like it because the film is still good entertainment after so many years. Dame Judith Anderson is probably one of the best female villains of all time in her portrayal of the sinister housekeeper Mrs Danvers.
One of the great thrillers of all time and a film that must be added to any Hitchcock fan's movie collection.

The greatest film of all time
This film is so great it is sublime. Both Fontaine and Olivier give the performances of a lifetime in this dark, exquisitely filmed and haunting masterpiece. The mise en scene is so perfectly co-ordinated that one is taken through the film in an almost dream-like state. This film really does have something for everyone- romance, mystery, suspense and even the odd quip from dapper Olivier, who surprisingly gives a rather understated performance. My only criticism is that this is the type of film that you just wish would never end.