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directed by Henry Koster
USA 1952

 

Based on the best-selling novel by Daphne du Maurier (author of the peerless Rebecca), My Cousin Rachel (1952) weaves an eerie tale of Gothic romance, set against the backdrop of the wild, rock-ribbed Cornish coast. Richard Burton, in his first American film role, stars as an anguished young Englishman, torn between dark suspicion of and uncontrollable passion for his guardian’s widow, the alluring and mysterious Rachel (Olivia de Havilland). With atmospheric direction by Henry Koster (The Robe) and a darkly romantic score by Franz Waxman (Sunset Boulevard), My Cousin Rachel is a seductive entry in the annals of cinematic ambiguity.

***

The waves are crashing wildly against the rock-ribbed Cornish coast at the outset of "My Cousin Rachel," which came to the Rivoli yesterday, and a corpse is hanging from a gibbet at a crossroads on the wind-swept moors. That is a gentle indication of the eerie and fateful mood that prevails through this excellent screen translation of Daphne du Maurier's literate romance, and that is a fair pre-warning also of the terminal satisfactions of the tale.

For Miss du Maurier's story, which has been masterfully mounted and staged by Producer Nunnally Johnson, Director Henry Koster and Twentieth Century-Fox, is perforce a dubious quantity, so far as its ultimate effect is concerned, it being in essence a mystery that is never remotely solved. As in the best-selling novel, it tells of a young English-man who falls madly in love with the widow of his greatly admired guardian, even after he has harbored the strong suspicion that she was responsible for her husband's death; and then, after he has surrendered to her and deeded to her all his estates, he comes again to suspect her so strongly that he virtually engineers her death—only to get an intimation that she was good and noble all the time.

Excerpt from TheNYTimes located HERE

Posters

 

Theatrical Release: December 25th, 1952 (New York City, New York)

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Review: Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray

Box Cover

 

Distribution

Twilight Time
Region FREE Blu-ray
Runtime

1:38:25.941

Video

Disc Size: 30,588,852,568 bytes

Feature Size: 26,195,177,472 bytes

Average Bitrate: 29.99 Mbps

Single-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video
Bitrate:

 

Twilight Time Blu-ray

 

Audio

DTS-HD Master Audio English 1771 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1771 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Isolated Score:

DTS-HD Master Audio English 1670 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1670 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Subtitles English (SDH), None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Twilight Time

 

Disc Size: 30,588,852,568 bytes

Feature Size: 26,195,177,472 bytes

Average Bitrate: 29.99 Mbps

Single-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:
• My Cousin Rachel Vintage Radio Show (52:52)
• Trailer (2:50)
• Isolated Music Track

• 8-page liner notes by Julie Kirgo

Blu-ray  Release Date: February, 2018
Transparent Blu-ray case

Chapters: 24

 

Comments

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

 

ADDITION: Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray (March 2018): Twilight Time's HD 1080p is housed on a dual-layered disc with a typical, high bitrate. There is decent contrast, grain textures and the visuals are film-like and far in advance of SD.

Twilight Time use a DTS-HD Master 2.0 Channel mono track (24-bit) that supports the film's modest effects (wind, ocean etc.). The score is by Franz Waxman (The Young in Heart, Dark Passage, Rebecca, Bride of Frankenstein, Rear Window, Sunset Boulevard) and sounds quite pleasing and clear in the lossless. It is accessible as an isolated option. There are optional English subtitles on the Region FREE Blu-ray disc. It is limited to 3,000 copies.

Twilight Time add the 53-minute Lux Theatre My Cousin Rachel Vintage Radio Show from September 1953 (audio only) with Olivia de Havilland and Ron Randell. There is also a trailer, the aforementioned isolated music track and the package has an 8-page liner notes leaflet with an essay by Julie Kirgo.

 

My Cousin Rachel is a beautiful, mysterious Gothic romance. It was remade last year (2017) with Rachel Weisz and Sam Claflin and while a decent film was not up to the standards of the original, imo. While Olivia de Havilland is, her usual, excellent, I thought Richard Burton was exceptional. This is a wonderfully moody effort and the Twilight Time is the way to watch it in your home theater. Recommended! 

 Gary Tooze

Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray

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Box Cover

 

 



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