tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7539700916676246998.post1502899555423352687..comments2024-03-13T10:58:10.011-07:00Comments on Streams of Unconsciousness: If You Like Rebecca it's Probably Because You Love JoanRichard Hourulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12354136203258901360noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7539700916676246998.post-70970616719189429952009-04-15T19:52:00.000-07:002009-04-15T19:52:00.000-07:00Hi! I hope you like awards because I just gave you...Hi! I hope you like awards because I just gave you one on my blog :) Here is the link to pick it up -- click <A HREF="http://silentsandtalkies.blogspot.com/2009/04/splash-award.html" REL="nofollow">here</A>. (It's the Splash Award, by the way)Katehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02026961018017690353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7539700916676246998.post-64365492395345654622009-04-14T05:29:00.000-07:002009-04-14T05:29:00.000-07:00I am one of those people who love Rebecca. To be h...I am one of those people who love Rebecca. To be honest, it is the only Hitchcock movie I like so far. Joan Fontaine is indeed perfect. On youtube you can find a screentest with Vivien Leigh as the 2. Mrs de Winter which shows that Hitchcock made the ideal choice to cast Ms Fontaine. Vivien Leigh is too much Scarlett O'Hara whereas Joan Fontaine manages to portrait all the insecurities and self-doubts perfectly.Alexandranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7539700916676246998.post-77285810435711445842009-04-13T23:54:00.000-07:002009-04-13T23:54:00.000-07:00"Rebecca" was a Selznick production, and as with "..."Rebecca" was a Selznick production, and as with "Gone With the Wind," dozens of actresses were tested for the lead. Yet it's impossible to think of a better choice for the role than Joan Fontaine, who was nearly unknown at the time. She is convincingly timid, mousy, and insecure at the beginning, exactly the opposite of the way everyone in the move describes Rebecca. She thinks she'll never be able to live up to the reputation of Rebecca, not realizing that the reason Maxim is attracted to her is that she is Rebecca's exact opposite. As you implied, it is in a way a coming-of-age story, with her growing stronger and more confident as she gets her bearings. I love the rest of the cast too. However, I've always had reservations about Laurence Olivier. Something about him doesn't seem quite right for the role. I've read that Hitchcock wanted Robert Donat. I never pictured him in the role either, until I saw him recently in a movie called "Vacation from Marriage" on TCM, and in the last half of that movie I finally was able to conceive of him as Maxim de Winter and see why Hitchcock thought of him for the role. The actor I can easily see as Maxim is Ronald Colman. It's far from a typical Hitchcock movie--it lacks his big set pieces and his bizarre sense of humor--but it's still a total treat.R. D. Finchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05045080274131718843noreply@blogger.com