gypsybangles Posted June 10, 2005 Share Posted June 10, 2005 I could be wrong, but I can't think of another single author who's had as many of her books translated successfully to the screen than Daphne du Maurier. I would really like to see TCM run them together as a tribute. Unfortunately her birthday just passed (May 17th), so another reason would need to be proposed, (not wanting to wait another year for this to happen), "Gothic Day" perhaps. The films are as follows: 1939 Jamaica Inn (Charles Laughton, Maureen O'Hara) 1940 Rebecca (Joan Fontaine, Laurence Olivier) 1944 Frenchman's Creek (Joan Fontaine, Arturo de Cordova, Basil Rathbone) 1946 The Years Between (Michael Redgrave, Valarie Hobson, Flora Robson) 1947 Hungry Hill (Margaret Lockwood) 1952 My Cousin Rachel (Olivia de Havilland, Richard Burton) 1957 Suspicion (Cary Grant, Joan Fontaine) 1958 The Scapegoat (Alec Guinness, Bette Davis, Irene Worth) 1963 The Birds (Tippi Hedren, Rod Taylor) 1973 Don't Look Now (Julie Christie, Donald Sutherland) (may need to be omitted for a graphic sex scene). Would anyone else be interested in seeing this body of work on a single day? Does anyone know how I might propose this to the TCM Progammer. I look forward to your replies. Gypsy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
therealfuster Posted June 10, 2005 Share Posted June 10, 2005 on this vote, as I am a big Daphne fan. I particularly like "Jamaica Inn" because one does not get to see many films with Emlyn Williams. But all the ones you mention are excellent selections. Not that long ago, I showed "Rebecca" to a friend of mine, who had never seen it [shocking isn't it?] and she was simply staggered by how entertaining and suspenseful it was. I told her she should be watching more TCM type films, and less video store rentals. I've read "The Birds" and though it is a bit different than the film, Alfred still does the tale justice. As for "Don't Look Now" it was a bit risque in its time in the Christie/Sutherland scene but TCM could show it later in the evening maybe. All your selections are great and just make a post directed to the "TCM Programmer" and I'm sure they will see it, or do a direct reply to them at headquarters. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bollywood101 Posted June 10, 2005 Share Posted June 10, 2005 NB that "Jamaica Inn" is currently scheduled for 21 August 05, on Maureen O'Hara day. If it's played on TCM in the past 8 or 9 years I don't remember it, so this may be a premiere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gypsybangles Posted June 10, 2005 Author Share Posted June 10, 2005 Thanks Bollywood ...for the heads-up re 'Jamaica Inn'. I've only ever seen it once myself years ago, can't think where as I've only had TCM for about a year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bollywood101 Posted June 10, 2005 Share Posted June 10, 2005 Also, "The Scapegoat," on Alec Guinness day, 4 Aug 05. Some of the others play occasionally but I think most of those don't belong to the Turner library. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gypsybangles Posted June 10, 2005 Author Share Posted June 10, 2005 Hey Fuster, I hope your friend took your advise about TCM vs. the video store. I first saw 'Rebecca' when I was nine or ten on TV. Knowing I loved a good mystery my Mom turned me on to it, encouraging me to watch by mentioning how "creepy" the housekeeper was. Even though I've seen it several times since then I never fail to get a shiver when the icily-controlled-completely-demented Mrs. Danvers is displaying Rebecca's "things". Oooooh! This has always been my favorite performance by Dame Judith Anderson. Thanks for the tip re TCM Programmer. Think I'll wait to see if the thread generates more interest before approaching him. Gypsy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bollywood101 Posted June 10, 2005 Share Posted June 10, 2005 And aside from the acknowledged du Maurier films, there's a pretty good Hindi film called "Kohraa", from about 1960, which is an unauthorized adaptation of "Rebecca." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayresorchids Posted June 14, 2005 Share Posted June 14, 2005 Did you know that Daphne du Maurier's grandfather, George Du Maurier, was the writer of the Victorian novel Trilby, the story of the ominous hypnotist Svengali, who lorded it over innocent young Trilby? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimbo3200 Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 I love Daphne du Maurier's works. I remember doing a research paper on her short story collection Don't Look Now. She was great with gothic romance and suspense as in Jaimaca Inn, Rebecca, and My Cousin Rachel. I really like the way she wrote. I think it really would be a good idea to honor the film adaptations of her works! (By the way, I don't mean to be rude or anything, but she didn't do Suspicion. That was written by Francis Iles, I believe, and called Before the Fact; I read it a while ago.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gypsybangles Posted June 15, 2005 Author Share Posted June 15, 2005 Hi Kimbo, Thanks for setting me straight regarding the film 'Suspicion'. Picking it up from a list on IMDb, I never read further than the title, not realizing it was a TV series. I too like her novels, but unfortunately haven't read all of them. I consider it kindness rather than rudeness to put someone on the right track. Gypsy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
