The creation of the classic, Oscar® winning 1940 film "Rebecca" is detailed in this revealing behind the scenes book which recounts how the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock and legendary producer David O. Selznick ("Gone With the Wind") joined forces to bring this timeless romantic thriller, based on Daphne du Maurier's novel to the big screen. The off-screen drama between Selznick and Hitchcock as well as between the film's cast members is brought to light. The creativity, brilliance and sometimes unorthodox methods that went into the making of this celebrated film are explored in detail. Biographical sketches of Alfred Hitchcock, David O.Selznick, prominent cast members and other key figures are included along with trivia and anecdotal reminiscences that are both colorful to shocking.
Jennifer Lafferty is a professional journalist and fiction/nonfiction author. She has spent over 10 years working for both print and online publications, writing for such periodicals as "Fitness & Physique", "The Storyteller" and "Deep South Magazine". She is now primarily an entertainment journalist, regularly contributing articles on film and literature to a variety of publications. Lafferty has authored several books including the humorous short story anthology "Offbeat Love Stories and More", the Historical novel "Knight of the Purple Ribbon: Baron DeGraffenried's Colonial Adventures", and the nonfiction book "Rebecca: The Making of a Hollywood Classic". The later two of these books were written under the name Jennifer Leigh Wells. Her love of cinema has had a strong influence on her books, both fiction and nonfiction. Lafferty is also a portrait artist, mostly working in charcoal and lead. Her favorite authors include Charlotte Bronte, Daphne duMaurier, Betty Smith, Gloria Vanderbilt, Margaret Mitchell and Winston Graham.
The relationship between director Alfred Hitchcock and producer David O. Selznick was a complicated and fascinating one. The two men collaborated on some truly great motion pictures but frequently did not see eye to eye. I devoted a whole chapter of my book to the exploration of this relationship.
Book Excerpt
Rebecca: The Making of a Hollywood Classic
Hitchcock didn’t know what was in store for him when he agreed to go to work for Selznick. These two complex and ingenious men who were both legends in their own time were also both very strong-willed; each accustomed to getting his own way and being in charge. This presented a serious clash when the two made films together, setting off fierce power struggles.
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