Daphne du Maurier documentary 

Until seeing this I had forgotten how much I loved her writing. I think it's time for a revisit. Funny story: I was in my late teens in the early 1970's and had discovered, one summer morning in our towns branch library, "Rebecca". My mother and I didn't share the same taste in books (or much else at that time) but we did share a voracious hunger for reading. I had read about one third of "Rebecca" in one sitting that day and when my mother came home from work, I ran to her to tell her about this amazing book I had found. I told her it was exactly the kind of book that she would love and she let me rattle on and on finally stopping me to tell me she had read it when she was just a little older than me. I asked her why she had let me go on and on and she told me that it was because she was so happy to know that my taste in reading material was improving. A few months later the vintage movie house in our town happened to be showing the film and my mother and I went together. It was one of those nights that's etched into my heart. One of those rare times when my mother and I were truly on the same wave length. I lost my mother in 2012 but any mention of this book always brings back memories of bonding with her over this novel.

I didn't realize that she was such a complex and tortured soul. Of her books, Frenchman's Creek was my favorite. I can still imagine the heavy scent of summer lilacs and the sweet anticipation of a late night rendezvous with a mysterious pirate. It's been almost 50 years, and I suddenly have the urge to read it again. Thank you

I first read Jamaica Inn when I was on holiday in Cornwall. Me and my girlfriend at the time drove down from Bristol and we were staying in an old caravan and the wind and rain were howling outside. Very atmospheric. I couldn't put the book down. Then I read other titles by Daphne du Maurier. I love her writing and her fascination with Cornwall. The magic of the place in undeniable. Always holidayed at my grand parents in a village called Constantine near the South Coast. Even went to primary school there for a bit. Now I'm lucky enough to live here permanently. I would advice anyone who hasn't visited the county before to do so. Now I've watched this video it has given me the urge to read the books I've not read yet. Thanks Daphne for the wonderful writing.

So odd. I read Rebecca when I was in High School about 1971. I thought Daphne Du Maurier was a very old writer, no longer living, like the Bronte sisters. I never knew until watching this how contemporary she was and am shocked that she was living until 1989! Imagine that! She was alive all that time! I loved the haunting book, Rebecca. Watching this Documentary makes me want to go back and read all her books.

I’ve read four of Du Maurier’s books and seen film versions of them all. This documentary has inspired me to find and read the rest of her books. Thanks.

"Don't Look Now" traumatized me when I read it as a teen. That's when Daphne DuMaurier's name became indelibly inscribed in my memory. She was an incredible writer.

Yes l agree Daphne's books simply must be reread. I am now in my eighty-first year. !!!!! Thanks, Valérie ❤️❤️❤️

I first read Rebecca when I was thirteen, I have been enchanted by the beauty of Cornwall and the magical description of Manderley and Rebecca herself. It is the genius of Daphne Du Maurier to leave some of the unanswered questions about Rebecca always a mystery!

I just loved this doc. The part about her ancestors claiming they left their family castle during the revolution was funny. Glassblowers, sure why not. My father had told me we were descendants of Irish kings in my youth, only to find they were mostly fishermen from the Bantry Bay co Cork. Why not. What a woman, what a writer. Lady Browning and Daphne du Maurier, two different worlds. Cool story, well told. Thank you.

I was in the 6th grade when my teacher gave me a copy of "Rebecca" to read. I've been a Du Maurier fan ever since!

Her short stories are not to be looked over . Original and spellbinding

What a perfectly lovely documentary. I'm so glad I found this. When I was fifteen, I read The Loving Spirit, my first introduction to Daphne Du Maurier. I barely understood it, but I loved it. Then later, in my early twenties, I read most of her other works. Rebecca and The Parasites, being my favorites. I began a lifelong love affair with Daphne Du Maurier. She was so talented, so skilled, and so fascinating. The reality is that Daphne Du Maurier has impacted my life as a writer, and reader more than any other author. When I was finishing my masters degree, I took a writing class and for a PP presentation, I chose to do one on Daphne Du Maurier. I've loved her and her works for decades.

Haunting and compelling. So much information about a very complex human being and her writing. I’ll never again think of her or her work quite like I did before viewing this documentary. She was a genius. Thank you Write Like!

As a writer, certain writers inspire me to the point where I'll mute the volume, and go directly to my laptop to write, to be right with myself again- BUT not before thanking you for a great documentary. Thank you!

I love Daphne's story... she's so mysterious, smart, witty and strong. Thank you to everyone for this incredibly sweet story of her life.

as a teenager I was obsessed with Rebecca. Wonderful book.

