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Thursday February 6, 2020
My Cousin Rachel
George liked it - I thought it was entertaining. I couldn't quite cope with a bewigged Helen George as the Italian Rachel, although she is deemed to be the strongest cast member.
The only thing I think I would have really preferred was to have a more open verdict as to Rachel's guilt or innocence (or more likely somewhere in between). This play definitely made you think she was innocent of any wrong-doing and thus deeply misjudged and effectively murdered by Philip. From the book, we know that this is certainly how he felt at the end... but I am not sure that we were ever really sure.
I thought I might be over-influenced by Olivia de Havilland - who I thought was a perfect Rachel in the 1952 film- but the film again confirms what I believe the book does not (and also lacks a physical sexual encounter, which I think is quite important in the context of how Rachel is "judged" - settling for a more acceptable "passionate kiss").
Posted by Christina at 5:55 PM. Category: Art and Culture
