"Rebecca" (1940) is a classic film by the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock. However, while the film is certainly entertaining, it falls far short of the masterful pieces of Hitchcock's later career and is, in fact, overrated.
One of the primary issues with "Rebecca" is the implausibility of its story setup. It is hard to believe that a stunningly attractive girl like Rebecca would marry someone for their wealth without any emotional interest whatsoever, especially when she could marry anyone who had both wealth and whom she might love. Furthermore, it seems improbable that Maxim de Winter would not have the faintest clue that Rebecca was a cruel, evil monster before marrying her. Additionally, it is difficult to believe that de Winter would leave the management of his entire estate to someone as stereotypically cruel and obviously insane as Mrs. Danvers.
While some other aspects of the story are explained in the film, such as why de Winter did not simply get divorced to save himself from suffering, these explanations still feel barely believable. The acting does not help matters, as never for a moment does one feel that de Winter is genuinely in love with his second wife - who in turn comes across as extremely naive and silly, even if her daunted timidity is well portrayed. Meanwhile, Mrs. Danvers is portrayed more as a fairytale witch than a real person. The list goes on.
Moreover, the police investigation and the ad-hoc incrimination by Mr. Favell have nothing to do with any sort of reality. You might argue this is consistent with the overall mystic-nightmarish ambience of the movie. But as a psychothriller, it is psychologically way out of line. Perhaps it might have worked better as a gothic tale or horror film.
Finally, the film is permanently drenched in a cheesy sauce of music, which becomes annoying after a while.
While "Rebecca" is undoubtedly worth watching as a classic of the genre, it is not a must-see film in Hitchcock's oeuvre.
One of the primary issues with "Rebecca" is the implausibility of its story setup. It is hard to believe that a stunningly attractive girl like Rebecca would marry someone for their wealth without any emotional interest whatsoever, especially when she could marry anyone who had both wealth and whom she might love. Furthermore, it seems improbable that Maxim de Winter would not have the faintest clue that Rebecca was a cruel, evil monster before marrying her. Additionally, it is difficult to believe that de Winter would leave the management of his entire estate to someone as stereotypically cruel and obviously insane as Mrs. Danvers.
While some other aspects of the story are explained in the film, such as why de Winter did not simply get divorced to save himself from suffering, these explanations still feel barely believable. The acting does not help matters, as never for a moment does one feel that de Winter is genuinely in love with his second wife - who in turn comes across as extremely naive and silly, even if her daunted timidity is well portrayed. Meanwhile, Mrs. Danvers is portrayed more as a fairytale witch than a real person. The list goes on.
Moreover, the police investigation and the ad-hoc incrimination by Mr. Favell have nothing to do with any sort of reality. You might argue this is consistent with the overall mystic-nightmarish ambience of the movie. But as a psychothriller, it is psychologically way out of line. Perhaps it might have worked better as a gothic tale or horror film.
Finally, the film is permanently drenched in a cheesy sauce of music, which becomes annoying after a while.
While "Rebecca" is undoubtedly worth watching as a classic of the genre, it is not a must-see film in Hitchcock's oeuvre.