An Eclectic Analysis of Rebecca—Blake Allen

Rebecca (1940)

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Composer: Franz Waxman

Preview: An Open Viewing of the Film in Its Entirety

You thought you could be Mrs. de Winter, live in her house, walk

in her steps, take the things that were hers! But she’s too strong for

you. You can’t fight her – no one ever got the better of her. Never,

never. She was beaten in the end, but it wasn’t a man, it wasn’t a

woman. It was the sea!

--Mrs. Danvers to “I”

Rebecca is a film with multiple climaxes whether it be dramatically, emotionally

or musically based. One of the most intense moments, other than the infamous “After The

Ball” scene, is when “I” makes the decision to traipse into the West Wing and discover

Rebecca’s room where Mrs. Danvers, who is the “constant mourner and apparent alter

ego of the dead woman,1” corners her. In other words, “I” get’s mixed up in a twisted,

psychotic obsession.

This scene, “Rebecca’s Room” not only displays the extreme vulnerability of the

character “I,” but garnishes “I” a new-found knowledge providing her strength to fight

1 p. 127 Darby

the never-ending haunting of Rebecca and the wrath of Mrs. Danvers for the first time in

the film. This all happens in the segue scene entitled, “The New Mrs. de Winter.”

1 - Historical and Cultural Context

Rebecca is Alfred Hitchcock’s Best Picture Oscar-winning, Hollywood directorial

debut. David O. Selznick, producer, won a consecutive Oscar following the 1939 epic

Gone With the Wind. There was a lot of tension between Selznick and Hitchcock during

shooting, which caused a lot of post-production decisions to be made. Though Hitchcock

is known to have been missing for most of the post-production process, due to filming of

Foreign Correspondent, Waxman still was able to create an ethereal, impressionistic

score, even under the sometimes-harsh thumb of Selznick. Selznick originally wanted

Max Steiner, but he was not available. Selznick also wanted Erich Wolfgang Korngold.

Rebecca is based on the novel by Daphne du Maurier, and was a huge success in

sales. Because many people read the book, Selznick wanted to stick to the original story.

Hitchcock, as we all know, likes to take the story and make it his own, but unfortunately

for Hitchcock, Selznick did most of the executive decisions for the story telling in post-

production. However, though it isn’t as Hitchcokian as other of his movies, it is still an

artistic triumph.

2- Music and Filmic Syntax

Example 1: Climbing the stairs

“Rebecca’s Room” begins with a F# timpani roll, establishing F# as the bass of the

section from 1:05:15 – 1:06:02. As “I” walks up the stars, the strings, starting from

low to high, climb a scale with the instruments stopping on their place in an F#

minor 9th chord.

1:05:15 1:05:23 1:05:29 1:05:34

F# timpani roll Cellos Violas Violins

1:05:38

More violins

With all the strings holding on their notes, the F# minor 9th has been firmly

established. There is an addition of a flute playing a trill on the 9th scale degree. The

harp scales its way up as a Novachord holds out A.

1:05:47 1:05:50 1:05:53

Flute trill Harp scale Novachord on A

Example 2: Entering the Room

There is a click of a door, an F major chord accompanies and the flute plays the first

half of REBECCA.

1:06:02 1:06:05

Click of door/FM REBECCA-Flute

There is a harp glissando, and the Novachord continues where the flute left off in

REBECCA.

1:06:11

REBECCA-Novachord/I pushes through curtain

There is a swell in the strings. “I” opens the curtains. The harp, celesta and strings

play a descending D# pentatonic scale.

1:06:34

After the window is unlatched, REBECCA begins in the violins and continues until

the musical break at 1:07:06.

1:06:43 1:06:54 1:06:58

REBECCA-Violins Touches hairbrush Walks away

The music continues as it did before at 1:07:07 with the music pausing at 1:07:10.

