Rebecca
Ratings: 3.5/5
Duration: 02 Hrs 01 Mins
Director: Ben Wheatley
Screenplay: Jane Goldman, Joe Shrapnel, Anna Waterhouse
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Romance
Release Date: 21st October 2020
Streaming Platform: Netflix
Star Cast: Lily James, Jacques Bouanich, Marie Collins, Ann Dowd, Kristin Scott Thomas, Armie Hammer, Jean Dell, Sophie Payan, Pippa Winslow, Lucy Russell, Bruno Paviot, Stefo Linard, Tom Hudson, Jeff Rawle, Ashleigh Reynolds, Bryony Miller, Tom Goodman-Hill, Ben Crompton, John Hollingworth, Keeley Hawes, Jane Lapotaire, Sam Riley, Poppy Allen-Quarmby, David Cann, Julia Deakin, Jason Williamson, Colin Bennett, Jessie Irvin Rose, Harry Gostelow, Mark Lewis Jones, David Horovitch, Steven Waters, David Appleton, Bill Paterson, Chris Bearne, Stuart Davidson, Julian Ferro, Paul Gregory, Robert Irons, Keith Lomas, John Macneill, Kevin Nolan, Toby Sauerback, Mark Schneider, Jamie Vaughan
Plot: In Monte Carlo, a naive young girl (Lily James) employed as a companion to the cruel Ann Dowd (Van Hopper), is instantly smitten when she meets Maxim de Winter (Armie Hammer), a widower. When the two manage to connect, the attraction is immediate, but their romance is rushed when Van Hopper decides she is ready to leave for New York, and this prompts Maxim de Winter to propose to the young girl (Lily James), to make her the second Mrs. de Winter.
As the young newlywed arrives at her husband's imposing family estate on a windswept English coast, she gets overwhelmed by her surroundings. However, joy is blocked by the cold Mrs. Danvers (Kristin Scott Thomas), a housekeeper who enjoys reminding Mrs. de Winter that she doesn’t compare herself to Maxim de Winter’s first wife, the late Rebecca, and attempts to disrupt the new wife’s comfort, hoping to inspire doubts within her.
Struggling to settle into a routine, Mrs. de Winter’s curiosity leads her to learn more about Rebecca, whose legacy lives on in the house, long after her death.
Review: Rebecca has been adapted for film (and radio, and theatre) countless times, the most famous one, of course, was the Oscar-winning 1940 film by Alfred Hitchcock. Eight decades ago, this British director was summoned to Hollywood, whereas in his first project, he was tasked with making an adaptation of the hottest new novel on the shelves: Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca.
Now the latest Netflix version directed by Ben Wheatley, with a screenplay by Jane Goldman, Joe Shrapnel and Anna Waterhouse, highlights the strengths of the 1940s version, and underlines its own lack in terms of style, atmosphere, and a general understanding of the story itself. However, it cannot match the signature black-and-white gothic atmosphere that makes the 1940 version a revered classic.
Nevertheless, the reason why this celebrated gothic novel continues to fascinate us is its plot, which exhibits class discrimination, identity, patriarchy, and our inability to discover ourselves. As it is 2020 and not much has changed, women are still made to look at other women as a threat. The film is a testament to how insecurity and worthlessness can be damaging to one’s self-esteem and purpose.
When it comes to performances, Lily James is the stand out in the film. She is one of those actresses who still seem to be under-appreciated even after the success of Baby Driver and the live-action adaptation of Cinderella. This may just be her best role as Mrs. de Winter, a performance wherein she has to be vulnerable and as a fish-out-of-water in comparison to her surroundings.
There are some other performances that are strong throughout the film as well. Ben Wheatley knows exactly how to use Armie Hammer as an actor, and get the most out of him by using him effectively in every scene he is in. The reserved performance that he is known for actually works in this particular role.
Even Kristin Scott Thomas is great as Mrs. Danvers, playing a role that is mysterious but has that hint of evilness behind her eyes.
As far as the technical aspects of the film are concerned, what makes this story come to life is the distinct stylization of the story, from the dark themes to the gothic style that is used. This is clearly a film that does not care to make the story modern or in the present day. The links to the gothic era are still heavily rooted in this story, and the editing and colour palette has brought that to life in a stunning manner. And what helps bring this style come to life is the production design, which is easily the strongest point of this film. While the costume design is stunning, the cinematography is also a strong point.
Overall, Ben Wheatley’s Rebecca stays almost true to the content. This is an engaging story throughout, but it is a film that perhaps needed extra time in the end, to make that impact and focus on the relationship between Mr. and Mrs. de Winter. However, this is still a wonderful film and another success from Netflix!
