Expert: Jim Kason - 9/10/2009

Question
I am trying to find a movie from early 30's to fifties. Bear with me because this info is all from my grandpa. Just seeing If I can do him a favor.

"woman meets man at a resort (I think)

Man marries woman, takes her home

big big house

Woman finds out man was married before

the last name starts with a B (pretty sure)

First wife "died" is a mystery

First wife has very loyal maid, maid rude to new wife

maid was killed in a fire she started...hehehehe, I keep thinking the name is Mrs. Brown, but I get nothing with that (other than the other movie with that name). Could be a different name. "

Answer
Hi Collin,

I know exactly what the film is.  And you Grandpa gave a pretty good description of it too !

It's the Classic  David O. Selznik Studios 1940 film, "Rebecca", based on a best selling novel by the well known novelist, Daphne du Maurier.
Not only that,...but it was directed by Alfred Hitchcock ( his First American film),...and won the Academy Award for Best Picture that year !

It starred Joan Fontaine as the girl who married Maxim de Winter, played by Laurence Olivier.  The housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers, was played by
Judith Anderson,...and all three were nominated for the Academy Award.

You can find the full synopsis and story line ( and all the information you'd ever need) at two different websites:
 
http://www.tcm.com:80/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=87781

and:      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebecca_(1940_film)

You can buy it on DVD at Amazon.com.

I'm sure that your Grandpa will be pleased that you found his film !   ( And it's one you should watch , too. A classic, done in the old romantic style of the 40's.)

Sincerely,

Jim Kason