1:07:06 1:07:07

Window slams “I” walks over to window

*Silence*

Example 3: Mrs. Danvers enters

This section begins with the words “You wish anything Madam?” The flute and then

flute and bassoon play MRS. DANVERS beginning at 1:07:11.

1:07:11 1:07:17

MRS. DANVERS-Flute MRS. DANVERS-Bassoon add

There is a big crescendo and a horn solo after MRS. DANVERS is played.

1:07:44

Horn

As Mrs. Danvers walks towards the cabinet, a descending, “arpeggiated” F

augmented triad in the harp/celesta is outlined.

1:07:56

Example 4: The Cabinet and Underwear Drawer

This section begins with a distorted LOVE in solo cello. Mrs. Danvers touches the

cloak to her face. An arpeggiated Db 7th, 2nd inversion chord in the celesta is heard.

1:08:03 1:08:14

Cabinet/distorted LOVE-Cello Touches face/D min 7 2nd inv

The distorted LOVE picks up in solo Violin.

1:08:14 1:08:18

LOVE-Violin Touches “I”’s face

Mrs. Danvers opens the drawers. A distorted REBECCA is heard in the harp/celesta.

A G# minor 7th, 2nd inversion downward arpeggio is subsequently heard.

1:08:37 1:08:44

Underwear & REBECCA -Harp/Celesta Closes drawer/G#m 7th, 2nd inv arpeg.

Example 5: The Dresser and Negligée

This section starts with REBECCA heard in the strings.

1:08:49

There is an interjection of a minor 2nd heard in a solo string instrument.

1:09:18 1:09:20

Holds out hand Touches shoulder

At 1:09:24, Mrs. Danvers remarks “You’ve moved the brush…” and MRS. DANVERS

picks up again in the strings, with the interjections dispersed within.

1:09:24

MRS. DANVERS-Violins

There is a close-up of a picture at 1:09:42, and a miniature rendition of MAX is heard

in the Oboe with tremolo strings underneath.

1:09:42

MAX-Oboe

The strings take away the theme from the Oboe back to MRS. DANVERS in solo cello

and the rest of the strings.

1:09:47 1:09:52

MRS. DANVERS-Cello/strings “I embroidered this case for her”

When the negligée is pulled out, there is almost an entirely new theme, still with

solo cello.

1:09:58

Negligée

Example 6: Confrontational

This section begins with a low B in the orchestra that transfers to a borrowed

melody from On Borrowed Time called “Pud Running Away” found in the high

violins. There is also a timpani roll in m. 6.

1:10:22

“Look, you can see my hand through it”/Low B

1:10:28 1:10:44

“Pud Running Away”

At the door, there is a violin duet that turns into a cello solo.

1:10:49

Mrs. Danvers speaks

MRS. DANVERS plays again in the flute.

1:11:09

An incomplete version of SEA is heard in the muted horn.

1:11:25

A snippet of MRS. DANVERS is heard the last time in the scene beginning at 1:11:43,

but the segue into the next scene takes over with a crash of waves at 1:11:51.

1:11:43 1:11:51

MRS. DANVERS-Strings “Listen…” *Crash*

3 – Sound-In-Filmic-Time

Franz Waxman takes a rather dramatic scene and adds his own touch of “mickey-

mousing,” or dramatic imitation, in a way that does not detract from the cohesive,

forward motion. Other than the one time when the window slams shut, there is no

interruption in the musical score in this 6:36 scene.

* 1:05:15 [“I” decides to go to Rebecca’s room]

-1:05:23 [“I” climbs first set of stairs]

-1:05:50 [“I” climbs second set of stairs]

* 1:06:02 [“I” opens door to Rebecca’s room. REBECCA plays]

-1:06:34 [“I” opens curtain. Descending D# pentatonic scale]

-1:06:43 [“I” unlatches and opens window]

-1:06:49 [“I” touches hairbrush and notices a picture on dresser]

-1:07:06 [Window slams shut]

* 1:07:11 [A voice is heard revealing Mrs. Danvers. MRS. DANVERS plays]

-1:07:17 [Mrs. Danvers walks towards “I”.]

