Rebecca (1940 Alfred Hitchcock)

A double bill of Hitchcocks. There's quite a bit to be said about REBECCA. For example, it contradicts the theory that Citizen Kane invented cinema. Like Kane, this begins with the camera gliding through Manderley's gates followed by some clever trick photography / model work.

The acting is great and quite rightly Olivier, Fontaine and Judith Anderson (who virtually steals the show) were nominated, along with Hitch, Franz Waxman (who appears to be using an organ at points and is thus being quite experimental: a great score), writers Robert E Sherwood and Joan Harrison ("I am Mrs. de Winter now!") and editor Hal Kern. George Barnes throws lovely shadows everywhere and there's a great curtain-drawing shot in Rebecca's bedroom. Does the second Mrs De W. have a first name?

Gladys Cooper and Nigel Bruce aren't in it enough, Leo G. Carroll just enough, George Sanders is beastly and Florence Bates ghastly. Reginald Denny as the estate manager is perhaps the weak link. C. Aubrey appears too.

Also, Bates to Fontaine:

"Have you been doing something you shouldn't?"

Oddly, it's not particularly Hitchcocky, as opposed to Q's choice:

Rear Window (1954 Alfred Hitchcock)

Seems to have begun as a cinematic exercise. Robert Burks' photography is easy to underestimate but notice just one shot where camera tracks from dog to Stewart's massage without a tremor (William Schurr was the operator. He worked on a few Hitchcocks and was also camera operator on The Apartment). The rigidity of the shots is such that when there is an odd overhead or low shot (such as where L.B. and Stella watch helpless as Lisa is caught) they really stand out.

Despite its striking visual nature, John Michael Hayes' script should not be undervalued (e.g. Thelma Ritter predicting  the Wall Street crash).

The diegetic soundtrack comprises beautifully put together effects (did Hitch love car horns from Blackmail on?) plus Franz Waxman's 'Lisa' melody plus some deliberately clashing moments of tension to background music.

It's from his fade to black period.

Contains Hitch's grisliest murder, but there's no corpse nor drop of blood in sight (nor even a murder!)

 

Love that slow motion kiss, and the varying states of relationships through the windows.