TV and Movies

[Oznell]

9:00 a.m. Eastern, Fox Movie Channel    "My Cousin Rachel"  Olivia de Havilland, Richard Burton, Audrey Dalton, Ronald Squire, John Sutton

19th century thriller, with romance and "gothic" elements  by Daphne du Maurier,  much in her "Rebecca" mode.

Young landowner (Richard Burton) is left alone on his windswept coastal southern England estate after his guardian marries in Italy.  When the guardian mysteriously dies there, his half-English widow (Olivia de Havilland), comes to stay with Burton, and he wrestles with his growing attraction to her, despite misgivings....

Familiar tale, yet compelling each time.  Tormented Burton, smooth de Havilland, and all the supporting players uncommonly good in their roles.  De Havilland plays the ambiguity of her role with brilliance.  They had wanted Greta Garbo to return to the screen in the role-- but I don't think she would have matched up to Burton nearly as well.

Quintessential "tape-on-Saturday-morning-for-night-time viewing" movie!

[AuntG]

@Oznell so did she do it? Her last words made me think she was innocent. 

[Oznell]

Oh, @AuntG --  that's the question!  Refresh my memory-- what were her last words? 

I haven't read the novel, so don't know if the author du Maurier gives more clues.  I did read this somewhere:  Apparently she was annoyed with de Havilland's performance, thinking that she made it seem too much like she WAS actually guilty.  Apparently she wanted it to be more left to the imagination.

If anyone else has a definitive opinon on this, do tell.

[Somertime]

@Oznell   In the book, Phillip sends Rachel out for a walk on the bridge that will not hold her weight and then searches her room to find evidence that Rachel killed Ambrose.  when he finds none, he thinks her to be innocent and runs toward the bridge to stop her but she has fallen and is dying.  When he reaches her, she looks at him and says:  Ambrose.

A true Du Maurier ending!

[Oznell]

Whoa, thanks @Somertime!   That is a great ending.