Rebecca/Trivia

• Executive Meddling: Hitchcock was an unproven talent in the US (this was his first American film) so producer David O. Selznick granted him much less creative freedom than he had been granted in his previous British films. The film is noticeably darker than his previous efforts as a result, as Selznick insisted on keeping to the novel's gothic atmosphere and avoiding many of the touches of humor Hitchcock wanted to include.
• Hey, It's That Guy: In the film, Maxim is Henry V, Richard III, and Heathcliffe; the Second Mrs. de Winter is Jane Eyre and Rowena; Mrs. Danvers is Emily Brent, Memnet, and the Vulcan priestess; Frank Crawley is Benvolio and Commodore Schmidlap; Favell is Bois-Gulbert, Shere Khan, and Mr. Freeze; Colonel Julyan is the Earl of Dorincourt, Colonel Zapt, and Mr. Laurence; Beatrice is Elva Kane and Mrs. Higgins; Giles is the Prince Regent and Dr. Watson; and the coroner is the Sheriff of Nottingham.
  • In the 1997 adaption, Maxim is Tywin Lannister, the second Mrs de Winter is Morgause and Mrs Danvers is Mrs Peel.
• What Could Have Been: Early drafts of the script named the heroine Daphne (as in Daphne du Maurier).