Movie Review: Rear Window (1954) · 11:33pm September 1st
Watched this with my dad as part of Fathom Events.
Think this is the first Alfred Hitchcock movie I've seen in full. (I remember the first twenty minutes or so of "North by Northwest," which I saw on TV once.)
The premise of this one - a man recovering in his apartment thinks one of his neighbors has committed murder - has been referenced, paid homage to and parodied many, many times before. (I remember the Simpsons episode spoofing this idea in particular.) But having seen the original for myself, it definitely leaves an impression.
It was also very interesting, to say the least, from another level. Having mostly known Jimmy Stewart for "It's a Wonderful Life" seeing him as the far rougher-hewn and seedier photographer Jefferies was a real stunner. (I'm sure lots of film studies have been written about the nature of the cast on his leg, for one. To say nothing of his interest in using a telescopic lens to observe the goings-on of the other residents of the apartments outside.)
Grace Kelly really won me over in her performance as the socialite girlfriend, Lisa. She has so much presence not just in her physical appearance but through all the emotions of her relationship with Jefferies, and the way that they both get so drawn into their amateur investigation. Thelma Ritter is quite enjoyable as Stella the nurse as well. She gets some great lines during the course of the story.
Raymond Burr is a great presence as the murderer. Though really, the whole movie is full of great characters, both named and nameless. The movie really draws you in through the glimpses you get into the lives of the various other tenants of the apartments. (The payoff regarding "Miss Lonelyhearts" and the songwriter is very well done in particular. Though I also got a kick out of the ending revelation about "Miss Torso" and her love.)
I do love the note of ambiguity that the movie ends on. It makes for a nice little question mark in regard to just where things will go with some of these characters, even after the main story has been resolved. Perfectly illustrated without a single word spoken.
Very glad to have seen this. I can see why this is such an iconic movie.
