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Rebecca (1940): Film vs Book
Film · 1940 · Directed by Alfred Hitchcock · Starring Laurence Olivier, Joan Fontaine
About the film
A young bride arrives at a great house still ruled by the memory of the first wife.
How close is it to the book?
Close to the bookA moody film that keeps the book's atmosphere, with changes made to suit the censors of its day.
Read or watch first?
The novel has more of the heroine's insecurity and inner voice.
What the book gives you
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
A beautifully atmospheric mystery with a grand house, a shadowy past and a narrator you follow with growing suspense. A page-turner with an elegant hold on you.
Who will like it: Readers who love gothic suspense, atmospheric houses and a story with secrets at its heart.