Rebecca (1997) (TV)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Jim O'Brien

Writers:

Daphne Du Maurier (novel) and
Arthur Hopcraft (screenplay)

Release Date:

13 April 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Romance | Thriller

Plot:

Based on the Gothic romance novel by Daphne Du Maurier, Rebecca is a classic tale of love and hate....

Plot Keywords:

Housekeeper | Gothic | Psychological Thriller | Melodrama | Seashore

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy.

Cast

Charles Dance	...	Maxim de Winter
Diana Rigg	...	Mrs. Danvers
Geraldine James	...	Beatrice
Jean Anderson	...	Grandma
Emilia Fox	...	The Second Mrs. de Winter
Faye Dunaway	...	Mrs. Van Hopper
Jonathan Cake	...	Jack Favell
Tom Chadbon	...	Frank Crawley
Denis Lill	...	Giles
John Branwell	...	Ben
Lucy Cohu	...	Rebecca
John Horsley	...	Frith
Jonathan Stokes	...	Robert
Kelly Reilly	...	Clarice
Wendy MacAdam	...	Nurse

Runtime:

Germany:190 min (2 parts)

Country:

UK | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Charlestown, Cornwall, England, UK

Company:

Carlton Television

Trivia:

Emilia Fox's mother, Joanna David played the same role (Mrs. De Winter) 19 years earlier, in the 1978 (TV) version.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Emilia Fox has both ears pierced, twice, in each ear lobe, and this was clearly visible while portraying the character of the second Mrs de Winter, even though she only had one pair of earrings in at a time. In the 1920s piercing the ear multiple times was unheard of, and did not come into fashion until the 1980s.

Movie Connections:

Version of "Broadway Television Theatre: Rebecca (#1.20)" (1952)

A SUPERB version of REBECCA

First of all, I enjoyed the old classic version of the 1940s REBECCA with Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine and I have seen it over 100 times in my lifetime. However, I find myself very captivated by this 1997 version by Masterpiece Theatre and with its great actors, the assemble cast, the music score, the filming location and the more detailed storyline, which is simply superb and very well done. I believe the 1997 version is the best version of Rebecca, second to the book. Further, I have seen ALL the versions of Rebecca and have read the book by Daphne Du Maurier and can actually comment in good faith that this is simply the best adaptation with more details about the characters that you don't see in the 1940s version.

With this superb 1997 adaptation, you are able to see a more deeper version of both Max and the second Mrs. DeWinter's characters played by Charles Dance and Emilia Fox. You see that they are in love in this version whereas in the Hitchcock version, it's not so obvious. You also get a better sense of Mrs. Danvers' character who you almost feel sorry for in this adaptation. Additionally, you'll see a few glimpses of what the beautiful Rebecca might look like.

I believe this 1997 version of Rebecca stands alone as a great love story and great mystery that will keep you captivated.