Remakes
- Critical and commercial fruit borne of renowned literary adaptation inspired many remakes
- 20-odd theatrical films; TV movies, plays and miniseries; countless spoofs and homages
- Hitch’s original reigns supreme but longer, less-censored takes often hew closer to novel
Note: this is part of an ongoing series of 150-odd Hitchcock articles; any dead links are to those not yet published. Subscribe to the email list to be notified when new ones appear.
Rebecca: Writing on a Classic; Collectors Guide, Part 2: Production, 3: Home video, 4: 1956 re-release and bootlegs, 5: Soundtrack and radio, 6: Remakes
Contents
- Films
- Rebecca (1962)
- Rebecca (1979)
- Rebecca (1997)
- Rebecca, la prima moglie (2008)
- Rebecca (2020)
- Spoofs
- The Carol Burnett Show (1972/1974)
- The Comic Strip Presents… Consuela (1984)
- That Mitchell and Webb Look: Rebecca (2008)
- 21stCenturyFilm: Becca (2014)
- Related articles
Rebecca (1962)
Hackett and Mason, not seeing eye to eye; nor over that dress
Beginning with Hitch’s version, there have been at least two dozen international screen remakes and spoofs of du Maurier’s novel. But many are lost and only a handful are readily available, the first being 1962’s hour-long episode of short-lived series Theatre ’62 starring James Mason, Joan Hackett and Nina Foch. Being a kinescope, it’s distinctly lo-res, lo-fi and somewhat distorted but at least the performance itself survives.
- US: Synergy DVD-R (2012)
Rebecca (1979)
US poster by Emanuel (Manny) Schongut
Return to Manderley – Raymond Daum, Columbia Daily Spectator
In early 1979, Rebecca came home with the longest version to date: a UK-made, four-part TV miniseries totalling 220 minutes. The stars are Joanna David as “I” with Mr. de Winter and Mrs. Danvers essayed by Jeremy Brett, best known for his later portrayal of Sherlock Holmes, and his actual ex-wife Anna Massey, who previously played unfortunate Babs in Frenzy. In the UK, this version was broadcast three times within a year but despite being very highly regarded, it’s inexplicably never been repeated since nor officially released; beware some very poor quality bootlegs though. However, it did generate a tie-in novel reprint and later audiobooks read by no fewer than three of its cast: David, Massey and Harriet Walter, who played Clarice.
Devil in a black dress: Playing the evil Mrs. Danvers – Anna Massey
Rebecca (1997)
However, in a manner of speaking, one part of the 1979 version made it to home video as David’s real-life daughter Emilia Fox, born in 1974, replaced her in the 1997 TV miniseries. Running at 188 minutes, the 1997 miniseries co-stars Charles Dance, Diana Rigg and a veritable host of transatlantic leading actors in support roles. Once again, there was a tie-in paperback, the screenplay by noted recluse Arthur Hopcraft, and an audiobook read by Emilia Fox.
- US: WGBH DVD (2003, PBS reissue 2016) – trailer and Rigg interview
- UK: ITV DVD (2004, reissue 2019, DM promo), also in 3-DVD set
- Germany: KSM 2-DVD (2008, WVG reissue 2015) – trailer and photo gallery
DVDs are barebones except where noted. In the US, it was also issued by Acorn Audio as a four-cassette 1569383162 (alt) “enhanced audiotrack” (182min, 1999) which “offers the original actors’ voices, music and sound effects… with added narration to create a complete listening experience.”
- France: Koba 2-DVD (2011)
- Netherlands: FilmWorks DVD/alt (2007)
- Denmark: Soul Media DVD/alt (2013) info
- Czech Republic: Intersonic DVD/alt (2011)
- Australia: Madman DVD (2010)
Rebecca, la prima moglie (2008)
This Italian TV remake, broadcast in two feature length episodes totalling 184 minutes, retains the full title by which the novel and all former derivatives are domestically known: Rebecca, la prima moglie (Rebecca, the first wife). Although the places and settings nominally remain the same, it was shot entirely in and around the beautiful environs of Trieste. More than a mere retread of the well-worn story, it introduces a few sympathetic touches of its own which help keep things fresh. One which may not sit well with everyone is that it breaks the cardinal rule and gives the second Mrs. de Winter a first name: Jennifer.
All the cast acquit themselves extremely well but perhaps most notably, it was the penultimate onscreen role for acting icon Mariangela Caterina Melato (1941–2013), who imbues Mrs. Danvers with quiet menace as well as anyone has. A leading lady of Italian film and TV since the turn of the 1970s, she worked with many of the industry’s biggest names, but perhaps her best known English-speaking role was as Ming’s chief enforcer Kala in Flash Gordon (1980).
Leandro Piccioni’s lush, haunting score is also worthy of note but the downside is home video options are few and of no use if you don’t understand Italian or Polish.
- Italy: 01Distribution 2-DVD (2012) and Rai Play – no subs
- Poland: Monolith 2-DVD (2010) – Polish subs
- MP3 Leandro Piccioni: Rebecca, la prima moglie OST (2008)
Rebecca (2020)
US poster by Julian House, also featured on a tie-in paperback
The latest adaptation, like Hitch’s, strongly features British talent but is financed by Hollywood money, namely streaming giant Netflix. Though primarily destined for the small screen, it also had a limited UK theatrical run. It’s a fair old stab at the material and is certainly, ahem, executed with no little sense of style. But, as is the prevailing view, ultimately doesn’t scale the heights reached by its predecessors despite being very eagerly anticipated.
