Summary of The Movie:
The story is about a young beautiful girl who has the phobia of being named as the heroine, as she has been in such situations since long. She loses her parents at an early age and is working as a small employee with an elderly harsh but caring woman. She meets Maxim De Winter, a young wealthy widower whose wife had died in an accident. They fall in love and get married with everything happening so fast. Soon after the marriage, the young girl realizes that she cannot take the vacant place Left by Maxim’s Ex-wife. She tries her best to show her husband that She is not less than his Ex-wife but her efforts were all in vain. Mrs Danvers acts as fuel for her emotions who even tries to convince the young girl to commit suicide after she wears a costume at the annual ball party and is scolded by her husband. She starts thinking that she is useless and she gets the love from her husband who once used to give the love to his first wife…that night of the ball a boat was discovered at the bottom of the river in which Maxim’s Ex-wife had sunk. Maxim then revealed the truth to his 2nd wife that his wife Rebecca had not Died in an accident but he had killed her and that he had not loved but Hated his Ex-wife. Mr Maxim feels a mental relief knowing his Husband didn’t love his Ex-wife. Jack Maxim’s ex-wife’s lover Claimed that Rebecca had not committed suicide rather she had been Murdered by Maxim. The judge under views the claim and after Some investigation the doctor who had been visited by Rebecca the day Her boat had sunk approved Rebecca’s suicide by telling them That she had been diagnosed with cancer and was infertile. This was then clear in everyone’s mind that Rebecca had Killed herself but the fact was known only by Maxim and his new wife. Turning back to his mansion after being free from the case they got shocked after finding the mansion in flames. His wife was safe but the mansion along with Mrs Danvers Was all burning. And it was Mrs Danvers who did all this not accepting the new mistress of Manderley.
1.Time and Place:
The film is released On 21 March 1940 in the United States of America. At the Berlin International Festival, this movie was Taken as the opening movie for the first international Film festival of Berlin.
2.Production:
This movie, undoubtedly, adapts the plot of The novel REBECCA, written by Du Maurier. Apart from being claimed as the faithful adaptation of the novel, the film had many variations Like in the novel Maxim’s wife Rebecca is shot dead by Her husband, but in the film her husband Planes to kill her. In fact, the film was said to adapt the novel but the production company Made many changes in it.
3 Act Structure Applied to The Film
3.1.Beginning
The story begins with the narrator as the main character and then the story is exposed in flashback. Mr Maxim as If thinking something deep standing tiptoe beside the river and a young beautiful girl with whom he was to be Married soon but they were both total strangers, passing up from there she thinks the man is attempting suicide, Shouts at the man who seems to be quite Disturbed and the girl Being indirectly humiliated as she thinks runs away. They coincidentally meet the next day and then the man after that Day before gets her attention. They spend time together, they enjoy meals together and go for long drives. Everything seems to be happening so fast that soon the girl falls in love with the man and chooses to love her instead of going away with the woman she works for. Mr Maxim and the young girl get married. The girl was welcomed with great hostility when taken to Manderley. The girl doesn’t really know her place in the beginning as Despite being the mistress of the mansion she acts as someone not very important. But it was all a matter of some times and she was to be stable in this new position of hers soon.
3.2.Middle
She soon starts realizing that she is not loved as much by her husband as she should be and this was all because of his husband’s Ex-wife Rebecca. She noticed everyone as if they are all comparing her every time with Rebecca. She starts feeling kind of resentment for Rebecca. She wants her husband to forget his ex-wife, Rebecca, and be happy with her but she fails in every attempt. She gets very eager to discover or Know better much about Rebecca and she finds out that Rebecca had been someone very beautiful and someone very much loved by her husband. She becomes very much worried after knowing that her husband had totally changed after his first wife’s death. Her resentment reaches its peak when one day she visits Rebecca’s room and Mrs Danvers tells her how Rebecca was loved by her husband who got precious gifts and Lots of love from her husband, despite ignoring her husband. She Shows Rebecca’s dresses and other belongings to her. Mrs Maxim finds herself Deeply broken from inside after being told that she can never take the place of Rebecca. She decides to do her best to change her husband and Make Him happy but all in vain.
