''Marnie'' is an English crime novel, written by

Winston Graham Winston Mawdsley Graham OBE, born Winston Grime (30 June 1908 – 10 July 2003), was an English novelist best known for the Poldark series of historical novels set in Cornwall, though he also wrote numerous other works, including contemporary ...

and first published in 1961. It has been adapted as a

film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

, a stage play and an

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a librett ...

Plot

''Marnie'' is about a young woman who makes a living by embezzling her employers' funds, moving on, and changing her identity. Her criminal behaviour is described in detail, but her motives remain obscure, as she is a capable person who would have likely fared well in an honest career. She is finally caught in the act by one of her employers, a young widower named Mark Rutland, who blackmails her into marriage. Two shocking events near the end of the story send the troubled woman to the brink of suicide, and she must eventually face the trauma from her past that is the root cause of her behaviour.

Adaptations

The book was the basis for

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...

's suspense film ''

Marnie ''Marnie'' is an English crime novel, written by Winston Graham and first published in 1961. It has been adapted as a film, a stage play and an opera. Plot ''Marnie'' is about a young woman who makes a living by embezzling her employers' funds, ...

'' (1964), in which the setting was changed from England to the United States. Details of the story were changed, as well as the ending, which was changed to have a more optimistic note. The book was also adapted into a stage play by Sean O'Connor in 2001, a radio play by John Kirkmorris in 1975 and one by Shaun McKenna in 2011. An

English National Opera English National Opera (ENO) is an opera company based in London, resident at the London Coliseum in St Martin's Lane. It is one of the two principal opera companies in London, along with The Royal Opera. ENO's productions are sung in English ...

production of

Nico Muhly Nico Asher Muhly (; born August 26, 1981) is an American contemporary classical music composer and arranger who has worked and recorded with both classical and pop musicians. A prolific composer, he has composed for many notable symphony orchestras ...

’s adaptation, ''

'', with a libretto by Nicholas Wright, premiered on 18 November 2017 at the

London Coliseum The London Coliseum (also known as the Coliseum Theatre) is a theatre in St Martin's Lane, Westminster, built as one of London's largest and most luxurious "family" variety theatres. Opened on 24 December 1904 as the London Coliseum Theatre ...

, with Marnie sung by

Sasha Cooke Sasha Cooke is an American mezzo-soprano. Cooke was born in Riverside, California, and grew up in College Station, Texas, where her parents are professors of Russian at Texas A&M University. She earned a bachelor's degree from Rice University and ...

. The co-production with the

Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera (commonly known as the Met) is an American opera company based in New York City, resident at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, currently situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The company is operat ...

had its American premiere on 19 October 2018, starring

Isabel Leonard Isabel Leonard (born February 18, 1982) is an American mezzo-soprano opera singer based in New York City. She is of Argentine ancestry on her mother's side. Education Leonard was born in New York City. For five years she sang with the Manhattan S ...

in the title role.

Inspiration

In Tony Lee Moral's book ''Hitchcock and the Making of Marnie'',

revealed that the inspiration for ''Marnie'' came from three real-life incidents: * His younger child's babysitter was an attractive girl who was constantly taking showers and receiving letters from her mother about the dangers of getting involved with men, and she had a strong interest in riding horses. * A newspaper article about a woman who changed her appearance as she moved from job to job, stealing money from her employers. * A wife with three children whose husband was away at sea slept with many sailors, became pregnant, killed the baby soon after it was born, went to trial and was acquitted by reason of temporary insanity. Soon after that, her young son started stealing things.

Current edition

* ''Marnie'' (House of Stratus, 2002), (hardbound reprint)

References

{{reflist 1961 British novels British novels adapted into films Hodder & Stoughton books British novels adapted into plays Novels adapted into operas Novels adapted into radio programs Novels by Winston Graham