My Cousin Rachel (1952)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Henry Koster

Writers:

Daphne Du Maurier (novel)
Nunnally Johnson (writer)

Release Date:

24 December 1954 (USA)

Genre:

Mystery | Romance | Drama

Plot:

When Philip Ashley's much-loved (and rich) cousin Ambrose dies, he is convinced that Ambrose was murdered by his new wife Rachel to inherit his wealth...

Plot Keywords:

Estate | Suspicion | Love | Cousin | Wealth

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Olivia de Havilland	...	Rachel Sangalletti Ashley
Richard Burton	...	Philip Ashley
Audrey Dalton	...	Louise Kendall
Ronald Squire	...	Nicholas 'Nick' Kendall
George Dolenz	...	Guido Rainaldi
John Sutton	...	Ambrose Ashley
Tudor Owen	...	Seecombe
J.M. Kerrigan	...	Reverend Pascoe
Margaret Brewster	...	Mrs. Pascoe
Alma Lawton	...	Mary Pascoe
Ola Lorraine	...	Pascoe Daughter
Kathleen Mason	...	Pascoe Daughter
Earl Robie	...	Philip at Age 5
Argentina Brunetti	...	Signora
Mario Siletti	...	Caretaker

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved (PCA #16061) | Sweden:15

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Greta Garbo turned down the role of Rachel.

Movie Connections:

Version of "My Cousin Rachel" (1983)

Fatal combination of impetuous youth and mature womanhood

Although I greatly admire Olivia de Havilland in this role, I must confess that as Rachel, it's my opinion she's guilty. It is hardly honorable for any woman to play twosome, leading on a young man by responding to his advances, accepting the offer of his jewelry and later his estate, THEN conveniently discarding him or any serious thought of a bond between them -- well, that's a calculated play if ever there was one! She does it with such finesse however that one can only guess what is really in her heart. Anyways, it backs up the theory that if anyone is too nice or too good to be true, they probably are not true.

Richard Burton in this highly dramatic role of the young, impetuous heir, Philip, can only stand to gain our sympathy as he impulsively casts his worldly goods upon the altar of Love where Rachel resides. Such a one-sided gesture can only prove fatal in the long run, but burning Youth will have its way and learn a most difficult lesson by it.

I find it a riveting, wonderful drama well acted, well casted too. I regret John Sutton, as Ambrose, has such a brief part to play and wished he'd been included throughout, but that's not the course of the storyline unfortunately. This is a movie I appreciate seeing whenever I can. Wish there were more like it today.