The Housekeeper
Synopsis
"Everybody believes I'm an invented person: 'Rebecca's' Mrs. Danvers. They say I'm a creation: 'Miss Du Maurier's finest creation', in the opinion of many. But I have my own story. I have a history and a soul. I'm a breathing woman.“ Danni Danowski
Danni, housekeeper of the grandest house of all owned by the wealthy and widowed Lord de Whithers, catches the eye of an enigmatic visitor, Daphne Du Maurier.
It's a love affair - beautiful, intoxicating, haunting, and devastating - transgressive in 1936. Sensual and alluring, embracing a dazzling range of raw human emotions.
But then comes a sinister twist to our intrigue - Daphne becomes the monster novelist, both thief and betrayer.
In putting her writing ambition above their intimate friendship, she falsely misrepresents the 'gentle and loving' Danni, coolly steals Danni's private self to 'invent' Rebecca's jealousy-diseased 'Mrs Danvers' and publishes as her own masterful fiction.
Whilst Daphne feeds off Danni – stealing her thoughts, stealing her life, with appropriation and distortion – hope and humour can still temper the tragedy.
And in reflecting upon today - The Housekeeper mirrors the personal and online 'social' vandalism, plagiarism and sabotage of owned private lives, which we see so much of.
Based on Rose Tremain’s novella.
Director
Richard Eyre
Cast
Anthony Hopkins