Masterpiece of Suspense, Voyeurism and Film-Making

Rating: 10/10 (11 July 2016)

The true strength of Rear Window lies with Alfred Hitchcock's understanding of voyeurism. How spying on people and seeing things we shouldn't can be thrilling. For the entirety of the film we're looking through the eyes of our main character Jeff, looking at things he knows he shouldn't be. We become connected to Jeff and when he can't stop himself from seeing and believing things he shouldn't, nor can we. This is the genius of Hitchcock. His main character becomes a vessel. We live the film through him. We share all of the opinions, concerns and limitations he has as a result.
Jeff is a notable photographer laid up after breaking his leg and in a cast up to his hip. It's established that he's man of action, a veteran of war and used to globetrotting wherever the job takes him. Hitchcock notes all of this smartly with subtle visuals and dialogue. It's no surprise that being stuck in his apartment leaves Jeff bored, so to pass the time by he begins to spy on his neighbours. His nurse Stella, detective friend Doyle and fiancé Lisa are initially concerned by his behaviour. This conduct is tied to Jeff. He's unable to commit to Lisa and it reinforces her view that'd he rather live through others than himself. The relationship creates an interesting dynamic, as if he gets more gratification spying than from Lisa. Both James Stewart and Grace Kelly are perfect here. Stewart always convinces as the normal guy in over his head and Kelly's elegance adds layers of charm to Lisa.
Jeff's prying has unexpected consequences. He becomes convinced that a salesman named Thorwald, who lives in the apartment opposite, has murdered his wife. He sees newly dug spots in the flower bed, a suitcase bound by ropes and the wife completely absent. The film excellently follows a thread where we don't feel cheated because, even though he can jump to conclusions, we see Jeff work everything out. We see him piece together the information and consider its importance. Initially nobody believes him, but little by little and as more becomes apparent it turns out he might just be right. This is all visual story-telling done to perfection. We don't even need words to understand what is taking place. What we see through the lens and piece together is enough.
It's intriguing how the seduction of crime is used. Not in taking part in one, but in discovering it. Jeff is snapped out of his boredom when he thinks he's caught someone up to no good. It gives him something to concentrate his efforts on. When Doyle initially tells him that the he has evidence that Thorwald is innocent Jeff is greatly disappointed and so are we. Not because we want someone to be dead, but because we lose the wonder of figuring out what happened. The film plays with moral and psychological issues like that brilliantly. Jeff isn't a detective or a do-gooder, he' simply a normal person. It makes the character more relatable. He sometimes lets situations occur he shouldn't because there's nothing he can do to stop them, he's just an observer. When he wants police action there is nothing he can do. When he can't prove anything he feels frustrated. We can ask ourselves what we'd do in those situations. Probably something similar.
For me this is the film that secured Hitchcock's position as the master of suspense and as a master filmmaker. Initially the film seems relatively smooth, yet once Jeff believes he's found a murderer the feeling of unease just keeps on building and building. I no problems in saying that the films climax is one of the most nerve-wracking I've ever witnessed in a film. As Jeff is wheelchair bound we know there is little he can do if spotted and that adds an extra layer of vulnerability. When Lisa risks her neck to investigate there is no way to alert her of danger. We share that same sense of helplessness. Apparently Hitchcock shot all of the film from inside Jeff's apartment, providing a real authenticity to what we see play out. In fact, I think the set itself deserves a mention for just how well-crafted and intricate it is.
The heights of suspense, tension and threat reached in Rear Window are so great that very few films have ever been able to come close to following it. For a film that has little connection to policing, serial killers or the unknown that is some achievement. It's also why the film is held in such high regard to this day. It connects the audience directly to the main character. Everything he does we have to follow, almost as if we ourselves are sharing the secrets that he discovers. It also explains why the film's suspense works so well, we are equally as scared of being found out. Tapping into all kinds of thoughts and fears whilst remaining effortlessly gripping. It showed perfectly that Hitchcock was a master of his craft.