It was high time for a new adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's classic dark romance, and this is it. Step aside, Richard Burton and Olivia de Havilland!
Philip (Sam Claflin) prepares to meet his deceased cousin's wife. The poor old man has died abroad, after having sent a cryptic letter to Philip suggesting that his new wife, Rachel, is dangerous. Philip, furious at the specter of this woman for driving his cousin (and foster father) to a premature death, is both horrified and grimly determined when Rachel sends word that she will be coming to England to stay with him in her late husband's estate.
Her arrival, however, sparks a rich romance between the two. Tensions rise as Philip tries to remain objective, but Rachel's confidence, beauty, and intelligence beguile him utterly. Can he trust her? Did she kill his cousin? Might she pose a threat to the young man?
Much like the recent Phantom Thread, this movie is a dazzling display of style and substance in equal measure. Gorgeously realized sets and costumes fashion a world of detail, of passion, of texture. The performances are all passable, but the lead is impeccable. Rachel Weisz plays the title character with a perfect blend of compassion and malice; there's not a moment we can be sure of her intentions. In every single scene, she could be a bereaved widow seeking to navigate a world of men or she could be a conniving seductress seeking blood and power.
Also like Phantom Thread, this film delves deep into the horrors of a misogynist world. Rachel is repeatedly referred to in terms of her relationships with men (wife, cousin, lover). The first time both Philip and the audience see her, she is framed, picturesque, by a large window lit by a large, round moon. As the story progresses, rumors abound that she is insatiable. Her bank accounts have been hopelessly overdrawn, and Nick Kendall (Iain Glen), Philip's godfather, reveals that Rachel's sexual appetites may match her material extravagance. According to the logic of the story, her attempts to cast off patriarchal conventions make her a monster.
This film, I'd argue, works especially hard to maintain the ambiguity of Rachel's intentions and behavior. In fact, whereas the novel implies her guilt more often than not (in my reading), this film, so tightly restricted to Philip's perspective, never actually shows Rachel doing the "bad" things. In fact, I came away from this version viewing Philip as an antihero more than anything, as his outspoken misogyny riddles most of his scenes. He's weak and spoiled, jumping to conclusions, stammering when confronted with conflict, and incredibly fickle when presented with new evidence.
My Cousin Rachel is exactly what a new adaptation should be. A beautiful example of updated artistry, a smart and socially relevant rewrite, and still daring enough to stay faithful to the source material. Indeed, I half-expected the ending to provide an "answer" to the almost 70-year-old story, to take a definitive "side" in the mystery. Rather, like all the best du Maurier tales, it leaves us with a perfect character mystery, inviting audiences to discuss the film for some time after a viewing.
IMDb: My Cousin Rachel
No comments:
Post a Comment