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Joan Fontaine in 'Rebecca'? Or someone else? (1 Viewer)

Lew Crippen

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I am in the process of browsing the awesome set of extras included in Criterion’s Rebecca. I just finished studying the screen tests of the short-list actresses competing for the part of “I”. I need to keep my day job, instead of switching to being a casting director, because I would not have cast Joan Fontaine in the role.

Out of the five choices, and from the screen tests and/or what you otherwise know who would you have cast?

Vivien Leigh

Anne Baxter

Loretta Young

Margaret Sullivan

Joan Fontaine


I would have put Loretta Young in the part. :b
 

SteveGon

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Steve Gonzales
I haven't viewed the extras but I definitely would have gone with Vivien Leigh.
 

george kaplan

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Steve, you need to view the extras. :). It's been too long for me to remember exactly what I thought, but I recall that I thought Joan Fontaine was best and Vivien Leigh was definitely the worst. There were one or two others I thought might have been decent, but it's been too long to remember for sure (I think Anne Baxter or Loretta Young probably).
 

Cary T

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After Joan Fontaine's performance, I wouldn't have picked anyone else. Judging only from the screen tests, it's a toss up between Fontaine and Baxter.
 

Lew Crippen

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I haven't viewed the extras but I definitely would have gone with Vivien Leigh.
I agree with George on this one, Steve. According to the doc, the main reason that Vivien Leigh was considered was the she was LO’s main squeeze at the time. When he was cast, she at least got a chance.
 

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