Rear Window

Movie Review: Rear Window

Year of Release: 1954
Country of Origin: USA
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Cast: James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Wendell Corey, Thelma Ritter, Raymond Burr

Plot outline: A wheelchair bound photographer spies on his neighbours from his apartment's rear window and becomes convinced that one of them has committed murder (IMDb).

Based on the short story It Had to Be Murder by Cornell Woolrich, Rear Window is Hitchcock's most sophisticated masterpiece and one of his best works. The first time I watched this movie, I was dumbfounded finding myself glued to the screen, from start to finish, watching out of L. B. Jefferies' apartment's rear window, across the courtyard and into his neighbours' apartments to see their goings on. It seemed so boring but yet I found it incredibly captivating. I didn't understand why. Later on, when I watched the making of this movie, I found the explanation to that "mystery". It is our obsession with voyeurism that keep our attention on what's happening inside those apartments. The effect of being able to see without being seen is spellbinding. L.B. Jefferies passes his time looking into his neighbours' apartments in an orgy of voyeurism. The camera tracks in through the windows, but never goes inside those apartments. We never see close-ups of the characters. We only see what he sees. We feel like we watch people through a window instead of in a movie. The main story takes place in his apartment (where the camera is), it includes he himself (James Stewart); his girlfriend, Lisa Carol Fremont (Grace Kelly); his friend, Det. Lt. Thomas J. Doyle (Wendell Corey); and his nurse, Stella (Thelma Ritter). Looking out through his apartment's rear window he finds voyeuristic adventures (substories with their own plots and resolutions) of the ballerina, Miss Torso; the spinster, Miss Lonelyheart; the bachelor/the songwriter; the sculptor with hearing aid; the newlywed couple; the doting couple and their dog; and the salesman and his nagging wife. These substories are as equally important as the main story. Without realizing it L. B. Jefferies looks at different aspects of either himself or his relationship with his girlfriend. These people and their predicaments represent different sides of his (and to a lesser extent his girlfriend's) personality, offering glimpses of potential past, present and future selves; and it is not always a flattering picture. No wonder Stewart's character is reluctant to commit to his irresistible girlfriend! I love this movie - every frame and every dialogue is perfect. It rewards both careful attention and repeat viewings. I've seen this movie many times and every time I see it I always find something different. The fact that Hitchcock doesn't use any kind of music - we only hear the sounds of mere realism, e.g. natural sounds or live music played in the surrounding apartments - makes the movie even more realistic. Grace Kelly mesmerizes the audience with her utter elegance. Thelma Ritter almost steals the show with her wise-cracking dialogue. Wendell Corey is believable with his dismissive attitude. While Raymond Burr is great in one of his last villainous roles before Perry Mason. Three memorable scenes that etch into my mind: 1) Miss Lonelyheart, in her romantic dinner for two, raises her glass to her imaginary lover and Stewart from afar raises his glass too (with beautiful background song of "To See You is to Love You" performed by Bing Crosby), 2) Stewart and Kelly's smoldering kisses, 3) Stewart's fighting off his attacker with flashbulbs. Rear Window is a classic that will be enjoyed not only by thriller fans, but also anyone who appreciates carefully crafted movies with a lot of depth. It received four Oscar nominations for Best Director, Best Writing, Best Cinematography and Best Sound. For me, it is Hitchcock's best movie and number 1 in my favourite list.

My judgement: **** out of 4 stars