REBECCA-Daphne Du Maurier

**downing** · 11-24-2006, 08:44 AM

Wow, a fantastic book!Striking and full on nerv, I really did enjoy reading it. What do you think of it, what do you think of Rebecca/Second Mrs de Winter? Did you imagine Vivien Leigh while reading the book? I did so and it was such an interestuing read in this way. Did you see the film, which Laurance Olivier? Ashtonishing, but I would have liked V L better than Joan Fontaine. Has got anyone the link from Vivien's screentest on Rebecca?

**kathycf** · 11-24-2006, 08:16 PM

Rebecca was a beautifully done film by Hitchcock, and I thought it was very true to Du Maurier's novel. Truthfully, though I cannot imagine Vivien Leigh as the second Mrs. de Winter...shades of Scarlett O'Hara I guess.

Sorry, I would have no idea who would have copies of a screentest for Vivien Leigh. Apparently Lawrence Olivier and Leigh were a couple at the time the film was made and he was quite upset that she did not get the part.

**dramasnot6** · 11-27-2006, 03:40 AM

I read Rebecca about a year ago and loved it! Of course, I'm always up for some Daphne du Maurier, i lvoed her book House by the Strand too. Rebecca was beautifully shaped....brilliant build up of tension and plot. And some of those characters just blew ones mind. Her description is just amazing too....i am just such a big fan of hers. I actually havent seen the film yet, but now that i hear such great things I'm going to have to.

**Scheherazade** · 11-27-2006, 07:46 AM

More Rebecca discussions:

http://www.online-literature.com/for...ad.php?t=12755

http://www.online-literature.com/for...ad.php?t=13203

**Mary Sue** · 11-27-2006, 09:21 AM

'Rebecca' is one of my favorite books, and I also love the Hitchcock movie version. Unlike so many Hollywood films of the time, it followed the original story faithfully and was a good adaptation, I thought.

It's a study of JEALOUSY, to whom most of us can relate. We've all felt insecure at one time or another, and it's easy to empathize with the second Mrs. DeWinter. By the way, I think it's a hoot that we never learn her first name. Maxim calls her "little fool," but I kinda doubt if she was actually
christened that, LOL!

**papayahed** · 11-27-2006, 10:55 AM

I loved the movie but didn't really care for the book.

**Janine** · 11-27-2006, 04:44 PM

Hi all, I loved your various comments and I loved the book, and Hitchcock film (I am a big Hitchcock and film fan!). Has anyone read "Jamaica Inn"? That is on my "must read list", I heard it was good. I will try the book someone else mentioned on this thread, thank you. I like her writing very much. I recently saw another version of Rebecca that was done for the BBC and it starred Charles Dance and Emilia Fox. I did not wish to see this film for a time because the cover really did not entice me.I thought Dance looked too old and Rebecca too plain. But I gave it a whirl one night and I was pleasantly surprised to find I liked it very much and actully thought it was closer to the book, which I had just finished re-reading after many years. Itis longer than the Hickcock version and goes into more detail. Charles Lamb my not fit the profile that Olivier made so famous but he was quite good. E. Fox was good because she was plain as in the book and quite young and naive. I agree with Downing about Fontane. I actually now think she was too old for the role. I have not seen that version for many years so I should do so and I will have better grounds to compare the films. Hitchcock was making a thriller and the BBC was following the book and had thriller aspects to it...they both have their merit and are worth viewing.