Unfortunately, the film’s launch was completely overshadowed by the fact that in real life Ms. James didn’t wait for the first Mrs. de Winter – sorry: Mrs. D. West – to die before moving in on her husband. And she likely had form, as a prior liaison is alleged to have developed while filming the remake. The latter entanglement came to light just days before the première, leading James to abruptly cancel most of her promotional appearances, yet still generate massive worldwide publicity – albeit for all the wrong reasons.
It hardly helped her to be credibly seen as a blushing bride while she was busy bedding someone else’s husband(s) but an even bigger irony is that thus far, Mr. West is best known for starring in a TV series called… The Affair. You couldn’t make it up. An even stranger twist is that Hammer was outed as an extreme sexual deviant with violent and cannibalistic tendencies. Bye-bye acting career. I wish I was joking. It’s all too dark, even for Hitchcock. I know many advocate separating the art from the artist but for a long time to come, this adaptation will be remembered more for the sexual vicissitudes of its leads than anything else.
- Rebecca on Netflix
- In Search of… Manderley
- Rebecca: Revisiting Manderley – Phil Rhodes, ASC
- Rebecca in the Ultimate English Estate – Rachel Wallace
- Inside the great estates cast as Manderley – Annabel Sampson
- Videos: UK | Film Club | Es | Soundtrack
- Interviews: Kinowetter | Bellissimo Files | CinemaBlend | Hollywood Reporter | Access | Variety | Den of Geek
- Trailers: It | De | Fr | Es | Pt | Ne | Sv | Ja
- Radio: Screen Time | Front Row
Much nicer and not at all controversial is the beguiling, contemporary-sounding new score by Clint Mansell, ex of West Midlands rockers Pop Will Eat Itself. It’s available on all formats, including both red-black and translucent marbled vinyl, but note the physical releases feature five exclusive bonus tracks.
- Invada red/tran 2-LP/CD/MP3 Rebecca: Music by Clint Mansell (2020)
The Carol Burnett Show (1972/1974)
Carol Burnett famously but unilaterally invoked Hitch’s “no late admissions” policy for Psycho a whole nine years before he did when, working as a movie usherette, she suggested a couple going in to see Strangers on a Train near the end instead wait until the next screening commenced. Her considerate gesture gave an over-zealous manager an excuse to give her the sack but the venue itself ironically provided the ideal spot for her 1975 Hollywood Walk of Fame star.
Clearly a fan of the classics, season six, episode three (1972) of The Carol Burnett Show sees her playing the “new Mrs. de Wintry” in Rebecky, an inspired and hilarious take-off that set the bar sky high for all others to follow. The comedy legend’s next flirtation with the Master was her Salute to Alfred Hitchcock in season eight, episode six of (1974), with brief skits on North by Northwest, Psycho and Alfred Hitchcock Presents preceding another brilliant but completely different spin on Rebecca.
The programme lasted for 11 seasons from 1967–1978 and though there’s no complete physical release of the entire 279-episode run, there are various comprehensive region 1 DVD collections with copious extras. Additionally, several streaming services offer every episode but unfortunately all edited from 54 minutes right down to 22. Boo, hiss.
- The Carol Burnett Show on DVD
- Prime Video | YouTube: Official/Shout!
- In Such Good Company: TCBS (2016) – Carol Burnett
- The Carol Burnett Show Companion (2016) – Wesley Hyatt
The Comic Strip Presents… Consuela (1984)
Adrian Edmondson and Jennifer Saunders play it straight… but strictly for laughs
- US: Sony 9-DVD The Comic Strip Presents… Complete Collection (2016)
Shot in 1984 but broadcast for the first time on New Year’s Day 1986, this is one of the standout episodes of The Comic Strip comedy collective’s long running film and TV series. Consuela, or to use its full name: The Comic Strip Presents… Consuela, or ‘The New Mrs Saunders’, was written by its stars Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders, also a highly successful comedy duo in their own right. Penned immediately after they viewed Hitch’s original film, French plays the unhinged titular Spanish housekeeper, bane of the newly married Jessica’s life, with her mistress and master, John, played by real-life husband and wife, Saunders and Adrian Edmondson. It’s available on DVD and streaming, including for free in the UK along with another 22 of the 43 Strip outings, via All 4.
- UK: C4 9-DVD TCSP… Complete Collection/alt (2007/2016)
- C4 5-DVD TCSP… The Best of (2013)*
- Prime Video
- TCSP… Six Film Scripts (1983)*
*No Consuela
That Mitchell and Webb Look: Rebecca (1997)
The most recent TV spoof is a sketch from series two, episode five of That Mitchell and Webb Look, which craftily turns the central premise of obsession on its head. This was the first “Reel Stories” short, which had strong potential to become a recurring strand within the series but sadly it remained a one-off. At least all four series are available on UK DVD.
21stCenturyFilm: Becca (2014)
All sorts of folk have mounted homages and retreads of Rebecca , including this cute French student effort from 2013. But my favourite by far is a short but oh-so-sweet and hilariously funny spoof series from Brighton-based writer-director Ruth Torjussen’s 21stCenturyfilm. Currently, only three of eight vignettes are online but they’re gold dust and send up Hitch’s original to a tee! Her merry band are guilty of responsible for several others, including Whatever Happened to Baby Helen (2014), and their superb Downton Abbey take-off Crownton Dobby (2014) is even more entertaining than the original.
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Rebecca: Writing on a Classic; Collectors Guide, Part 2: Production, 3: Home video, 4: 1956 re-release and bootlegs, 5: Soundtrack and radio, 6: Remakes
Related articles
This is part of a unique, in-depth series of 150-odd Hitchcock articles.