-1:07:44 [Mrs. Danvers opens curtains. The room floods with light.]

* 1:08:03 [Mrs. Danvers opens mirrored closet. Distorted LOVE in cello solo.]

-1:08:14 [Mrs. Danvers touches fur cloak to her face. Db minor 7th triad]

-1:08:20 [Mrs. Danvers touches “I”s face with fur. Distorted LOVE in violin solo]

-1:08:37 [Mrs. Danvers opens underwear drawer. REBECCA in harp and celesta]

-1:08:44 [Mrs. Danvers closes underwear drawer. G# minor 7th inverted]

* 1:09:14 [Mrs. Danvers walks over to dresser. REBECCA in strings and interjections.]

-1:09:24 [“I” sits down and Mrs. Danvers realizes hair brush has been moved.

MRS. DANVERS in violins]

-1:09:42 [Camera zoom on photograph. MAX on oboe.]

-1:09:47 [Mrs. Danvers and “I” walk over to the bed]

-1:09:58 [Mrs. Danvers lies down an embroidered cloth with an R on it. MRS.

DANVERS in solo cello and strings.]

-1:10:22 [Mrs. Danvers reveals her hand through the sheer negligée]

* 1:10:44 [“I” walks away from Mrs. Danvers towards the door. “Pud Running Away.”]

-1:10:44 [“I” walks through the curtain]

-1:10:49 [Mrs. Danvers walks through the curtain]

-1:11:09 [“Do you think the dead come back and watch the living”. MRS.

DANVERS in flute and SEA in muted horn]

-1:11:43 [“I” opens door and leaves. Mrs. Danvers walks towards curtain. MRS.

DANVERS in strings]

4 – Music and Filmic Codes

As stated earlier, Hitchcock was not seen much during post-production, and it

seems as if he did not have that much say in the filmic score. However, Selznick had a

great deal of influence, and even wrote to Waxman, “the “Rebecca” theme should not be

depressing. If anything, it ought to be on the sensuous side.” Indeed Waxman gives us not

just a sensual theme, but also a theme that is extremely impressionistic in harmony.

Throughout the entire scene of “Rebecca’s Room,” there is mystery, danger,

nervousness and passion heard. The scene opens with a timpani roll which not only tells

the listener most of the scene will be in either F# minor or F# Major, but it also gives an

aura of foreboding and “awkwardly even seems to ever [“I”’s] sense of dread.

Waxman uses the relatively new instrument the Novachord to embody the ghost-

like haunting Rebecca has over the entire film. To give an other-worldly quality,

Waxman uses harp and celesta during every transition, commentary on imitation and

mystical moments. In order to give the scene a more continuity, Waxman “skillfully uses

solo instruments” throughout. Also, the fact the “ghost orchestra” is used for most of the

scene, except for the “Pud Running Away,” gives this scene a more elusive feel.

Furthermore, Waxman even mutes the strings at 1:10:49 (Example 5).

From the gong when opening the door, the Novachord as “I” crosses through

sheer curtain, to the timpani roll as she finally leaves through the curtain, to harp

glissandi and celesta rolls, Waxman’s acute sense of timing only reinforces the level of

intensity and visual action. Every time a curtain, closet or drawer is opened, there is some

sort of glimmer. When Mrs. Danvers opens the underwear drawer, the harp/celesta play

REBECCA ascends, and as Mrs. Danvers closes the drawer, the harp descends. One of

the most iconic moments of dramatic imitation occurs when Mrs. Danvers touches her

face with the sleeve of Rebecca’s cloak at 1:08:14 (Example 4). A Db 7th is heard, which

is not in the key. It makes the creepy, obsessiveness apparent. On the other hand, when

Mrs. Danvers touches “I’s” face, there is no musical commentary; the violin just

continues playing is distorted LOVE.