Thank you so very much for this documentary about Daphne du Maurier. I had no idea how complex she was. Her writing's will forever live on.

I read Rebecca when I was sixteen many years ago now. But it was a novel that stayed with me all my life a true masterpiece, vivid descriptive and utterly absorbing. A really enjoyable documentary.

Jamaica Inn is my favorite book of all time. I started reading and I physically could not put it down until I read every last page.

What a lovely documentary! Well done! Will search out her books now. Thank you for this! Subscribing :)

One of my favourite writers of all time; totally unafraid to write dark stories and excellent novels. Rebecca, My Cousin Rachel, The Birds, Don’t Look Now, The Glass Blowers, The House on the Strand, all these are my favourites. Thank you for posting this documentary. I saw it when it was first aired, and I was obsessed. And seeing her type and the manuscript of Rebecca at the end, that was a real treat! x

Rebecca, Jamaica Inn, Frenchman’s Creek, House on the Strand, The King’s General, and The Scapegoat are all among my favorite books by DuMaurier. She’s just an amazing writer.

I just ended my 28th year as an English teacher, and I am already excited to meet new students and build new relationships when I return in the fall. Your love of teaching and books is refreshing! I hope you are able to keep this fervor for the profession as long as it serves you. I LOVE teaching and everything that comes along with it. Thank you for sharing bits and pieces of your journey and thoughts with us (also, thanks for recommending Matt and Mark - as I follow them now as well).

Wonderful insights on the person behind the author's fame. Thank you.

"Rebecca" is my all-time favorite book and I have read it over and over since I was in my teens (I am much, much older now). If I lost a copy I always replaced it. I did read a couple of her other books. I think I need to read more. Thank you for an insightful video on Daphne du Maurier.

I loved her writing and her way of starting simply and from there going in to a gothic novel that fills the mind with all manner of emotion. "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderly again". So simple, so mundane and then the story begins to unfold and you don't dare put the book down because you're afraid to miss something, what I don't know. All so very suspenseful.

Utterly fascinating. Thank you. I shall revisit Dame Daphne's books now.

I reread the Scapegoat every few years. I came across a movie made in 2012 with Matthew Rhys who I enjoy as an actor. He is great in Perry Mason. The Scapegoat is definitely my favorite. I also loved Victoria Holt novels as a young girl. I was packing up things left in my father’s business garage one year after my mother passed away. (She died spring of 2020 but not of covid. Due to my surgery I couldn’t make it back to her funeral. We had a celebration of life ceremony for her one year later.) Anyway, in the garage I found all of my old Victoria Holt books. Memories!

Beautiful documentary ❤ I never heard nor read her books - but this has now inspired me to definitely read her works 😊 Thank you

she was ofcourse a genius. one of the great writing geniuses of our time. we will never understand why some are chosen to be so outstanding. the story of her life etched briefly but so compellingly in this documentary is inspiring and somehow we can all relate to it except her genius ofcourse. one just cannot help loving and admiring this marvellous hyman being.

Prior to watching this documentary, I only "knew" Daphne du Maurier through her writing. This history of her shows just how much of an amazing, fascinating, and romantic life she lead. Outstanding work here. Thank you for uploading this.

THE HOUSE ON THE STRAND is one of my favorites by Daphne du Maurier.

What a wonderful documentary. So profound and intelligent.

This documentary gets much better as it goes along. As an aside It is enchanting to see Daphne the writer driving along in 'Daphne' the little DAF car that was at the time the easiest car to drive.

Thank you for sharing this very insightful information about this intriguing woman and author. I find that she was way ahead of her time and very profound in writing her stories. She was a courageous and brave soul and contributed a great deal to us for her writing talents.

I loved The King’s General. One of the best books I’ve ever read. Thank you for this insight into her life and artistry.

Two brilliant short stories for new fans to start with : The Blue Lenses. And : The Old Man . Brilliance !!

I loved her as a writer and l devoured all her books such strange and captivant word she brought me in ! Her life as a woman did not surprise me at all !

I was totally absorbed in this documentary. Thank you.

My fave is Jamaica Inn. I've read the book and seen a couple of different film adaptations of it (Maureen O'Hara, Jane Seymour) and am always intrigued by this tale of mystery and romance. It is the basis of my fascination with Cornwall, that I would love to visit some day.

