The biggest and most glaring difference comes near the very end of the film. In the book, Mr. Maxim DeWinter, played by Laurence Olivier, was the one who actually killed his wife. Rebecca. In the movie, Maxim, in confessing what had happened, declared that Rebecca had tripped and hit her head, causing her own death. Maxim proceeded to send out her boat and attempted to make it look like it was an accident, and that is why she died.
As we talked about in class, during this time period, the 1930's, there were certain production codes that had to be met in movies. One of these codes was that no murder could go unpunished. This reason it is believed that Alfred Hitchcock changed the outcome of the story. It seemed in conversation after the movie, that this was acceptable, even today, that the end was changed to this outcome. Call me a little more sick and twisted, but I think that Maxim killing Rebecca in the book added to the story and aided to the suspense of it all. I do not think, by any means, that it ruined the movie, but there is something to the fact that this man killed his wife, a women whom everyone seemed to love.
A couple other side notes to some changes in the film. The second Mrs. DeWinter was sheepish and shy in the movie. I kept asking myself why she would not simply stand up and say something to the condescending, overbearing and rude Mrs. Danvers. In the book it shared some of her inner thoughts, which helped identify with the character, but it was not the case in the movie. Consider her character another one in the line of weak and fragile women in so many of Hitchcock's movies.
Another simple aspect, which has more to do with my interpretation of character, was the way I envisioned Mrs. Danvers. As serious and menacing as she appeared in the film, it was not quite how I imagined her in the book. I pictured Mrs. Danvers to be much older than the counterpart in the film. As creepy as she came across in the film, she seemed much more dark and conniving in book. This lady who had a strange obsession with Rebecca was ruthless and evil. Ultimately she could not stand the thought of Mr. DeWinters moving on and being happy with any woman other than the adored Rebecca and set fire to the mansion that she kept in order. Her fate was met with her burning in the fire with the house.
In the scheme of all things Hitchcockian, Rebecca holds pretty true to form. The stars of the show Laurence Olivier (as Maxim), Joan Fontaine (as the new Mrs. DeWinter) and Judith Anderson (as Mrs. Danvey) did an amazing job. Like many of his other films, Hitchcock did so much with these characters that the use of many others was not needed. As the mysterious, romantic, yet almost rude Maxim, Laurence Olivier was convincing. Jan Fontaine played the new Mrs. DeWinter amazingly, I really wanted to grab her and shake some sense into her. And although I viewed the character differently in my head, Judith Anderson played the role of Mrs. Danvers very well as well. Unfortunately, the role was played so well it reminded me of people who act the same way.
This was a very well done film by Hitchcock; one i enjoyed very much. Lets not forget that Rebecca won an Academy Award in 1940 for best picture, either.
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