‘She can't tell what's true and what's not'

Stars Lily James and Dame Kristin Scott Thomas on their thrilling adaptation of Daphne du Maurier’s Gothic classic

- Caren Clark

An intoxicating mix of heartbreaking romance, intriguing mystery and unexpected twists, Daphne du Maurier’s 1938 Gothic novel Rebecca has long been considered a masterpiece.

Now, following a host of memorable adaptations – including Sir Alfred Hitchcock’s Oscar-winning 1940 version starring Joan Fontaine and Sir Laurence Olivier and 1997’s ITV miniseries with Emilia Fox and Charles Dance – Netflix is bringing us a lavish, star-studded new take on the psychological thriller that is set to captivate viewers all over again.

Lily James (Downton Abbey, War & Peace) heads the cast as the reserved and nameless young heroine who falls for dashing widower Maxim de Winter (The Social Network’s Armie Hammer) when they meet in Monte Carlo.

They swiftly get married and start their life together back in England at Maxim’s sprawling coastal estate, Manderley. But the new Mrs de Winter soon feels deeply unsettled when she realises that Maxim is still haunted by the death of his chic and bewitching first wife, Rebecca.

Meanwhile, Manderley’s icy housekeeper, Mrs Danvers (played by Talking Heads star Dame Kristin Scott Thomas), who remains disturbingly devoted to her late mistress, is a threatening presence.

But the staggering truth about Rebecca and the circumstances surrounding her demise gradually emerge with devastating consequences.