Classic Hitchcock

Rating: 7/10 (24 March 2005)

Alfred Hitchcock was one of the greatest film directors during the first half of the twentieth century. His films have become legends in their own right, and have established a style and genre all of their own. the term 'Hitchcockian' is now widely used for a film today where all the elements of a Hitchcock film have been exploited to the highest level. Very few films can break this mould and be truly considered in the same league as some of this great man's work.
"Rear Window" is probably in the same group as other memorable Hitchcock movies. They are all memorable, of course, but there are one or two classic Hitchcock movies - such as "North By Northwest" and, of course, "Psycho" - that are TRULY memorable. You can tell when a movie is memorable, for example, when "The Simpsons" parody the film in an entire episode - see "Bart Of Darkness", it's very good and very funny.
James Stewart is in the lead role, playing L.B.Jeffries, a photo-journalist who has broken his leg and spends his days staring out of his apartment window at all the neighbours. There is a very quiet, but quite apparent fascination here that Hitchcock explores brilliantly. Although it is never mentioned, and it is not strongly suggested, there is an element of something in this movie that helps to give the movie one of its classic Hitchcock themes - exploring taboo subjects very, very slightly. There's the newly-married couple who never seem to get out of bed, the ballet dancer who practises in her underwear, and the sculptor who lives underneath her. With the songwriter in his penthouse apartment providing incidental music, we also have the suicidal and lonely woman who craves the love of another, and the elderly couple who sleep outside on the balcony and use a basket to give their dog some exercise.
And then, of course, there's the Thorwalds. Here the main aspect of the plot comes into play. Jeffires becomes convinced that Mr Thorwald (played by Raymond Burr, who would go on to play "Ironside") has murdered his wife and done away with the body. Using his photographic lenses, Jeffires spies on Thorwald, trying to catch a glimpse of anything that will help prove his suspicions.
He is helped through this by three individuals. The first is his lover, Lisa Fremont (Played by the beautiful Grace Kelly), a woman who Jeffries believes is too perfect for him. The second is his masseuse and helper from the insurance company, Stella, (Thelma Ritter), who provides some of the funniest lines in the film with her dark, sometimes twisted humour. Finally, and the one who needs the most convincing of all, there's Jeffires' old friend from the air force, Detective Doyle (Wendell Corey). However, his involvement only complicates matters, as he constantly brings out evidence that Mrs Thorwald is not dead, but simply on holiday.
The final half-hour or so of the film has quite a few twists and turns. The eventual conclusion, that Thorwald IS a murderer, is something you want to happen. this is another of those Hitchcockian elements. As an viewer you WANT the man to be a murderer, because you are so sure that Jeffries is right, and you yourself get frustrated when he is constantly proved wrong. There is an extremely tense scene at the end of the film involving Jeffries and Thorwald that puts you on the edge of your seat. The use of light in this scene particularly is excellent.
This is a very good film, and something to watch either with a loved one or just by yourself. Stewart is excellent and constantly dominates the screen even if he is stuck in a wheelchair for most of the film. Grace Kelly is very talented as an actress, and there are one or two rather daring scenes for the 1950s that show you that Hitchcock was full aware of the changing attitudes towards this sort of thing. I also think that Thelma Ritter deserves a mention, as she holds the film together with her witty comments and is largely ignored by some reviewers.
But the real stars are the neighbours of Jeffires. The whole film is shot from the room in Jeffries' apartment, which is in itself a wonderful idea. Whenever we see through that window something new and interesting is happening for each of the neighbours - be it witty, like the newly wed woman who can't seem to get enough, or tragic, like the lonely woman who lives underneath the Thorwalds. The final scene shows Jeffries, not only with two legs broken, but also facing away from the window. He does not need to watch his neighbours any more. this is a nice touch, and it symbolises that all is going to go well for our friend Jeffries. Plus Grace Kelly is on his couch, so that's a bonus as well!