I just started reading The Kings General, one of hers I had not read before. I had to get an interlibrary loan because my library system didn't have a single copy. They found a collage library in Iowa that had a copy they were willing to lend. It has a printing date of 1949 on the info page. Its cloth covered, the spine is broken, and the pages are yellow and brittle. As I hold it, I wonder how many other people have held it and read through the story of Honor and Richard. And I feel sad for all the people who won't get to read it because public libraries no longer have du Maurier's work in their collection. What a shame that is.

I just finished The House on the Strand. I read Rebecca in high school and plan on rereading it. I love her writing.

I have read almost all her novels and short stories as I love her writing style which is so engrossing. Most recently I enjoyed "The House on the Strand" which I really recommend.

I have read all her books and my favorites are Rebecca, my cousin Rachel and the house on the strand. They all seem to have a sense of mystery. Fascinating woman.

Thank you for a fascinating biography. I've been a fan of du Maurier's work for many years. I especially love "Rebecca" and "The Birds".

She has always been a favorite author of mine. I loved this filmed biography. Thank you!

The house on the Strand is my favorite book. I had to buy a new copy several times because when you lend someone a book like that they tend to not give it back:) They should have made it into a movie.

It occurs to me that Daphne DuMaurier's shadow person was so close to the surface, the tension between the shadow and the persona may have been exactly what she needed for her amazing creativity.

Thoroughly enjoyable and informative. Thank you for sharing this film.

Thanks for uploading such an interesting documentary. "Don't Look Now" has always been one of my favourite films.

Wonderful documentary. Thank you.

Fascinating to be sure! I can understand how the landscape along with her internal conflicts influenced her and her characters.

Fascinating and moving. I haven’t read all of her books but loved her writing. A great insight into her as a person and a writer.

I've always loved du Maurier's work. It's good to know more about her.

Came here after reading rebecca ... i am speechless by how much information this vdo contains. Its like a little biography....♡♡

Wonderful documentary. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I never heard of this lady and was very surprised to learn that The Birds came from her . She sure lived her life to the max .

Funny how words can be so powerful. 'Last night I dreamt I went to Hull' just doesn't evoke the same emotion.

It was a superbly researched documentary,insightful and inspirational

I'm quite amazed to discover that i've never read or seen a biography of Dafene du Maurier. While i don't read/watch the genre as a regular habit, i do enjoy them & am surprised i've not come across one that peaked my interest before now. Whether here or on one of the several online book sites i use. [mind you, at almost 70, it's not impossible that i consumed one in the distant past & am having a senior moment memory gap 😆] I'm extremely pleased to have come across this one. She is a thouroughly fascinating, complex creature & this documentary has done a marvelous job covering so many aspects of her character & life. It's worth a second viewing to really take it all in. So, thanks muchly for the upload, it's greatly appreciated. ✌ 💜 from Canada.

A most engaging documentary.

Just brilliant documentary of such an independent mind who puts pen to paper in an unmatched way.

The Blue Lenses - perhaps not so famous, but one of her best stories. Marda West after the eye surgery acquires an extraordinary ability to see the people around her as they really are. Their true natures! After the operation she cannot see the characters, she only knows how they sound, smell and move. But when the lenses were fitted, what she saw was absolutely unexpected. One of the nurses had the had of a cow, another - the head of a snake. Her husband had the head of a vulture with a blood-soaked beak...And a terrific ending! I thought that it could be a fantastic cartoon movie - unlimited possibilities for animators!

My mother bought full colection of her books and i read them all by 18 yo.She managed to have so many diferent themes in her books-obviously she had a good education and broad interests.She is one of my favorite female writers.

Excellent and informative. I'm reading The Birds right now. It's not anything like the Hitchcock film , which I love, but it is brilliant in it's own way.

Beautiful documentary! Her struggle with Rebecca, one of my favorite books, is fascinating. She was haunted by her in real life too.

Such talent! Her books draw you in to a wondrous landscape and always a mystery.

Great documentary. My favourite is Jamaica Inn but i love everything she ever wrote. Nice to see the immensely creepy short story The Doll mentioned here. I'm going back to read them all again. ❤

wow! amazing, enlightening, well told and seriously compassionate. A beautiful and enthralling documentary. Thank you.

I Was at my 30 's so obssesed with her, and years later i understand how much every book she wrote affected me in a good way. She is my number one.

A truly modern woman who brought intrigue and imagination to the reader, in an era of strict life

I haven't read Rebecca since the '70's, I loved it! I found a paperback a few yrs ago bc I want to read it again soon!

Outstanding documentary !

