The film Rebecca, by Alfred Hitchcock, is based upon the novel of the same title by Daphne du Maurier. The plot revolves around a young, shy lady’s companion (Joan Fontaine) who is miraculously wed to the handsome master of Manderley, Maxim de Winter, played by Laurence Oliver in the film. Maxim’s first wife has died under mysterious circumstances and the shy second Mrs. de Winter lacks confidence and feels inadequate upon arriving at the ostentatious family mansion. The first Mrs. de Winter’s best friend is the sinister and domineering housekeeper Mrs. Danvers, whose cold, resentful manner toward the second Mrs. de Winter increases her lack of self-confidence. Mrs. Danvers, or “Danny”, torments the new wife until sordid details about Rebecca’s death are revealed which causes her to set Manderley ablaze and commit suicide. The new Mrs. de Winter is now free of her torment. If we analyze three scenes of “consumption” in the film, we see how image is able to advance narrative. This analysis will cover the two opening scenes of consumption that occur in Monte Carlo and one later at Manderley to demonstrate how image drives narrative.
In the first scene of consumption we are in the lobby of the Monte Carlo hotel where Mrs. Edythe Van Hopper is vacationing with her paid companion, the soon-to-be second Mrs. de Winter (she has no name other than Mrs. de Winter in the novel). Van Hopper and her companion are seated on a chaise in the lobby. Van Hopper is consuming coffee at the beginning of the scene and will consume a cigarette before the scene ends. Van Hopper is really a coarse, crude pig who butts her cigarette stubs in her cold cream. She tries to maintain the appearance that she is high society, when, in fact, this only makes her shallow character more obvious. We see this in the shot of her sipping her coffee, she is sure to emphasize daintily sticking her pinky out (as is Hitchcock) in order to ensure e...