My Cousin Rachel

Thanks to Hitchcock, Daphne Du Maurier has rightfully gained recognition as a talented narrator. After having seen Birds and Rebecca I was immediately curious to find out what the actual books were like. The film Birds, of course, is based on a short story and yet this short piece of writing has had an immense influence on many other novelists and filmmakers. Rebecca is still a great read and a capitivating movie after more than 60 odd years. However, other works by Du Maurier that have been made into a movie or a mini-series have not done successfully at all, yet the material itself is just as mesmerizing as Birds and Rebecca. My cousin Rachel is one such example. True, the plot is not as nerve-wrecking as Birds nor Rebecca but the characters and the themes are just as interesting and memorable. The mini-series with an excellent perfromance by Geraldine Chaplin as the female protagonist, is a wonderful adaptation of the novel. Set and filmed in Cornwall, with its haunting atmosphere, the 3 hour viewing goes by quickly as we get a realistic taste of life of England's Riveria. If you enjoyed Birds and Rebecca you'll certainly enjoy My cousin Rachel!