Of all the overblown dramatic dialogue in this overwrought adaptation, the line in the caption is the most laughably ridiculous and it comes from Olivier towards the end of the movie.
Let me first state that I'm neither a fan of Sir Larry's over-emoting nor of Ms. Fontaine (at all), especially in this movie. And, if not for the crucial appearance of George Sanders near the end of the film, I would have given an even lower rating.
But, I have enjoyed Mr. Olivier in other films, especially "Pride and Prejudice" and in one of his last roles in "A Little Romance." I feel his style of acting was more suited to Shakespeare and on the stage rather than in a Hitchcock film. However, he was remarkably handsome in this picture.
I will also give credit to Ms. Fontaine for her convincing portrayal of the mousie and slouching second Mrs. De Winter, but her sudden take-charge attitude mid-film was both jarring and unconvincing. I don't feel her performance warranted a nomination for Best Actress.
However, Judith Anderson was hypnotic as the "two-Jokers-short-of-a-full-deck" Mrs. Danvers and as performances go, was definitely memorable!
Additionally, for the character of Maxim De Winter I would have preferred that Olivier and Sanders switch roles. Olivier was too over the top for me and I've never seen Sanders give anything less than a stellar performance. I especially loved him in "Lured" with Lucille Ball, of all people, as his leading lady and "Village of the Damned" where he was especially sympathetic. He was charming in both and not the cad that he so often portrayed, as he did in this film.
I was surprised that "Rebecca" won the 1940 Best Picture Oscar, which I felt was undeserved, but not surprised that it won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography, which I felt it DID deserve. It is a beautiful film.
Finally, any motion picture that includes C. Aubrey Smith, Florence Bates, Nigel Bruce (a hoot), and Gladys Cooper as supporting characters is always worth viewing.
Let me first state that I'm neither a fan of Sir Larry's over-emoting nor of Ms. Fontaine (at all), especially in this movie. And, if not for the crucial appearance of George Sanders near the end of the film, I would have given an even lower rating.
But, I have enjoyed Mr. Olivier in other films, especially "Pride and Prejudice" and in one of his last roles in "A Little Romance." I feel his style of acting was more suited to Shakespeare and on the stage rather than in a Hitchcock film. However, he was remarkably handsome in this picture.
I will also give credit to Ms. Fontaine for her convincing portrayal of the mousie and slouching second Mrs. De Winter, but her sudden take-charge attitude mid-film was both jarring and unconvincing. I don't feel her performance warranted a nomination for Best Actress.
However, Judith Anderson was hypnotic as the "two-Jokers-short-of-a-full-deck" Mrs. Danvers and as performances go, was definitely memorable!
Additionally, for the character of Maxim De Winter I would have preferred that Olivier and Sanders switch roles. Olivier was too over the top for me and I've never seen Sanders give anything less than a stellar performance. I especially loved him in "Lured" with Lucille Ball, of all people, as his leading lady and "Village of the Damned" where he was especially sympathetic. He was charming in both and not the cad that he so often portrayed, as he did in this film.
I was surprised that "Rebecca" won the 1940 Best Picture Oscar, which I felt was undeserved, but not surprised that it won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography, which I felt it DID deserve. It is a beautiful film.
Finally, any motion picture that includes C. Aubrey Smith, Florence Bates, Nigel Bruce (a hoot), and Gladys Cooper as supporting characters is always worth viewing.