Rear Window (1954)

CharlesTheBold February 21, 2017

L.B. Jeffries (Jimmy Stewart), an adventurous photographer, is temporarily immobilized by a serious leg injury. Bored, and living in a time where TV and internet were not available as distractions, he watches the courtyard out his real window and speculates about the lives of the neighbors that he sees. In particular, he wonders whether his neighbor Thorvald (Raymond Burr, who actually looks older than his later character Perry Mason) may have killed his wife. Hitchcock examines the situation from numerous points of view. At one extreme, Jeff could be considered a brilliant detective who sleuths out a case based purely on close observation. At the other end, he could be considered a voyeur and a paranoid whose suspicions could damage other people. These interpretations are voiced by his acquaintances, including his nurse (Thelma Ritter) and his fiance (Grace Kelly, the future Pr…

John Chard February 11, 2020

★ 10/10

It Had To Be Murder. L.B. Jefferies is a wheelchair bound photographer who by way of relieving his boredom, starts observing the lives of all his neighbours from his apartment window. As he gets deeper into the lives of all around him, he becomes convinced that one of hem has committed the act of murder, thus putting himself and those close to him in mortal danger. Much like most of Alfred Hitchcock's other lauded pictures, Rear Window has been dissected, examined, appraised and written about by far more versed people than myself, a mere film fanatic. So how do I even start to write a review of a film that I view as one of Hitchcock's best? Well maybe I should just write what I like about it without delving into psycho babble and a deconstruction of the human psyche and all its little offshoots! So I will!. Rear Window is adapted by Alfred Hitchcock and his writer John Michael …

JPV852 September 6, 2020

★ 9/10

Probably have seen this a half dozen times over the years and still is my favorite Hitchcock movie, favorite mind you not best. Simple story and taking place in one location, but good performances from James Stewart and Grace Kelly. **4.5/5**

CinemaSerf March 28, 2022

★ 8/10

Jimmy Stewart is cracking as the laid-up photographer who spends his chair-ridden days casually observing the day-to-day activities of his neighbours. Gradually, he becomes suspicious of one of them as the wife suddenly disappears and the husband (Raymond Burr) starts making odd trips out at night; calling long distance and generally acting oddly. Grace Kelly (his girlfriend) thinks this all a bit too prurient for her but is slowly drawn into his web of intrigue and ends up an active participant with his investigations as we now have a great conspiracy theory thriller. Thelma Ritter is great as "Stella" as is Wendell Corey as "Det. Doyle". This is a tight, tense drama with a really cohesive cast under the skilful direction of the master of this genre.

James October 20, 2023

★ 7/10

I love a good plot twist as much as next person but maybe it was better back then.