Rebecca

Score 10/10

Rebecca is a wonderful psychological thriller seen through the eyes of a mousy, unsure woman, played by Joan Fontaine. When we’re first introduced to her, she’s a companion for a rich, overbearing woman. She meets Maxim, played by Laurence Olivier, a rich widower whose beautiful deceased wife – Rebecca – drowned in a boating accident.

She falls in love and marries Maxim. And the story unfolds when Maxim brings her to Manderley, where she finds herself overwhelmed by the magnificence of the place, as well as the memories of Rebecca. She meets Mrs. Danvers, who manages the estate and has an undying devotion to Rebecca.

Her low self-worth becomes magnified. “How can she compete with Rebecca?” becomes the main angst in her life. The memories of Rebecca are everywhere. Maxim refuses to talk about Rebecca, making her even more paranoid, and Mrs. Danvers takes every opportunity to throw the perfection of Rebecca in her face.

Two scenes which demonstrate how uncomfortable she feels are as follows:

~ She answers the phone and proceeds to tell the caller that Mrs. de Winter has been dead for over a year. She hangs up the phone and quickly catches herself because she is the new Mrs. de Winter

~ She accidentally breaks a figurine and hides it in the back of the drawer for fear of getting caught.

With each scene, we are drawn into her world and her inferiority complex, until Rebecca’s body washes up on shore. At this point it feels as though things would get worse. The ghost that haunted their marriage returns as the body washed across the beach.

But instead, the shocking truth of Rebecca and Maxim unfolds…

At this point, her world turns right side up. She then transforms from a weak fearful woman into a pillar of strength.

Twists develop leading to a crashing end when Mrs. Danvers obsession with Rebecca destroys herself and any memories of Rebecca along with it.

Mrs. Danvers is a very interesting character. We’re never told about why she feels so strongly toward Rebecca. Is a motherly emotion? Attraction? Regardless, she’s a haunting figure.

BEAT SHEET

Rebecca Movie Beat Sheet

1. Opening Image
	Manderley: barred gate to the drive
2. Theme Stated
	Mrs. de Winter stops Maxim from jumping off a cliff. He's angry, acts like suicide wasn't attempted. She's a clumsy, unsure woman, who works for a rich woman.
3. Set-Up
	Maxim is taken with her, but she services as a companion and tries to keep her place. During their conversations, he closes off with the subject of drowning. She learns later that his wife (the beautiful Rebecca) was drowned & he's broken up over her death. They continue to date while her employer is sick & she pretends to be taking tennis lessons.
4. Catalyst - Inciting Incident
	The employer wants to leave town
5. Debate
	She desperately attempts to call Maxim before she leaves. He asks her to marry him. She says yes.
6. Break into Two
	She quits her job. The snobbish employer tells her that she could not handle being the mistress of Manderley. She and Maxim get married.
7. B Story
	The married couple arrive at Manderley - an enormous estate.
8. Fun and Games
	She meets Mrs. Danvers - an ominous head house keeper, who intimidates her. Mrs. Danvers makes constant mention of Rebecca, whose room is locked. She finds a cottage by the dock, which belongs to Rebecca. Maxim is angry about her finding the cottage, forbids her to go back there. She continues to be intimidated by Manderley. Jacks (Rebecca's cousin) pays a visit & doesn't want her to tell Maxim that he was there. She gets the courage to see Rebecca's amazing bedroom. Mrs. Danvers shows it to her, speaks of Rebecca with an obsessive reverence.
9. Tentpole - Midpoint - Reversal
	She finally gets the nerve. Tells Mrs. Danvers that she's Mrs. De Winters now.
10. Bad Guys Close In
	She plans a masquerade party. Mrs. Danvers suggests paintings for her to plan her dress around. Mentioning one specific painting. She plans her dress exactly like the painting. Maxim is angry & tells her to change. It's the dress Rebecca wore. Mrs. Danvers set her up.
11. All Is Lost
	The sail boat that was Rebecca's was found, and so was a body.
12. Dark Night of the Soul
	She confronts Maxim in the cottage. Maxim confesses: the body washed up yrs ago wasn't Rebecca. Her body is in the boat where he put her. And here comes the whammy: he hated Rebecca. That his marriage with Rebecca was a fraud & that Rebecca was sleeping with Jack. Rebecca said she was pregnant that night, taunting him. He hit her, she accidentally fell and died.
13. Break into Three
	Police get involved.
14. Finale - Confrontation
	There's an inquiry. An expert says the boat was scuttled. Murder, suicide? Jack believes Maxim killed Rebecca due to a letter Rebecca sent him the day she died. The letter says she has something important to tell him. Police speak to the doctor & learn that Rebecca was dying from cancer (not pregnant). Maxim realizes that Rebecca planned to have Maxim kill her by lying about being pregnant from another man. Since she was going to die anyway.
15. Aftermath
	Mrs. Danvers burns Manderley down & herself along with it.
16. Final Image
	Rebecca's bed engulfed in fire.

