Say it Aint So! Rebecca (1940) is Getting a Remake
Thursday, November 15, 2018 at 10:31PM by Nathaniel R
Nooooo. Rebecca (1940) doesn't need to be remade. Essentially no Hitchcock picture needs to be, you know. But word is out that Lily James and Armie Hammer are risking the ghosts of Joan Fontaine and Sir Laurence Olivier to star in a new film version of the Daphne Du Maurier story about "the second Mrs de Winter," her cold bossy husband, a sinister lesbian housekeeper, and an old creepy gothic mansion. The foolish or ballsy director that's going to try to live up to collective memories of Alfred Hitchcock? That'd be Ben Wheatley of High-Rise and Free Fire fame.
Hey, let's do a "Cast This!" in the comments for the story's best role: Mrs Danvers, that creepy housekeeper with an obsession for her late mistresses undergarments. (You may recall that The Film Experience spent a lot of time with Rebecca a few years ago for a pass-the-baton retrospective.)
Reader Comments (65)
When Cate and Tilda turn it down, I hope they go to Toni Collette next.
Wasn’t Hitchcock set to film another project before his death? Why not try to complete that to his vision, like they did with Welles’ The Other Side Of The Wind? Who wants another Van Sant’s Psycho?!? Leave well enough alone. What’s next, a new Leave Her To Heaven?
MIRANDA RICHARDSON
If Close wins the Oscar for the Wife, she will be offered Mrs Danvers.
An unnecessary remake - and I didn't even like the 1940 one much. But if it must be done again leave Armie Hammer out of it. Whatever he's got was well employed in "The Social Network" and he managed to be engaging in "The Man from Uncle" But generally he strikes me as wooden. Blandly handsome, sometimes inexpressive, sometimes awkwardly emphatic. Tom Hiddleston, Sam Riley or Jude Law would certainly be better choices. I agree with the readers who cited Miranda Richardson, Melissa Leo and Anjelica Huston as prospective Mrs. Danvers. And I'd guess Florence Pugh could really do things - exceptional things - as Mrs. de Winter 2.
@ Ready: Kudos for bringing up Mrs. Van Hopper. Florence Bates was the best thing in the original. And frankly I don't see her even being topped in the part.
Oops! That last line about Florence Bates should read "I don't EVER see her being topped in the part".
@ken - I agree, don't see anyone bringing Mrs Van Hopper to life as well as Florence Bates did.
Another thought for Mrs Danvers - maybe a bit out of left field but Imelda Staunton might be an interesting choice
Mrs. Danvers = Jeffrey Dean Morgan
According to matt, Glenn Close is a guaranteed offer for the role. Do we like this casting?
No. I'm okay if it is a tv series, but definitely not as another freaking remake.
In other words, I want Tilda to terrorize the shit out of Lily James.
Rebecca had a television version in 1997 with Charles Dance as Maxim de Winter and Emilia Fox as The Second Mrs by Winter. The talented Dame Diana Rigg won the Emmy for her performance as Mrs. Danvers (her only Emmy with 9 nominations including The Avengers and Game of Thrones)
Honestly I have no problems with a new version, my problem is Armie Hammer as Maxin. What a boring choice.
Michael Fassbender would have been a better choice or he would have even accepted Richard Madden.
By the way I like the suggestion I read from Sarah Paulson as Mrs. Danvers.
Probably because she kind of looks like the original Mrs. D, my first thought was Angelica Huston. It would be fun to see what Meryl could do with the part. But Sarah Paulson is another great choice.
With Joan Fontaine in the part, I think "I" was the best role in the film.
I don't think anyone brought up Jessica Lange yet for Mrs. Danvers, so I'll throw her name in.
A Faye Dunaway or Tuesday Weld comeback would also be sweet.
Kathy Bates is an obvious choice, but I think Oprah as Mrs. Van Hopper would guarantee at least one great camp moment- "Wretched stuff, get me a chocolate quick!" Streisand would also have no trouble bossing everyone around, but her part would have to be bigger, resulting in Babs going home with "I" and Maxim, and then taking care of Danvers herself.
Completely unnessessary - but fun ! Just not excited about Lily James - couldn't they find some less obvious and more ... "multi-dimensional" ?
My pick .. a great comeback role for: Isabelle Adjani or Nastassja Kinski - or spot on would be Nina Hoss and of course Charlotte Rampling ?
Hitchcock's movie doesn't need to be remade, but du Maurier's novel definitely does need to be adapted for the screen -properly. The novel has been televised several times, but not one if them gets it right.