Thanks for the comments on my last post! It really encourages me to keep posting-(along with The Johnsonian, Winthrop University’s student newspaper having my blog linked to their page mytjnow.com)

Have you ever seen a movie that is so similar to another one, yet you know it isn’t a remake?

I’m not saying something like Disturbia (2007) and Rear Window (1954) which are so similar it might as well be a remake and there is indeed a court case over the fact that the screenwriter of Distrubia majorly knocked off Rear Window.

I’m talking about a two movies that people would not generally think about as similar unless you sit and consider the plots and characters.

The two movies I have in mind are Alfred Hitchcock’s Rebecca (1940)and Elephant Walk (1954).

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Both have very similar plots. The odd thing is that both of these films were movies adapted from books. Elephant Walk was written by Robert Standish in 1948 and Rebecca was written by Daphne Du Maurier ten years prior to this in 1938.

It’s possible that he might have gotten his idea from Rebecca, since most writers get their inspiration from other mediums. However, they are so similar that plagiarism should have been called.

Let’s briefly over view the plots before we proceed with the comparison.

Rebecca (1940): A young woman (Joan Fontaine) meets a rich widower (Lawerence Oliver) and has a whirlwind romance. They fall in love and marry after not knowing each other for very long. Shortly after moving into her new home, the young bride finds that she is not in control of her own household. Mrs. Danvers the house keeper underminds everything the 2nd Mrs. DeWinter tries to do and constantly reminds her that she is not as good as the deceased wife, Rebecca.

Elephant Walk (1954): Rich plantation owner John Wiley (Peter Finch) from Ceylon comes to England specifically to find a bride who ends up being Ruth Wiley (Elizabeth Taylor). She marries him after only knowing him a brief time and finds plantation life in Africa very difficult. Not only is life in Africa strenuous, but also the fact that the head man servant, Appuhamy, won’t let Ruth run her home. It also makes things difficult because everyone idolizes John’s father, the late Mr. Wiley, and talks about him as if he is still alive.

If you don’t see the similarities through the plot summaries, then this will help:

1.) Both movies have a creepy housekeeper that won’t let our heroine live her life and run her home. It doesn’t make things any better when their husbands are cold and don’t stand up for them at all.

2.) Both have sketchy men who don’t support their wives or help them out. They both flake around doing their own thing and let the wives flounder in these huge houses with insubordinate servants. Usually the wives’ plea for support ends in an altercation of some sort.

3.) Both movies have party scenes that don’t end well for the wife. In Rebecca it is the costume party where the 2nd Mrs. De Winter dresses in the same costume Rebecca wore on an occasion (this was suggested by Mrs. Danvers of course). This particular costume upsets Mr. De Winter a great deal. In Elephant Walk its a crazy dinner party consisting of all men and Ruth being the only woman. It gets out of hand when all the men are drunk and riding around on bicycles in doors. Ruth doesn’t enjoy that her husband is continuing to act like a bachelor and keep late hours when she wants to go to bed.

4.)Both movies have servants who worship someone who is dead and continues to act as if they are alive. In Rebecca it is Mrs. Danvers constantly reminiscing about old times with Rebecca of when she would get ready for parties and brush her hair as Rebecca told her about her evening. In Elephant Walk it’s Appuhamy still serving his late master and acting as if he is alive and giving orders.

Rebecca’s address book and calenders still layed out like she is there to use them.

A ceremony was held every year on the old master’s birthday.

5.) Both movies have forbidden rooms that belong to the idolized dead people. Naturally both women sneak in them and look around, not that I blame them; I would do the same.

6.) Both homes end up getting destroyed in the end of the films.

I don’t blame the elephants for being angry, but who knew they could do so much damage?

Sorry, I had to put two pictures from the house destruction part, because it’s just too exciting.

7.) *Spoilers*
Both of the sketch servants have their lives come to an end in gruesome ways.

Obviously, waving your hands around is going to stop oncoming elephants.

8.) In the end, both married couples end up happy and in love. Both men came through for their women eventually, but they sure took their time about it.

Ruth and John also enjoy watching their house burn.

However, one thing Elephant Walk had that Rebecca didn’t was….the illicit lover in the form of Dana Andrews, one of my biggest actor crushes.

Those are the main comparisons I picked out. I can’t find anything on how these are potentially connected.

If you know anything about why these are so similar, please let me know.

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