3.3.Conclusion
On the night of a costume ball after being scolded by her husband for what she has worn, she becomes deeply hurt and cries for her luck having her emotions on her peaks. She even thinks to commit suicide but suddenly a twist comes that a boat having Rebecca’s body had been found at the bottom of the river which becomes a concern for everyone. The court tries to find out the real story behind Rebecca’s death and after some investigation, they find Jack’s claim of Maxim committing the murder valid to be viewed on. And finally, after confirming from the doctor Rebecca had visited the day she died it became clear that Rebecca had committed suicide and all the claims on Maxim were baseless but the truth was known only by Maxim and his new wife. Maxim, after being Left alone by the court comes back to his mansion but to his horror, he finds the Mansion blow on the fire. And it was Mrs Danvers who had the mansion ablaze. Having everyone safe and sound the mansion changes in ashes with Mrs Danvers. The film ends showing Rebecca’s costume blowing up.
4.Film Techniques
4.1.Mise-en-scene
Most of the scenes are covered with forests surrounding even the scene of a driving car at the backside forest and bushes are in surroundings. Some scenes are in the houses and some are in the bar. The movie was shot in the USA.
4.2.Cinematography
Now about camera performance in the scene, that is how the camera works. So as we know that the film genre is Drama, Mystery, Romance and Thriller. It requires different sorts of cameras to shoot different scenes. The cinematography of this film is really able to be praised especially at the beginning of the film where we can see the shot showing the bright Moon being covered by the dark clouds and showing a quiet way of taking the viewers to the mansion. The mansion is then revealed which is a character in itself. The tracking shots are very much effective. Such shots make the Viewers very uncomfortable and freaky allowing them to think they are going to witness something strange and maybe unusual or something very important. The shadows of the characters are placed very carefully within the frame giving us some kind of level of corruption.
4.3.Editing
On a fundamental level Editing is the art and technique, to sum up, all the shot and get it in a combined sequence. Editing also plays a role in movie making. It’s not that easy for an editor to edit the film. It takes a long time to use different shots while editing, cut shot is used in this film which actually connects the multiple shots, continue editing is used to get the scene in the flow, the cross-cutting term is used which keep the storyline action happening at the same time by rapidly cutting back and forth between them. Cutaway techniques, j cut, establishing shot, fade is the editing techniques used in the film that shows that at the time in the ninety’s where a shortage of advanced technologies, not all the techniques are being used in the film but still, the movie shows that how little techniques can be used to make a film blockbuster.
4.4.Sound
The most important and crucial effect which lead the movie to success is sound, despite being a movie of 1940 everything sounds in its natural way Which is quite an attractive fit to the viewers. The up and down of the background music compels the viewers to pay their full attention to the movie-making every part of the movie is important to be known and understood. But there have been many exaggerations in some scenes which may be quite annoying for many viewers. The seawater when strikes the mountains and Rocks produce thunderous sound and the background music is also Very loud in some scenes where it should not be.
4.5.What it contributes to the viewers
All the techniques used in the films have a strong impact on the viewers because it leads the viewer to get themselves indulged in every scene of the movie. sound techniques play a crucial role in the film to grab the attention of the audience and make them emotionally attached to the scene. Mostly sound is used in the film to full fill requirements. Different Camera techniques are also used to make every scene understandable. It was totally Black and white pictures but still, viewers liked it the most and became the blockbuster movie at that time. This shows that viewers enjoyed it and the movie was successful to grab the attention of the viewers.
4.6.Genres:
- Romance
- Thriller
- Drama
- Mystery
- Psychological thriller
4.6.1.Sub Genres:
Full of romance, thrill and mystery. The authors reinterpret and change to make the story look appealing and worthy to the audience.
5.Scene Analysis:
I have selected this scene from the multiple scenes in the movie because in this scene it is described that after being scolded and ordered by her husband Mr Maxim to change the outfit which she had worn at the annual costume call to encourage her husband, she rushes upstairs. Mrs Danvers after seeing her in the room tells her that she had witnessed Rebecca the same way in this dress sometimes ago. Mrs Maxim asks her the reason behind hating her so much that despite knowing Maxim would not like the dress she still suggested the dress. Mrs Danver replies clearly telling her the reason that she had married Maxim and is trying to take Rebecca’s place which is not possible. She further tells her how Maxim loves Rebecca and how much he suffered after losing her. Mrs Maxim cries and lies on the bed having the window opened for her by Mrs Danver who suggests she leave the house rather jump from the window as she has not anyone left in this world.
References:
Wikipedia.org
Youtube.com
Britannica.com