Robert E. Sherwood (1896–1955)

“Last night I dreamt I went to Manderly again….”

Joan Fontaine is captivating in Hitchcock’s beautifully realized romantic drama of a new wife competing with a memory so strong it hangs like a shadow over every facet of her existence. Robert E. Sherwood and Joan Harrison crafted a riveting screenplay from Michael Hogan and Scottish mystery writer Phillip MacDonald’s adaptation of Daphne Du Maurier’s now classic tale of dark romance.

Franz Waxman’s lovely score and George show more Barnes’ lushly photographed scenes frame David O. Selznick’s stellar production like a mist forming on the grounds of Manderly. A wonderful cast of screen veterans make this very long film a mesmerizing drama from which you can’t look away.

Olivier gives a strong performance as the dashing yet troubled widower, Maxim, but it is Fontaine as the young and unsure girl overwhelmed by his romantic attentions who stole our hearts and became a film favorite, winning the Academy Award the next year for Hitchcock’s Suspicion.

Fontaine is swept off her feet by the debonair but brooding widower, Maxim. Mousy and shy, there is an endearing charm to her performance in the early portion of the film which has the viewer falling in love with her. It all seems like a dream to her, and Hitchcock uses a rainy windshield to give she and the viewer a snow globe-like first glance at Manderly, further augmenting the story’s dreamlike quality.

Their fairy-tale romance has its darker elements, however, and from her first moments at Manderly she begins to realize that Rebecca, though long-dead, is in many ways still very much alive. She must compete with Rebecca’s figurative ghost at every turn, diminishing her self-confidence. Friends like Reginald Denny and Nigel Bruce cannot offset the twisted loyalty of Maxim’s housekeeper, Miss Danvers (Judith Anderson).

Just when she finds the strength to break free from Rebecca’s memory, a battered boat and startling revelations from Maxim about his marriage turn everything upside down. George Sanders causes much trouble during this phase of the story but the revelations are not as yet fully disclosed; nor is the outcome for Manderly and the couple certain in any way. Fontaine is amazing as she grows up and becomes an anchor for Maxim, finally becoming Mrs. De Winter.

A romantically haunting drama with a tremendously enchanting performance from Joan Fontaine, Rebecca is a cinematic masterpiece and a must-see film. show less

"Idiots Delight" ranks as one of the great lousy plays & movies of all time. It's a dreadful turkey. IMDb lists "Idiots Delight" under the genre "comedy/musical". The fact is that this was never a comedy, nor a musical. To put this material in perspective, the original play was written as a serious drama with strong anti-war overtones by Robert E. Sherwood, the author of such heavy dramas as "Waterloo Bridge", "Petrified Forest" and "Abe Lincoln in Illinois".
In the movie Gable portrays a show more second-rate Vaudevillian until he actually attempts to sing and dance. As an actor, Clark Gable was just a ham. As a song-and-dance man, Gable is so atrocious that it's embarrassing. I wonder why the director didn't simply cut that sequence from the film and write around it. Unfortunately Gene Kelly was not yet in Hollywood at that time. In 1939 Kelly was still working on Broadway, where he would soon to create a sensation playing a somewhat similar show business character in the title role of the classic Rogers and Hart musical, "Pal Joey". An indication of just how atrocious MGM thought "Idiots Delight" turned out is indicated by the fact that the studio shot two alternative endings, both of which are shown on DVD. I won't spoil things by saying what they are, but suffice it to say that both are equally stupefying! show less

This is a classic 1940s black and white film, which we've now seen three times in Christmas periods.

It stars David Niven as a Bishop, who is so busy that he barely has time to be with his wife and daughter. It also stars Cary Grant as a slightly unlikely angel, in a suit, sent to help.

There are lots of amusing incidents, and some parts that are quite moving. We thought it very well done, in an era without computer graphics or simple special effects, and the story is good with a show more thought-provoking message.

Definitely recommended if you like a bit of sentimental nostalgia and a feel-good story.

Latest longer review here: https://suesdvdreviews.blogspot.com/2025/12/the-bishops-wife-cary-grant-loretta.... show less

A newlywed's household appears to be obsessed with her husband's dead wife.

It might have been great, but there are a few major faults. One is how frustrating it is to continually see the protagonist not doing anything about her problems. The bit that almost ruined the movie for me is the costume ball scene; it's extremely suspenseful, but for all the wrong reasons (you know exactly what's going to happen, it's horrible and awkward and you don't want it to happen, and you have to sit there show more just waiting for it...).

Concept: B
Story: B
Characters: D
Dialog: A
Pacing: B
Cinematography: A
Special effects/design: A
Acting: A
Music: B

Enjoyment: B

GPA: 3.2/4 show less