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.