Some of the most fantastic moments of dramatic telling occur when melodies leap

an octave or reach their top note. At 1:06:54 (Example 2), during a string version of

REBECCA, “I” walks over to the dresser, touches the comb and takes a gasp of air as she

see’s Max’s photograph. Another example is at 1:10:44, during the borrowed “Pud

Running Away,” the highest part of the melody (Example 6) occurs, simultaneously with

the previous mentioned timpani, as “I” breaks through the curtain.

Waxman is also a craftsman of connecting multiple uses of themes into a fluid

arch, creating climaxes and moments of less intensity where they need be. Throughout

the scene, Waxman uses REBECCA (5), MRS. DANVERS (5), LOVE (2), MAX (1),

SEA (1), “Pud Running Away” and even creates new, unnamed material.

5 – Musical and Filmic Representation: Textural Analysis

Starting with the staircase, “I” is extremely nervous to enter Rebecca’s room in

the West Wing, but the curiosity of living in Rebecca’s shadow get’s the best of “I.” Who

wouldn’t want to know more about their spouse’s deceased wife who died at sea?

Waxman gives us a glimpse of this desperate curiosity. Ever a “consummate craftsman,

Waxman used a chamber ‘ghost orchestra’ to invoke a character no longer among the

living, one never shown in photograph or flashback[.] (Bracket in original)2” Even

though the audience, and therefore implying “I” as well, never sees an image of Rebecca,

the scene in Rebecca’s Room gives a lavish portrayal of how much Rebecca was loved

and worshiped. Of course, during “The Confessional” scene, the audience finds out the

truth of how Max does not love Rebecca, but rather hates her. But up until that point,

Rebecca’s room further pushes “I” to an almost obsessive realm of competition. “I” has

to be the new Mrs. de Winter, otherwise she will never survive in Manderley.

The scene opens with “a symbolic shot of the stairs that lead up to [the room]—a

familiar Hitchcock trademark exploited in Notorious, Vertigo (1958), and Frenzy (1972)

2 pp. 226 – 227 Leitch

to imply desperate situations.3” As “I” reaches the top of the first set of stairs, you see her

look around, put her hand to her mouth, as if contemplating giving up, and then she

decides to walk up the other small set of stairs leading to the West Wing. The camera

angle changes, and the “hypnotic tracking shot […] delete all dialogue and nonmusical

sounds, creat[es] a huge space for Waxman’s mesmerizing pedal point.4” When the

Novachord enters, it gives off an eerie sound, especially since it is resting on the minor

third. It is the last voice added to the mix before the epic moment when “I”’s hand opens

the door. Do not forget, however, that the trill in the flute is on a G#, the leading tone to

the minor third, and the 9th scale degree.

Hitchcock’s magical work of camera angles is used once again as we see an

extreme close-up of “I”’s hand as it reaches for the door. With the sound of a click, a

gong is heard, as if “I” has unlocked a secret chamber. The flute then plays REBECCA as

the room unfolds.

Once “I” enters Rebecca’s room, most of the action takes place inside the sheer

curtain. When “I” pushes the sheer curtain out of her way, the Novachord takes over

REBECCA at 1:06:11 (Example 2). This alone is a commentary on Rebecca’s haunting

over “I.” What secrets does the room hold? What will “I” discover? Her trepidation is

depicted extremely well not only visually, but musically.

When Mrs. Danver’s enters the room in Example 3, she must first cross the plane

of the sheer curtain. Inside this “chamber,” Mrs. Danvers has control over “I.” She

proceeds to take “I” on her own journey into the psychotic obsessive realm. It begins with

“You’ve always wanted to see this room, haven’t you, Madam? Why did you never ask

3 p. 128 Darby4 pp. 226 – 227 Leitch

me to show it to you? I was ready to show it to you everyday.” In the film, there have

been comments made by others about the way “I” dresses, and it is interesting to note,

most of the references Mrs. Danvers gives “I” are of Rebecca’s clothing. Mrs. Danvers

also digs knives into “I” with remarks such as “Everybody loved her.” How is “I”

supposed to ever live up to Rebecca? With Mrs. Danvers in control, “I” will never win.

