The Anchor Bay DVD offers a fine video transfer of this classic mystery. The picture is sharp and clear with excellent contrast throughout, and the soundtrack is clean and crisp. Although the package doesn't mention it, the DVD does offer Chapter Search (always a welcome plus). There aren't any bonus materials like theatrical trailers, cast biographies, photo galleries, etc., but this is still a worthy edition of a genuine film classic.


"I'm asking you to marry me, you little fool."   August 21, 2004
 57 out of 63 found this review helpful

Rebecca, Alfred Hitchcock's first American film, is such a wonderful movie I didn't want it to end. Joan Fontaine stars as a miserably shy and awkward lady's companion; she meets the sophisticated and recently widowed Maxim de Winter in Monte Carlo. They seem an odd couple, but after a few short weeks, they marry and come home to his imposing English country estate, Manderley. There, the new Mrs. de Winter is overwhelmed with her new, lavish lifestyle, and is especially intimidated by the forbidding housekeeper, who keeps her first mistress' memory and influence alive. Maxim reveals a terrible secret which forever alters the couple's life, and affects the very existence of Manderley.

This wonderfully atmospheric tale, complete with swirling fog and spooky organ music, will take you away to another world, where little Cinderella really does marry the handsome prince and lives in the mysterious castle, but things have a nasty habit of going bump in the night. Joan Fontaine gives a breathtaking performance, convincing us she really is crippled with feelings of inadequacy, despite being a flawless beauty. Judith Anderson is the sneering, contemptuous housekeeper whose devotion to her former mistress turns to madness. Laurence Olivier makes a properly snobbish and mysterious Maxim, and manages to be the hero despite a fatal flaw. The title character, Rebecca, is never seen, but is a powerful force, as is the imposing house of Manderley. If you like gothic romances filled with 1940's elegance and lots of creepy atmosphere, you'll enjoy Rebecca.


Gothic Greatness   February 5, 2000
 25 out of 29 found this review helpful

From the opening shots and line about dreaming of a visit to Manderly again, to the final shots of Mrs. Danvers and the flames, Alfred Hitchcock creates a dark, eerie atmosphere that will remain with the viewer every time you see the film. Although Rebecca is never seen, her presence is felt throughout the entire movie. Laurence Olivier, as the late Rebecca's tortured husband is good, although I think his moods and personal torture are played too strongly. Joan Fontaine, never an actress I have especially admired, is surprisingly excellent as Olivier's new, unnamed, naive wife, thrust into a world she is unprepared to deal with. But the greatest performance of the film belongs to Judith Anderson as Mrs. Danvers, Rebecca's housekeeper, and consequently, Fontaine's nemesis. With her daunting profile and posture, and her chilling delivery of lines, she creates one of the most memorable film characters I have ever seen. With its winding plot, terrific performances, and the direction of Alfred Hitchcock creating tension and atmosphere on a Gothic scale, Rebecca is one of the greater suspense films I have ever seen.


Criterion's disappointingly out-of-sync   March 7, 2002
 20 out of 26 found this review helpful

While I am a great admirer of "Rebecca" and Criterion, I think the sound and picture for this DVD, while superbly restored in and of themselves, are out-of-sync by four or five or more frames throughout the film. Perhaps because I edit film this is more noticeable to me, but I would think that even casual viewers would sense that something is off. Look at the scene where Joan Fontaine confronts Mrs. Danvers after the disaster of the costume ball. In the two-shots, Judith Anderson's voice is ludicrously lagging behind the movements of her lips. "Rebecca" was rather famously plagued by on-set sound recording problems, and was extensively looped in post production, but the original Criterion laserdisc of this film did not suffer from this problem and it cannot be blamed on the original technicians. Having shelled out [the money] for this set, it makes it a bitter disappointment for me. While "Rebecca" the film rates ***** always, "Rebecca" the Criterion release does not.


Moody, atmospheric, and suspenseful   August 8, 2004
 17 out of 21 found this review helpful

From the opening voice-over by our unnamed heroine, Alfred Hitchcock's brilliant adaptation of 'Rebecca' grabs the viewer and never lets go. Hitchcock felt 'Rebecca', his first Hollywood film, was a compromise, but as a viewer I just can't find any fault in it. It's a masterpiece in my opinion-- full of suspense, mystery, and brooding atmosphere. It's also one of the most romantic movies I've ever seen. I've watched it several times over the years, and even now that I know all the plot twists (quite shocking on your first viewing), it never fails to reel me in.

One of the reasons the film really works is the flawless casting. Laurence Olivier is superb as Mr. de Winter, with just the right mix of charm and coldness. And Joan Fontaine is absolutely perfect as the second Mrs. de Winter. I can't spot an unconvincing moment in her performance and can't imagine any other actress in the role. Believe me, many well-known actresses, including Vivian Leigh, tested for the role. There is a reason the then unknown Fontaine nabbed it.

The supporting cast also delivers brilliant performances, especially Judith Anderson in her Oscar-winning role as the extremely creepy Mrs. Danvers, George Sanders, in his small role as Rebecca's slimy cousin, and Nigel Bruce in a typical role as de Winter's bumbling brother-in-law Major Lacy.

The film is long, running two hours and 10 minutes, without end credits, but it certainly captured the feel of the novel brilliantly, and never has a boring moment. Rebecca is, essentially, a drama of mystery and romance, and in lesser hands it could easily have fallen into the trap of melodrama. But Hitchcock's deft direction, the superb cinematography, and the outstanding performances by the entire cast make it one of the greatest romances ever made, and one of the most atmospheric movies I have seen.