Alfred Hitchcock Marathon

The master of Suspense!

Every year I re-watch my Alfred Hitchcock collection. So what better way to kick off the Fall than with one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. I’ll watch several of his movies and write an analysis.

I will begin this week with Rebecca, my favorite of the bunch.

Black Swan Movie Beat Sheet

1. Opening Image
	Ballerina (Nina) on stage under a single light.
2. Theme Stated
	Nina is dancing a dark piece where she's being pursued.
3. Set-Up
	Nina sits in front of her mirror, mentions it was a dream to her mother. While on the train she sees someone who looks like her. She goes to work as a ballerina, where she trains.
4. Catalyst - Inciting Incident
	During practice, Thomas shows up. All the girls are on their best. He wants a new lead to star in swan lake as a black & white swan.
5. Debate
	Nina has a chance at the lead, will compete later. Nina catches the aging ex-lead (Beth) leave in a rage. She tries out for Thomas but fails at creating the passion of the black swan. On the way home she again sees a woman who looks like her. She breaks her toe nail while at home. She talks to Thomas to get the job, he says she's not the black swan, tries to kiss her, she bites him. Thomas gives Nina the lead role.
6. Break into Two
	"whore" is written on the glass for her to see.
7. B Story
	View of Nina & her mom's relationship: Mother is overbearing, treats Nina like a child. She bakes a cake & Nina eats it to keep her mother from being upset.
8. Fun and Games
	Celebratory event hosted by Thomas. She hallucinates that the skin on her finger is peeling. Beth calls Nina a whore. Thomas suggests Nina masturbate. Mother finds more marks on Nina & is concerned that she hasn't outgrown scratching herself. She masturbates and stops when she sees her mother sleeping in her room. Beth is in the hospital, she walked in front of a bus. Nina visits a sleeping Beth, her leg is broken. Nina is shaken up. Nina finds a metal pipe for the purpose of keeping her bedroom door closed and keeping her mother out (transitioning from her mother). Thomas still working with Nina to get the black swan, makes a pass at her, seduces her and he tells her that she needs to seduce him, not the other way around. She's not getting it done. Nina hallucinates seeing herself, nails bleed, more scratches on her back.
9. Tentpole - Midpoint - Reversal
	Against her mother's wishes, Nina goes out with Lily
10. Bad Guys Close In
	Nina & Lily hang. She drinks, meets guys, takes ecstasy. Lily seduces Nina. She takes Lily home, mother is angry, they make love in the house.
11. All Is Lost
	She wakes up late.
12. Dark Night of the Soul
	Lily tells Nina that she didn't sleep with her. Nina had hallucinated it. She continues her practice when suddenly she sees her double in the reflection. She's unhappy that Lily is her replacement. Feels threatened.
13. Break into Three
	Alone, night before the performance, she practices & she's sees her double in the mirror.
14. Finale - Confrontation
	More hallucinations: Thomas & Lily having sex, with Thomas turning into a dark creature from her dream at the beginning. Another of her visiting Beth, who stabs herself with a nail file. Her rash looks like black feathers growing out, her toes webbed - physical transformation into a black swan as per her mind. She performs on stage, opening night. She kills Lily, thinking it's a hallucination of herself, or does she? Then performances the black swan brilliantly as she transforms into a swan on stage in her own mind
15. Aftermath
	Nina goes back to her room to put on her white swan makeup, realizes that Lily isn't dead, she stabbed herself in the stomach, basically killing the white swan part of her. She performs, finishes the last act as the white swan and dies from the self- inflicted wound.
16. Final Image
	Her euphoric face as she lay dying after her perfect performance.