One extreme psychotic occurrence happens inside the sheer curtain chamber.

When Mrs. Danvers takes “I” over to the dresser, the first thing she says is “Oh, you’ve

moved her brush haven’t you? There, that’s better. Just as she always laid it down.” How

disturbing to hear someone noticed you touched a brush!

Throughout the entire scene, “I” wears every emotion on her face. Once the

negligée is shown, “I” breaks down and runs through the sheer curtain. With the

semblance of the timpani roll and the highest part of “Pud Running Away,” she seems to

have broken free of the spell of the room. However, just as “I” reaches the door, Mrs.

Danvers lunges out from behind the curtain and comes intimidatingly close to “I’s” face.

Mrs. Danvers talks about Rebecca as if she is actually a ghost haunting Manderley. “It’s

not only in this room, it is in all the rooms of the house. I can almost here her now.” And

with the most intense visual stare of the movie up to this point, almost as if Mrs. Danvers

has snapped, she whips her head to the side and remarks, “Do you think the dead ever

come back and watch the living?” “I”’s eyes well up with tears signifying she has had

enough. “I”’s mental stability is beginning to crack. Then, Mrs. Danvers goes off into her

own gaze and releases “I” to run out of the room. The scene ends with Mrs. Danvers

looking at the sheer curtain.

This scene segues into “I” standing firm and proud and declaring she is the new

Mrs. de Winter.

6 – The Filmic World

The filmic world of Rebecca is a lush, gigantic mansion with secrets at every

corner. The fact “I” is so vulnerable makes the story. With such an enormous space, one

can only envision a haunting or poltergeist of some kind. The creative aspect of the story

is the ghost that walks the halls of Manderley is not an actual being, but the haunting of

who she was and her effect on all who lived there.

The film from the year before, Gone With the Wind, is very similar because it

takes place on an estate called Tara—everyone knows the musical theme. However, the

scores between the two are vastly different. As stated previously, Selznick originally

wanted to use Max Steiner for the score of Rebecca. One does not know what the score

would indeed sound like with Steiner’s touch, but Jack Sullivan commented, “It is

fascinating to contemplate how [Steiner’s] broad sweeping style, so different from

Waxman’s veiled impressionism, would have changed the tone of the picture. (Brackets

in original)5” With this veiled impressionism comes a score that simultaneously evokes

the mood of the sea and compliments the extreme, lavish production design. The score

almost becomes a character in itself. Just as the idea of Rebecca haunts “I,” so does

Waxman’s intriguing and uniquely orchestrated score, especially when “I” mischievously

and nervously wanders into Rebecca’s room for the first time. Waxman gave a score to

Rebecca that not only evokes the desperation, the obsession, the turmoil, the passion and

the mysticism, he also gave a score of “such depth and nuance that it is difficult to accept

5 p. 49 Neumeyer

that it comes from a time so early that the very concept of scoring a film was still a

relatively new one [...] It is also, at turns, ghostly and disembodied, haunting and

violently dramatic.6”

Bibliography

Neumeyer, David, and Nathan Platte. Franz Waxman's Rebecca: A Film Score Guide.

Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, Inc., 2012.

William, Darby, and Jack Du Bois. American Film Music: Major Composers,

Techniques, Trends, 1915-1990. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland &

Company, Inc., 1990.

Leitch, Thomas, and Leland Poague, eds. A Companion to Alfred Hitchcock. Chichester,

West Sussex, UK.: Wiley-Blackwell, 2011.

Rebecca, dir. Alfred Hitchcock, music scored by Franz Waxman (1940; Turner Classic

Movies, 2005) DVD recorded from TV.

Rebecca, music dir. Joel McNeely, music scored by Franz Waxman (1940; Varease

Sarabande, 2002) CD.

6 p. 2 McNeely