I read House on the Strand many, many years ago for the first time. I loved it. But recently I read The Scapegoat and really loved it. Have read many more of hers but The Scapegoat will be my favorite.

She was very beautifull, even as a child. Thanks for the information of one of my favorite authors.

The first novel I read of Du Maurier was Jamaica Inn. Still love it!

Wonderful thoroughly enjoyed this informative and sensitive documentary. Inspired me to read more of her work.

I have read Rebecca several times. First as a teen and then as an adult. I love the Hitchcock movie and have watched it several times as well. Thank you for this very interesting biography.

Thank you she was a remarkable person. Loved this. 💕💕

This was a beautiful well researched documentary. Whilst I'm familiar with Daphne's books I didn't know anything about her. As others have said after watching this I'll look out for her books...thank you.

Fascinating and well done doc. Thank you Author Documentaries! Definitely inspired to return to du Maurier's work; I was very young last reading yet it has lasted nearly a lifetime...💌

A Fascinating woman…deep and wonderful stories she wrote…still a great read today and in a century from now 😊

The House on the Strand is another one of her novels I love. I've always known it would make a great film, but it's been ignored.

This was phenomenal if you’re wondering whether or not you should watch it I found it fascinating well done!

I named my daughter Rebecca after this book🎉

A wonderful Author. Incomparable.

Superb telling of a great writer’s life!

Her life was an amazing story! Great doco, thank you.

This was fascinating! I have read her books since age eleven. She was all about the lovely but vaguely sinister dreamscapes. Being mesmerized by places and people that get stuck in your soul and won't give you any peace. Her books more than any others showed me how powerful the written page can be! I wonder where those priceless original manuscripts are now. She must have left behind reams of journals too. And finished stories that were never published. Who has them? Undoubtedly, the library of some ivy league university. I'm sure there are deeper insights to be gained about the nature of the traumas that left their mark on her. There has to be more to the story! What other childhood memories shaped her arduous adulthood, being so controlled by strange passions? She was drawn to the messy side of life, and yet, everything she did, including her wild side, she did deliberately and with style. Even her death -- when she could feel her time was near, she decided that her stint was officially completed, stopped eating, and died in her sleep. Badass to the very end. The start of this video quickly brought me to my happy place, and then kept me there. I wasn't ready for the actual interview with her as she takes us through her home in Cornwall! What could top this? And then... to a room of shelves where live the boxes of all her original typed manuscripts? OMG and then... the actual manuscript of Rebecca, held open by Daphne Du Maurier's own hand, to show those immortal words typed by her younger self... "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again." I almost passed out. I will be watching this video again. And again. I don't know how the creator was able to obtain and share this gem with us, but thank you! ❤❤❤❤❤

I had forgotten about Daphne too... now I remember all the adventures n romances the library introduced me to. RIP Daphne du.

And now I’m off to look up all her books, especially her short stories. I hope they’re still available. What a lovely bio, compelling.

Fascinating. Thank you!

Well done documentary on an amazing person; interviews are appreciated; I watch Rebecca over and over again; at least twice a year.

I totally agree that House on the Strand is her masterpiece. It's always been one of my favorite things in the world. I thought it was just me, but evidently I'm not alone.

Lyrical biography of one of my favorite authors. Thank you. Beautifully done.

Marvelous, darling Daphne. Life drenched with with all sides with painted colors, light and dark. BRILLANCE extradanaire. Reverence! ✨️ ❤️ ✨️Exatacly what writers do.

Thank you! great video!! I love Rebecca, I read it in English and in Spanish. I think the best movie based on the book was Rebecca 1997.

Wonderful Biography!

I read Rebecca as a child - my Mother was a great reader - but I think my Granny Farrow gave me the book. I saw the movie years later and found it absolutely absorbing - especially the twist at the end - do we ever really know ourselves and others deep, deep inside... Thank you for a well researched and objective documentary on her life, inner thoughts, and her complex character... God bless, Merle

I’m a Costa Rican Chinese and I encountered Du Maurier’s short stories and mysteries from my English as a second language courses and at the first story I fell in love with her vivid and deeply insightful style of writing. She can actually transport you to that fantastic world and enjoy every beautiful words in her writings.

I just love her. I loved the times she lived in. I loved "The Doll" and treasure my copy of the book. The short story "The Doll" about a woman who was able to live independently of real men (like myself) was literary brilliance. She lived in the time of the Bloomsbury Group (Bohemians in London), to whom I am attracted, and she had the rebellious nature I adore and admire. I want to read the best biography on her life. Any recommendations?