Rebecca - 1940
Movie: Rebecca - 1940
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Synopsis: A shy ladies companion, staying in Monte Carlo, meets wealthy widower Maxim de Winter (Laurence Olivier)."Max", still troubled over the death of his wife Rebecca the year before, nevertheless falls in love with her (we never learn her name - Joan Fontaine is the acctress). They return to his estate in Cornwall. As time goes by, the young bride becomes increasingly distraught over her inability to overcome the ghost of her predecessor. There is much to remind her, especially the housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers (Judith Anderson). Adapted from the novel by British author Daphne du Maurier.
Scene: Monograms play a very important psychological role in the telling of this story, as visual clues to the continued and inescapable presence of Rebecca.
Monogram: Top to Bottom: 1. An elaborate cutwork napkin used at dinner. 2. Rebecca's personal address book, kept in her study. 3. A woven blanket from the boathouse. 4. A handkerchief found accidentally in an overcoat pocket. 5. A lingerie case, hand embroidered by Mrs. Danvers - seen in flames, as the house, furnishings, and Mrs. Danvers are destroyed in the film's final scene.
Contributed by: Karen Johnson, Cindy Cronin, Jenni Smith, Carole Hennell
