Alfred Hitchcock is known for his film noire and black and white thriller classics. A common theme in is work is a strong lead female character who is liberated in some way (however not necessarily the protagonist). Some of Hitchcock’s films also include love stories, whether or not they are between the main characters or as general subplots - “Rebecca” and “Notorious” are two such examples of films that very well emulate Hitchcock’s style and and personal touch that is so easily recognizable with their vivid imagery and story lines, and the typical shots of the director himself that are common in his pictures.
“Rebecca”, a drama that was released in 1940, follows a woman who marries a widower, whom along with his entire household seems to be obsessed with the death of his late wife. It is a psychological thriller, as well as symbolic in the sense that the protagonist herself has major character development, starting out as a naive, submissive woman into becoming completely engulfed in the idea of being reincarnated into her husband’s deceased wife, as everyone makes her feel inferior and beneath her. Rebecca’s name is a constant reminder of her ever-lasting presence, even with her death, while the lead character remains nameless throughout. Through a series of events in the film the plot takes a different turn and in the end it is revealed that the husband, Mr. de Winter, wasn’t still in love with Rebecca and that in fact she had been not the person she was made out to be all along.
“Notorious” shows how Hitchcock’s style evolved in just a matter of years. While also a thriller, it is more of a gothic romance that delves into espionage. The shots manage to be subtle yet simultaneously dramatic, with it’s close ups and carefully selected angles, one scene in particular being when Ingrid Bergman’s character wakes up in bed with a hangover and we see, from her perspective, the room spinning and Delvin (Cary Grant’s persona) approaching. This film in a way explores a theme that now is more common - tension and a love-hate relationship between a male and female protagonist. Alicia Huberman, played by Bergman, is an American whose father is a convicted Nazi spy who is sent on a mission to put her promiscuity to good use and find out what a ring leader named Sebastian is up to by seducing him. In the end, she ends up falling in love with Delvin himself, the man who assigned her that task. This film is suspenseful most of all in the infamous scene where there is a close up of Alicia’s hand holding the key to the wine cellar, showing at that moment the fear of what the outcome of this whole mission may be, and also hinting that perhaps she is not the heroine in everyone’s eyes, even though other characters seem much more intimidating.
“Rebecca” from the start offers a glimpse into the different kinds of lighting that Hitchcock used. Even in the title screens there is mist and fog, and it turns into a very contrasted night sky. This film is from the get go very suspenseful, while “Notorious” accelerates into a dramatic ending.
These two films vary in a sense when it comes to technicalities such as lighting and angles, as well as the moments of suspense, however in many ways they are similar. The politically themed “Notorious” and the dark “Rebecca” both discuss the topic of control. Both female protagonists go to great lengths to achieve their goals, whether that is love, individuality, or otherwise. Both lead men are essentially portrayed in the beginning as not having the best intentions, and in the end turn out to be more complex characters than initially thought. Hitchcock was a master of minimalism and plot twists, and in the case of these two films it is no exception.