The Silence of The Lambs Movie Beat Sheet

1. Opening Image
	A tree (with no leafs) in the woods - foggy, fall-like weather. (A sweaty Clarice soon climbs up into view)
2. Theme Stated
	Clarice (FBI trainee) is assigned the task of talking to Hannibal in an effort to get information on a serial killer - Buffalo Bill.
3. Set-Up
	Clarice is warned to not let Hannibal inside her head. She goes to the asylum to see Hannibal & to get him to fill out a questionnaire. He challenges her & she fights back, questioning his courage. Hannibal still won't help her.
4. Catalyst - Inciting Incident
	Another inmate tosses sperm at her
5. Debate
	Appalled, Hannibal still refuses to fill out the questionnaire BUT he does offer her a hint to catching Buffalo Bill & to advance her career. She follows the clues, which lead to a dead body. Clarice now knows that Hannibal could help her the rest of the way.
6. Break into Two
	Hannibal agrees to continue to help her, but he wants a room with a view in exchange, and time is running out as the killer searches for his next victim.
7. B Story
	Buffalo Bill captures his next victim.
8. Fun and Games
	The hunt is on as Clarice investigates: autopsy of past victim, finds an exotic moth, meets with moth experts. The latest victim is the daughter of a Senator.
9. Tentpole - Midpoint - Reversal
	The FBI agrees on terms to make Hannibal's stay more pleasant BUT only if the Senator's daughter lives & Buffalo Bill is caught. Hannibal agrees to help BUT only if Clarice opens up to him. Quid pro quo.
10. Bad Guys Close In
	Hannibal tells her that Bill was probably rejected for transsexual operation, but she gives up some personal information on her running away as a child. Bill pressures his victim. The chief psychiatrist tells Hannibal that the FBI is lying to him. We learn that the offer Clarice made was phoney by the FBI and the Senator is angry. Hannibal is being tranferred. The Senator agrees to it. He provides information to her.
11. All Is Lost
	Clarice is desperate. She needs information & has little time to get it as Hannibal is moments away from being transferred. Time for Quid pro quo.
12. Dark Night of the Soul
	She's forced to tell her most personal secret regarding the slaughter of the lambs. After Clarice leaves, Hannibal kills the guards.
13. Break into Three
	Hannibal escapes posing as an injured officer.
14. Finale - Confrontation
	Buffalo Bill sews skin from previous victim. Clarice figures out that the moth victim is the first one & therefore Buffalo Bill knew her. She follows her lead while the FBI follows a false lead that Hannibal gave to the Senator. She questions Buffalo Bill, figures out he's the killer, confronts and kills him, saving the girl.
15. Aftermath
	Clarice graduates. She gets a call from Hannibal, who has the Chief Psychiatrist in his sights. The psychiatrist is on the run, hiding from Hannibal.
16. Final Image
	Hannibal walking through the crowd on an island with palm trees on a sunny day.

Some might place Clarice’s slaughtering of the lambs revelation at the end of the “Bad guys close in” beat, but I feel it works perfectly in the “Dark night of the soul” as she clearly doesn’t want to reveal this and is a poignant moment in the story.

The Blind Side Movie Beat Sheet

1. Opening Image
	Football game: Joe Theisman
2. Theme Stated
	Protecting your blind side is demonstrated by what happened to Joe Theisman.
3. Set-Up
	The school decides if Michael should be admitted. Good athlete but not well educated (not smart). They admit him & give him a chance to give him a break, but he's doing bad in class & feels out of place as the only African American in a white school.
4. Catalyst - Inciting Incident
	Leigh Anne sees her son talking to Michael. Michael learns that his father died, but he was never close to him.
5. Debate
	Leigh Anne sees Michael wandering at night on the road. She stops to talk to him and decides to take him in her home since he seems to have nowhere to go.
6. Break into Two
	Leigh Anne drives him home to the projects. There's an eviction notice on his door.
7. B Story
	Michael tells Leigh Anne that his mother probably left to a nicer place, not revealing the eviction notice & so she takes him in. He hasn't opened up yet.
8. Fun and Games
	Michael becomes part of the family. His grades are improving. We learn that Michael has a brother, whom he hasn't seen in a long time. Her friends don't understand. Leigh Anne decides to be his legal guardian. She buys Michael a truck.
9. Tentpole - Midpoint - Reversal
	Michael gets into a car accident with her son. Leigh Anne is concerned not upset & she learns that he injured his arm saving her son from the air bag. He becomes the protector.
10. Bad Guys Close In
	Michael uses his protective instincts to succeed in football as an offensive lineman. Plays in a football game & he's getting beat until the coach sticks up for him on a flagged play. He then prevails. A sign that Michael is trusting a man (abandonment issues)
11. All Is Lost
	College recruits are interested in Michael, but he needs a 2.5 gpa but his grades don't cut it.
12. Dark Night of the Soul
	Leigh Anne hires a tutor. He's doing well in all but one class and has to write a final paper. He chooses Mississippi over Tennessee.
13. Break into Three
	He writes a paper from the heart about courage.
14. Finale - Confrontation
	He's preparing for college when he's questioned about the choice of schools. The NCAA is investigated the connection Leigh Anne and her husband have regarding to going to Miss. The allegation is that Leigh Anne took him in in order to prep him for Miss. He believes it & leaves Leigh Anne to go to his old neighborhood, but he doesn't fit in. Leigh Anne finds him & asks what he wants to do (no longer pushing her ideas). She will support Tennessee.
15. Aftermath
	Michael meets with the NCAA investigator & says he chooses Miss because his family went there.
16. Final Image
	Pro-football draft day of Michael and his family as he's chosen by the Ravens.