“First, it is the finest job of direction accomplished by a master director and may justly be called Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece. Second, it is the most interesting of the du Maurier stories to reach the screen. Third, Laurence Olivier gives the greatest performance of his career, as the doubtful hero of the story and the loveliest star born this year is Joan Fontaine who plays the pathetic heroine, the second Mrs. de Winter.”

“The meandering storyline, however, ultimately prevents the film from living up to its reputation as one of Hitchcock’s best (and it goes without saying that the overly talky third act surely doesn’t help matters).”