Book to Netflix Movie Review: Rebecca
Book by Daphne du Mauier
Netflix 2020 Movie directed by Ben Wheatley starring Lily James and Armie Hammer
Rebecca, follows the unnamed young woman who catches of the eye of the recent widowed Maximilian "Maxim" de Winter. After his wife, Rebecca died the year before on an boating accident Maxim is lonely and takes great interest in the narrator. After a quick marriage followed by a honeymoon, the newlyweds take to their new home at Manderly.
Upon their arrival at Manderly, the narrator meets the sinister housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers who holds the first Mrs. de Winter closely to her heart. The devotion to Rebecca is shown through the suggestion that the narrator is not good enough for the role of Mr. de Winter's wife.
After manipulation and self doubt the narrator is pushed to make decisions about herself and her marriage, whether she is able to take place of a woman who was so loved by so many... whether she can be the wife Mr. de Winter needs. Whether she can remove the presence of Rebecca or be taken over by it.
The novel Rebecca is a gothic psychological classic, the tale of an unnamed woman being married to a widower whose first wife was loved by all. Rebecca de Winter, the iconic deceased title character haunts the halls of Manderly. She was beloved, a flawless beauty and perfect wife who all women envied, but everyone has their secrets.
The story follows a 20 something woman who falls in love with Maxim de Winter, Rebecca's living husband. The narrator never reveals her name but after their marriage is introduced as the second Mrs. de Winter.
When arriving at Maxim's home of Manderly, Mrs. de Winter is greeted by Mrs. Danvers, the devoted housekeeper to the first Mrs. de Winter. She continues to run the house with Rebecca's ghost keeping her on a leash.
Throughout the novel and the 2020 Netflix movie adaption the main character is haunted by the ghost of Rebecca, with the belief that she will never be good enough and Maxim might be regretting marrying her because she can not compete with his first wife.
Book to Movie comparison
I thought the 2020 Netflix adaption of Rebecca was very well done, no it is not an exact replica of the novel but the few changes made I think helped enhance the story to take it from the page to the screen.
Some of the biggest changes were the amount of visits to the boathouse, in the movie Mrs. de Winter only visits the boathouse a couple times with only meeting Ben a hand full of times. While in the novel, the boathouse is visited many times and Mrs. de Winter talks with Ben on several occasions.
Another huge change was the ending, without spoiling the novel ending is included in the movie but the movie expands into what happens next which does tie into what is told at the beginning of the novel.
Overall, the 2020 Netflix movie was very well done. The acting I thought was excellent and it was a great adaption of a classic story.
Reviews
The novels is one of my favourites, I would give the novel a ⭐⭐⭐⭐✯ (4.5) review!
The movie I really enjoyed it and thought they did a great job turning this classic gothic novel into an entertaining picture. I would give the movie a ⭐⭐⭐⭐ review. I would recommend if you enjoy the novel.
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