Trivia: Hitchcock's cameo appearance, a signature feature of his films, takes place near the end. He is seen outside a phone box when Jack is making a call.
Trivia: When George Sanders pokes his head in the car window where the girl is, alone, he says "Marriage with Maxim is not exactly a bed of roses." Joan Fontaine, who played the girl, called her autobiography "No Bed of Roses."
Trivia: This was Alfred Hitchcock's only film to win an Oscar for Best Picture.
Trivia: The first film Alfred Hitchcock made in Hollywood.
Chosen answer: Maxim was previously married (unhappily) to Rebecca, who died tragically and under rather mysterious (and suspicious) circumstances, sparking rumors. Maxim thinks his new wife is referring to that, but she knows nothing about it and was only making an innocent remark, unaware of the rumors. The "rude, hateful" part probably refers to the "dull and gauche and inexperienced" comment - she probably thinks that is what caused his reaction, rather than the "gossip" comment, given she doesn't know the rumors. She is very young and naive and feels inadequate as the wife of a wealthy man. Maxim is older, intimidating her somewhat, and she was confused by his angry outburst.
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