My Cousin Rachel (1952)
My Cousin Rachel is a 1952 American romantic mystery film directed by Henry Koster. The film is based on the 1951 novel of the same name by Daphne du Maurier.
Twentieth Century-Fox obtained the rights to film the novel, with Burton’s agreeing to star in a U.S. film for the first time. Production was troubled when du Maurier and original director George Cukor were dissatisfied with the adaptation, causing Cukor to leave the project.
My Cousin Rachel received some positive reviews upon its initial release, including for Burton’s performance. It was nominated for four Academy Awards, and Burton won a Golden Globe for New Star of the Year.
Director – Henry Koster
Writers – Nunnally Johnson (screen play), Daphne Du Maurier (from the novel by)
Cast –
Olivia de Havilland as Rachel Sangalletti Ashley
Richard Burton as Philip Ashley
Audrey Dalton as Louise Kendall
Ronald Squire as Nicholas ‘Nick’ Kendall
George Dolenz as Guido Rainaldi
John Sutton as Ambrose Ashley
Tudor Owen as Seecombe
J. M. Kerrigan as Reverend Pascoe
Margaret Brewster as Mrs. Pascoe
Alma Lawton as Mary Pascoe
Ola Lorraine as Pascoe Daughter
Kathleen Mason as Pascoe Daughter
Earl Robie as Philip at Age 5
Argentina Brunetti as Signora
Mario Siletti as Caretaker
Watch “My Cousin Rachel” (1952)
Plot
On the coast of Cornwall, the boy Philip Ashley is raised by his older and wealthy cousin Ambrose on a large estate. When the weather in Cornwall threatens Ambrose’s health, he leaves the estate for a warmer climate, making his way to Florence and leaving Philip behind with his godfather Nick Kendall. In Florence, Ambrose decides to marry his cousin Rachel. However, back in Cornwall, Philip receives disturbing letters from Ambrose, complaining of Rachel’s treatment as well as that of the physicians taking care of him. Mr. Kendall believes Ambrose unsound of mind, raising the possibility that he has inherited his deceased father’s brain tumour. When Philip travels to Florence, he meets a man named Guido Rainaldi, who tells him Ambrose has died of a brain tumour, producing a death certificate as proof, and that his will left the Cornwall estate to him upon his 25th birthday. Rachel, who left Florence the day before Philip arrived, has inherited nothing and has made no claim on the estate. Unconvinced, Philip suspects Rachel of murder and vows revenge.
Months later, after returning to Cornwall, Philip is informed by Mr. Kendall that Rachel has arrived in Cornwall for a visit. He invites her to the house and discovers she is different from what he imagined – she is beautiful, ladylike, and kind. At the end of the weekend, when she intends to leave, he shows her Ambrose’s letters and admits he planned to accuse her of wrongdoing; but since he no longer suspects her, he throws the letters in the fireplace to demonstrate his faith in her. He later instructs his executor, Mr. Kendall, to award Rachel an extraordinarily generous allowance of £5,000 per annum, suggesting the money is hers anyway. Rachel responds with gratitude and warmth and stays at the estate for an extended period, despite gossip. Yet when Mr. Kendall tells Philip that Rachel has overdrawn her accounts, and that in Florence she was notorious for “loose” living, Philip rejects Nick’s warnings and instead turns over the entire estate to Rachel on his 25th birthday. When the day arrives, he solicits from her a vague romantic promise, which she gives, and they passionately kiss. However, the next day when Philip announces to his friends that he and Rachel are engaged to be wed, Rachel dismisses the announcement as lunacy. Rachel later tells Philip that her promise did not mean marriage, that she will never marry him, and she only showed him love the previous night because of the wealth he gave her.
Emotionally devastated, Philip succumbs to bouts of fever and delirium, but Rachel nurses him back to health. In his fever, Philip imagines a wedding with Rachel, and wakes up three weeks later convinced they are married, and surprised to hear from the servants that she intends to move back to Florence. Before she leaves, Philip becomes convinced that Rachel is attempting to poison him and that she indeed murdered Ambrose. So great is his anger toward Rachel that he neglects to warn her about a foot bridge in need of repair at the edge of the estate. Instead, Philip and his friend Louise secretly rummage through Rachel’s room for a letter from Rainaldi, assuming it will incriminate Rachel. Instead, upon discovering and reading the letter, they find out that Rainaldi merely discussed Rachel’s affections for Philip and suggests she take Philip with him when visiting Florence. In the meantime, Philip finds Rachel has indeed suffered a fatal accident while crossing the unrepaired foot-bridge. With her last words, she asks Philip why he did not warn her of the danger. She then dies, leaving Philip to wonder for the rest of his life about his own implicit guilt as to the death of the innocent Rachel.