Netflix released the movie “Rebecca” on Wednesday, October 21, based on the classic book by Daphne du Maurier and the cinematographic work of Alfred Hitchcock. Despite being among the 10 most watched movies on the platform, the work was poorly evaluated by critics, who considered it “unnecessary”.
The truth is that the new release fulfills its role: it tells the story and it entertains the public, especially considering we’re isolated due to the pandemic.
The movie takes place in the 1930s and follows a young woman (Lily James) that meets a widowed millionaire, Max de Winter (Armie Hammer), with whom she falls in love and, eventually, marries. When moving to his mansion, Manderley, she becomes Mrs. de Winter and has to face the “ghosts” left behind by his ex-wife, Rebecca, who was mysteriously killed.
Lily James’s character not only does not have a first name, which gives even more relevance to the figure of Rebecca, but also walks the halls of the mansion as if she was running away and looking for a ghost she has never met, but who has enough strength to scare her the life out of her.
Another challenge for the “new” Mrs. de Winter will be dealing with the housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers (Kristin Scott Thomas), who was Rebecca’s close friend and will do anything to sabotage the young woman’s life, to get her to leave the house.
The production of scenery and costumes is extremely well made, which contributes to the development of the script. However, it is a fact that the plot alone would be enough to hold the viewer’s attention and the incredible landscapes and excessive dramatization caused the opposite effect: while we see more of the romance between Maxim and his new wife, there is less tension in relation to the disappearance of the woman from the title.
If we compare the two cinematographic works with each other, the 2020 version has a more luxurious narrative construction, in which the direction did not prioritize the intensity of the actors so much, but the whole environment of Manderley, where Mr. de Winter resides. This is the main difference between the two movies: while the classic highlights the talent of its cast and guarantees the mystery through its expressions, the one directed by Ben Wheatley seeks to sustain the thriller through its environments, the unknown that hangs in the air. Thus, the two versions have their value and are built from different approaches.
Despite this, we can highlight the performance of Kristin Scott Thomas, who plays the role of the cold housekeeper with mastery and makes an excellent counterpoint with Lily James in the scenes they share.
As much as the movie is an inspiration for Maurier’s work, Netflix made a bold move and modified its ending. Therefore, the new production brought more drama to the story and changed some situations, such as the investigation of Rebecca’s death. On the other hand, the movies end just the samel and, to find that out, it is necessary to watch.
Check out the trailer for the film: