Perfection

Rating: 10/10 (15 May 2000)

A truly astonishing accomplishment! Even if one were to remove the gritty performance of Jimmy Stewart, the beauty of Grace Kelly, and the comedy of Thelma Ritter and Wendell Corey, one is left with a most compelling story. If one removes the story line, one is left with stark physical beauty, and superb photography. If one removes those, one is still left with an incredible juggling of multiple agendas in multiple locales at one!
I watched this movie again for probably the 50th time, and was again spellbound by the physical layering of the filmmaking. Alfred Hitchcock balances action within Stewart's apartment, in the outside courtyard, in several apartments surrounding the courtyard, in hallways leading to those apartments, in an alley leading to the street, on the sidewalk, on the street, to the sidewalk across that street and in the cafe beyond that. An unbelievable logistical accomplishment. How very much that personifies the same layering within one of the most superlative scripts ever written. Hitch, Stewart and the rest of the cast are up to every single demand.
One of the greats. Do not miss it!