This movie was a big hit and won Joan Fontaine and Oscar but Hitchcock complained for the rest of his life about the happy ending RKO forced on him. This has marred the reputation of the movie - and you know what? Deservedly so. If Grant had been a murderer it would have made emotional sense and had some kick. As it is, Grant is basically a dick (lazy, gambling addict) and Fontaine a moron, and the bits of story that happen (eg Nigel Bruce involved in an investment scam) not particularly interesting. There's no Judith Anderson or George Sanders to jazz things up the way they did in Rebecca.
It's got some decent gloss; the support cast is impressive; Hithcock rarely had stars as well cast as Fontaine and Cary Grant. The story is based on some novel but actually feels heavily inspired by Washington Square. But it's very much a half success, if that.
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