The writings of Daphne Du Maurier
were often moody tales of deception, betrayal, paranoia, and occasionally
romance; qualities that made them favorites of Alfred Hitchcock and inspired
his films “Rebecca,” “Jamaica Inn,” and “The Birds.” Du Maurier’s
gothic-tinged “My Cousin Rachel” is perhaps slightly lesser known among her
works, though it was previously adapted into a movie starring Olivia de
Havilland and Richard Burton in 1952 (just a year after the story’s publication).
It now inspires a gripping and handsomely mounted screen adaptation from
writer-director Roger Michell (“Notting
Hill,” “Le Weekend”).
The orphaned Philip (Sam Claflin)
is raised from childhood by his wealthy cousin and guardian, Ambrose, at his
sprawling Cornwall estate. When the lifelong bachelor falls ill and travels to
the warmer climate of Florence on the advice of his doctors, it’s a bit of a
shock when he writes to Philip of his unexpected marriage to a distant,
half-Italian cousin named Rachel (Rachel Weisz). But not long after the
wedding, Ambrose’s letters take a drastic turn, calling Rachel “his torment”
and begging Philip to come to his aid.
Philip’s godfather (Iain Glen) believes a brain tumor may be
responsible for Ambrose’s sudden decline, but Philip takes the letters at their
word. Making his way to Italy to get answers, Philip instead finds that his
cousin has died and Rachel is nowhere to be found. Convinced that the
mysterious Rachel is responsible for the death of his beloved Ambrose, Philip
vows revenge.
Returning to Cornwall, Philip gets word that Rachel is coming
to visit, and the young man prepares for a showdown. However, when Rachel
finally does arrive, he’s ill-prepared for her disarming presence: his anger
and suspicion rapidly turn to an infatuation bordering on obsession. He’s soon
declaring his love for Rachel and — over the objections of the family lawyer
(Simon Russell Beale) and his smitten childhood friend Louise (Holliday
Grainger) — making plans to sign over the fortune he gains access to once he
turns 25.
Best known as the dashing Finnick O’Dair in the “Hunger Games” franchise, Claflin
gets an opportunity to show his range, playing Philip as almost puppy-like in
his single-mindedness. Petulant and mercurial, he’s prone to tantrums when he
doesn’t get his way.
But it’s Weisz who dominates the film, which is quite
appropriate for a character who’s discussed for nearly the entire first act
before she ever appears on screen. The central mystery, whether Rachel is a
conniving femme fatale or simply a widow in mourning, gives the actress space
to deliver a superb, deliberately opaque performance that allows us (as well as
the film’s characters) to see what exactly we wish in Rachel’s behavior.
A remarkably modern, independent-minded woman, Rachel
bristles under the men who seek to control her, which naturally makes everyone
around her distrustful, to say the least. And Michell
puts us right in their shoes, questioning her motives and making us
increasingly leery of the special, meticulously-prepared teas she’s constantly
offering her guests. She fits right in to Mike Eley’s
shadowy cinematography and the decaying, dimly-lit rooms created by production
designer Alice Normington.
Some of the film’s suspense dissipates at the story goes on,
and it never quite reaches the darker, more dangerous depths it seems to be
tiptoeing toward, but its ambiguity and rich atmosphere nevertheless make for a
deliciously compelling drama.
This article appears in Jun 7-13, 2017.
