Actors - Rebecca

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	Actors - Rebecca

Rebecca is a 1940 film directed by Alfred Hitchcock as his first American project. An adaption by Joan Harrison and Robert E. Sherwood of British author Daphne Du Maurier's 1938 novel Rebecca, it was produced by David O. Selznick.

Summary

Rebecca stars Laurence Olivier as Maxim de Winter, Joan Fontaine as his second wife, and Judith Anderson as his late wife's servant, Mrs. Danvers. The film is a gothic tale about the lingering memory of the title character, which still controls her husband, his new bride, and the housekeeper of their estate, Manderley, long after her death.

The plot of the novel Rebecca is largely unchanged in the film. Hitchcock was even able to sneak past the Hollywood Production Code the lesbianism of the housekeeper who is still obsessed with Rebecca, even after her death.

Trivia

Hitchcock had wanted to shoot Rebecca for several years previous, however he was unable to afford the rights.
In order to maintain the dark atmosphere of the book, Hitchcock insisted that the film be shot in black and white.
Selznick looked unsuccessfully all over America (particularly New England) for a suitable location to portray Manderley. In the end he was forced to use a miniature instead.
As in the novel, the protaganist who narrates the tale is never identified by name. The original script named the heroine Daphne, after the writer of the novel, Daphne Du Maurier. Selznick objected and the name was dropped.
Ronald Colman
turned down the part of Max de Winter.
More than 20 actresses were screen-tested for the role of Mrs. de Winter, among them Anne Baxter
, Loretta Young
, Margaret Sullavan
and Vivien Leigh
(who was involved with Sir Laurence Olivier at the time). Olivier pushed strongly for Leigh to get the role; as it was awarded to newcomer Joan Fontaine
instead, he retaliated by treating Fontaine badly. Hitchcock used this to his own advantage by telling Fontaine that everyone on the set hated her, in order to magnify the required shyness and unease of the role.
Hitchcock can be seen walking past a phone booth just after Jack Favell makes a call in the final part of the movie.
Rebecca was the only Hitchcock film to receive an Academy Award for Best Picture. This went to producer David O. Selznick.
Joan Fontaine was nominated in the Academy Award for Best Actress
category. The prize however went to Ginger Rogers
. Judith Anderson
, who was nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
, also went home empty-handed.
In Spain, a refers to a variety of female knit jacket, after the one worn by the protagonist of the film.

Featured cast

Awards

Academy Awards won

Best Picture - David O. Selznick
Best Cinematography, Black and White - George Barnes

Academy Award nominations

Best Actor in a Leading Role
- Laurence Olivier
Best Actress in a Leading Role
- Joan Fontaine
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
- Judith Anderson
Best Director - Alfred Hitchcock
Art Direction, Black and White - Lyle R. Wheeler
Special Effects - Jack Cosgrove, Arthur Johns
Best Film Editing - Hal C. Kern
Best Music, Original Score - Franz Waxman
Best Writing, Screenplay - Robert E. Sherwood, Joan Harrison

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