The Master at his best.

Rating: 10/10 (1 December 2005)

Brilliant. Legendary. Perfect. There are not enough adjectives to describe properly "Rear Window". Along with "Vertigo" and "North by Northwest" this is probably one of his best 3 movies.
After his period in Warner Bros., where he directed masterpieces like "Strangers on a Train" or "Dial M For Murder", it seemed as if the master could not top what he had previously achieved. But he did. In fact, when Hitchcock directed "Rear Window", his first movie at Paramount, he was beginning with the right foot what would become his most brilliant period.
The well-known plot stars Hitchcock's favorite Jimmy Stewart as photographer L. B. Jeffries, who is almost caged in his apartment during his recovery from an accident he had while working. To kill the time, he becomes obsessed with what happens to his neighbors outside, to the point that he is convinced that one of them committed a murder. Grace Kelly plays his beautiful girlfriend, and Thelma Ritter plays his nurse.
Hitchcock makes us parters in crime during Jeffreis voyeuristic adventures, as we are silent witness of the misfortunes of the neighborhood. Lisa, his girlfriend, has a difficult relationship with Jeffreis, there is definitely love there, but he is reluctant to include her in his life because he considers her "too perfect". Jeffreis voyeurism is probably, his escape to his problems as he prefers to watch the others.
Technically the movie is brilliant. The camera is our eyes and it flows smoothly; and even when the movie takes place almost entirely in Jeffreis apartment, it never becomes tiresome or boring. This is also possible to the ingenious script and the brilliant performance of the three lead characters.
Beautiful Grace Kelly is outstanding as the lovely girlfriend who turns into an adventurous spy as she gets interested in his boyfriend's new hobby. Jimmy Stewart gives once again his classic performance of the "regular guy" that Hitchcock enjoyed so much; although in my opinion, is Thelma Ritter who gives the movie that charming quality, as her witty comments are delivered with that dark humor that Hitchcock loved so much.
"Rear Window" is without any doubt, a perfect movie. Hitchcock has walked a long way, but all his previous work was practice when compared to the movies to come; his work would reach it's peak in the famous three: "Vertigo", "North by Northwest" and "Psycho". At this time, he is already considered a master.
10/10. Masterpiece.