Evening star., 1944-11-21

thusiasm for her work in the stage
"Rebecca." 1t is a highly intelligent
and facile performance she gives in
the difficult role of the devoted, be-
Wlldered second Mrs. de Winter, a
task made no more grateful by the
general memory of the delicate
power which Joan Fontaine brought
to it in the movie of four seasons
ago. There is seldom a faltering
step in her quest for the sense of
lostness and terror the innocent.
naive girl feels from the instant she
steps into the residual, evil atmos-
phere of the huge house left by its
gulleful, gay and amoral previous
mistress. 1t is altogether the sort of
performance that cne hopes from
barrymore, but does not necessarily
have a right to expect from the
youngest of the family. It is her
biggest part to date and clearly
represents her coming of age.
She is splendidly supported by Mr.
Fletcher, her husband In real life
as IN the play; by Florence Reed
as the demoniac, Mrs. DanverS. and
the various others of Mr.. PAYNE
Jennings altogether competent cast.
x x x
That she found herself much more
united in scope in this varia ton on
her theme presented no problem
to Miss du Maurier for which she
could not find simple, ready solu-
tlon. The entire action now is linn
lted to the living room of Manderlev
IN 1t, she has found adequate space
1or creating an atmosphere of brood
ing evil, a spine-chilling sense that
the Iead Rebecca is still there
mocklng and shocking the occupants
OF the room with an even greater
and more frightening fair than
when she was alive.
There is no sense of loss in the
condensation Miss du Maurier has
wrought. None of the incident of
the play seems merely brushed in.
nor the characteriZations hurried
ana underdone. One still sees the
t1oWer-lke second wife introduced
TO the overpoWering mansion SYM
pathlzeS with her in her feeling of
gaucherle, pltieS her when she breaks
the prize vase on Rebecca's mantle
shares her terror in her relations
With the cruel Mrs. Danvers, knows
the polgnance of her remorse when
she unWlttlngly arouSes her hus-
bandS memories of his first mar
rlage instead of effacing them. These
aspects of the story. and all the
others down to the threat of COM
plete degradation of the whole TO-
nance when Rebecca's body finally
Is found, are fully presented in the
playwrights latest attack on her
unquestionably favorite theme.
X
Apart from Miss Barrymore's per-
formance. those of Mr.. Fletcher and
Miss Reed are the most outstanding.
AS Maxim de Winter. Fletcher con-
veys an unvaryingly excellent i'm
preston of man incurably manned
by first, f1agrantlv degrading mar
rage. He is haunted and harassed
by score of ugly memories, he has
seen his beautiful home debauched.
and he dare not open his eyes to
the light which a new love offers
1t is character with a great MANY
meanings and Fletcher gets them all.
So does Miss Reed in the part of
the bitter housekeeper.
The light touches in "Rebecca.
which are not ignored by any means,
are provided by Margaret Banner
man as Beatrice and Franklyn Fox
as her bungling husband. Others
who merit mention are Claude Hor-
ton, George Baxter, Reginald Mason
and Richard Temple.
Watson Barratt has made his
living room fine, dark, beautiful
and brooding frame for Miss du
Maurier's story.