Maxim suuuuuuucks.
After kicking off October proper with a discussion of the meta horror comedy The Final Girls last week, we’re classing things up with a look at Alfred Hitchcock‘s original adaptation of Daphne du Maurier‘s classic novel Rebecca and its villainous lesbian housekeeper Mrs. Danvers (just in time for Ben Wheatley’s new Netflix adaptation).
The film is the story of a young woman (Joan Fontaine) who marries fascinating widower Maxim de Winter (Laurence Olivier) only to find out that she must live in the shadow of his former wife, Rebecca, who died mysteriously one year earlier. She must also deal with the jealous, obsessed Mrs. Danvers (Judith Anderson), the housekeeper, who will not accept her as the mistress of the house while simultaneously coming to grips with Maxim’s terrible secret.
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Episode 95 – Rebecca (1940)
Last night, we dreamt we went to Manderley again, but today we’re actually going there! We’re going to be discussing lesbian housekeepers and spousal abuse in Alfred Hitchcock’s only Best Picture-winning film: Rebecca!
Join us as we discuss all the drama behind the tense relationship between Hitch and producer David O. Selznick before looking at how the Hays Code affected the film (bye bye, Maxim the Murderer!). Plus, a queer reading of the villainous housekeeper Mrs. Danvers and how she may be a reflection of Rebecca author Daphne du Maurier’s internalized homophobia.
Also, why does Maxim suck so much? How does Rebecca, a character we never see, make such a huge impression? And is Mrs Danvers actually a tragic figure?
Cross out Rebecca!
Coming up on Wednesday: We’re really getting in the Halloween spirit now as we revisit Michael Dougherty’s seminal horror anthology Trick ‘r Treat!
– Joe & Trace
P.S. Subscribe to our Patreon for tons of additional content! This month we’ll have episodes on Ratched, Books of Blood, The Haunting of Bly Manor and Rebecca, as well as an audio commentary on Halloween: H20!