Great, but over-rated

Rating: Null/10 (31 January 2001)

Im a huge Hitchcock fan, the guy's a visual genius; I mean for a director who can make films that still keep you biting your nails fifty years later cant be put down. But this film didn't REALLY do it for me, especially after Psycho (hope its spelt rite)and The Man Who Knew Too Much and Rope. Don't get me wrong, its still a four star film, but there was something missing, maybe I was expecting too much; but then I was expecting heaps from Psycho, and I was disappointed the first time, but the second time I was blown away completely - not so with Rear Window. I felt that Grace Kelly's role was just there for pathos when she got caught by Burr (and love interest)- I mean really, Thelma Ritter could have provided for the same situation but without sex appeal - ah theres the catch! But so it was for Eva Marie Saint in North by Northwest you say? Not so, yes love interest and sex appeal had a part in her role, but she was also part of a vital plot swing. I think (personally) that that was a woefully unnecessary bit of casting and quite out of character with the master. My apologies to all Grace Kelly fans out there. That couldn't just be the reason why it didn't do it for me, in fact I don't know why it didn't do it for me. I think I WAS expecting too much. To me it seemed a bit stop-start, it seemed to go somewhere and get exciting, then drop off suddenly (especially when Kelly pranched onto the set with customary lack of personality), even the ending - just where it got you on the edge of your seat, it ended and I ejected the video feeling let down and disappointed, unlike other Hitchcock summersault endings where I'm simply begging for more. Maybe I'm just hard to please. But all said, it was a good film, a great film, just compared to his other work, not as fulfilling. I loved the set - it was the biggest ever made until the Ten Commandments, Alfie didn't like the lighting he got on location. It was well directed, scripted and acted and I liked the part where the film's music soundtrack was all from the muso's piano in his flat. He actually (as I learned from this site)became the voice for the Chipmunks!
Yeah, a good film, but besides in theory and creativity, not Hitchcock's best - although one of the directors personal favourites. Sorry Alfie.