Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Breakfast With... the Second Mrs. de Winter

Scrambled eggs.

Oh, come on. Eat it up like a good girl.
(Pssst. Season 2 of "Best Pictures From the Outside In" begins very soon)

14 comments:

Ed Howard said...

There's something very weirdly dirty about that still.

Great movie.

NATHANIEL R said...

this is the first "breakfast with" in which I've actually joined in. I'm eating scrambled eggs!

well, close enough (omelette that didn't flip well... therefore: scrambled)

John T said...

This is one of my all-time favorite movies. Top 3 for Hitchcock, and lord knows that's saying something.

Billy D said...

Nat, I've wanted to find a still of the shot of the beauty magazine in this film forever. Well, since my film professor pointed out that it was a dildo (i.e. phallus, i.e. the ideal of beauty is the phallus, etc. etc. Lacan Lacan Freud Freud). Can you do us all a favor and post it with your review? Merci in advance!

If I donate to the site, can I commission an article on the real story between Ms. Fontaine and Ms. de Haviland? Or some kind of retrospective--I figure you've got some insight into the true goings on.

NATHANIEL R said...

umm... you'll have to remind where that is (a beauty magazine?)

NATHANIEL R said...

ed --there is something weirdly dirty about the whole movie, isn't there?

Ed Howard said...

Well, of course, it's Hitchcock. And who does weirdly dirty better than him? I love the scene where the maid is showing off the dead Rebecca's nightgown, pointing out how sheer it is, how you could see her naked body through it. It's so creepily necrophiliac.

And a dildo in Rebecca? I don't remember that, for sure. I still haven't been able to think of Marnie quite the same way ever since David Ehrenstein pointed out to me how much the opening shot of the handbag resembles a vagina.

Uncle Gustav said...

A year later, she'd be Monkey Face, watching in quiet jealousy as hubby Johnnie pals around with his butterball buddy, Beaky. Yes, indeedie, Hitch was The Man.

Billy D said...

I seem to recall that it's when she decides to get all gussied up for Mr. DeWinter and she goes to consult a beauty magazine--Hitchcock does a full-frame shot of the cover. Then she gets the black dress with the white flowers all over the bodice. As my professor put it, "The dress basically says 'Fuck me!'

Sarah Mann said...

Thanks for commenting! I love the "breakfast with" idea, and I love the blog!

Neel Mehta said...

About 15 years ago I decided that I probably needed a favorite movie, and I chose Rebecca. I try to see it once every year or two, and each time I feel more and more confident in my selection.

Looking forward to the mash-up with Braveheart. I have NO idea how that will work.

NATHANIEL R said...

better than you'd think ;)

Anonymous said...

I feel very nerdy that I actually let out a little squeel when I saw Miss Fontaine eating her eggs. Rebecca is absolutely my favourite Hitchcock, which is no small feat and one of my favourite best picture winners... iteresting that its getting paired with the worst...

Unknown said...

I agree. I still don't understand why Braveheart was even nominated. Fortunately the Academy has fallen out of love with Mel since.
This aside, I wanted to share something about Rebecca. As soon as Selznick had decided to cast Judith Andersson as Mrs. Danvers he sent her a telegram urging her NOT TO PLUCK HER EYEBROWS.
I love it!