Happy Easter everyone! You would think I would pick a film to review that's more appropriate for this day, but I decided otherwise. Rebecca is Alfred Hitchcock's first Hollywood film. Starring Joan Fontaine and Laurence Olivier, this film tells the story of a young, innocent woman who falls in love with an older, more sophisticated widower. However, Rebecca's ghost haunts Fontaine's character through the hatred of the housemaid, Mrs. Danvers. Mrs. Danvers makes sure that Fontaine's character will never live up to Rebecca. 
Also starring George Sanders and Judith Anderson, Rebecca is such a beautiful film filled with love, hate, passion, and suspense. Hitchcock, as always, does an incredible job directing this film. And everyone knows how much I love that director! Joan Fontaine and Laurence Olivier were both nominated in their roles, but lost to James Stewart (The Philadelphia Story) and Ginger Rogers (Kitty Foyle). However, Fontaine won the next year in another Hitchcock film, Suspicion.
I have always loved Joan Fontaine's acting. She's subtle, modest, and incredibly alluring- we also share the same birthday! Laurence Olivier, however, is another story. Though I love him in this film, I have always found him to be pretentious in his acting (ie Hamlet). Despite that, Rebecca is one of my favorite Hitchcock films. It's suspenseful, but it's also whimsical and romantic. Fontaine and Olivier have amazing chemistry, which really brings this film together. So, enjoy!
Ciao!
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