therealfuster Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 was the instigator for me to watch "Rebecca" one night with her on tv, when I was a youngster. I was lucky enough to have parents who allowed some very late night viewing, if some film classic was on television. Imagine the horrors, of watching almost all of "Rebecca" and just when one gets to the point in the boathouse, where Maxim starts to say to his non-named second wife [i'm paraphrasing] "What...you thought I loved Rebecca? I ha..." and then the tv goes off, due to a raging storm and a lightning bolt, and the electricity never comes back on. Yes, that was my initial introduction to the film, "Rebecca" which made the next viewing of it even more suspenseful. Judith Anderson is an a whole league by herself in that film, and even clever and witty parodies of her by Cloris Leachman do not tarnish the lustre. I find the fact that the second Mrs. Maxim de Winter is not named in the book very interesting. I read the whole book after I heard that bit of film trivia to see if it was just an urban legend, but nowhere is a name to be found. I also think the Cornwall type setting adds to the storyline. Gypsy, have you seen the Joseph H. Lewis film, "My Name is Julia Ross" with Dame May Whitty, George Macready and Nina Foch? It has a similar setting, being in a country estate in Cornwall and much suspense and I think you'd enjoy it. Another book and film, that treads the same landscape with mystery added, by a female author who I think is British, is "The Chalk Garden". I believe it was written by Enid Bagnold [sp?] and the film starred Deborah Kerr AND Hayley Mills, and though seemingly aimed at the young audience of then teen star Mills, is a surprisingly engrossing adult film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gypsybangles Posted June 18, 2005 Author Share Posted June 18, 2005 Hi Fuster, I can "imagine your horrors" as the same thing happened to me watching 'Sullivan's Travels' one afternoon. It was over twenty years before I ever saw the end of the film. Very frustrating! It's funny you should mention the second Mrs. de Winter not having a name. It's been many, many years since I read the book and can't remember if it occurred to me at the time, but after watching the film again a few days ago, it popped into my mind that no one referred to her by name. I really think it was a symbolic device to reinforce the idea that she was a mousey, little nonentity compared to the glorious, larger-than-life Rebecca with her distinctive signature and large "R's" emblazoning her personal items, in addition to her name being mentioned constantly. Personally I think Maxim was an insensitive clod to simply plunk her down in the midst of Manderley knowing how ill equipped she was, and without any support from him. But this was also obviously intended to make her that much more vulnerable to the deliciously menacing Mrs. Danvers. I always enjoyed the story I heard related by Peter Bogdonovich regarding the artistic differences between the subtle Mr. Hitchcock and the sometimes too obvious Mr. Selznick. Hitchcock was furious as at the end of the film Selznick wanted the camera to pan up above the flames of Manderley, following a wisp of smoke as it curls into a giant "R" in the sky. Hitchcock's comment, (at his British snootiest) "Can you imagine?" is priceless. I haven't seen the film 'My Name is Julia', but it sounds right up my alley, and will look for it, thanks. I've only ever caught bits and pieces of 'The Chalk Garden' unfortunately, so hope one of these days to see it entirely. BTW, did you know Enid Bagnold also wrote 'National Velvet'? As always nice chatting with you Fuster, Gypsy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katyscar11ett Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 Fantastic idea! I think the programmers keep an eye on this message board so I wouldn't be surprised if you've already "proposed" it. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gypsybangles Posted July 25, 2005 Author Share Posted July 25, 2005 Thanks Katyscar11ett for your kind validation. I've seen most but not all of these films myself, but based simply on the high caliber of the actors involved, demonstrates in my opinion, a testament to their quality and watch-ability. I'd like to see them run some gloomy, windswept day in November to add to their already deliciously creepy atmosphere. What fun! Gypsy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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