Feeding McCarthyism

Rating: 1/10 (9 July 2008)

While the predictable plot, agonizingly slow pace, and excessive dialog weighed heavily against this so-called "classic", apparently Hitchcock was feeding the baseless flames of McCarthyism with this film. I bet a million housewives left the film thinking "I bet I'm right about my neighbor..." or "as a good citizen, I should keep an eye on mine". Blatantly, Hitchcock was glorifying voyeurism and exploiting contemporary fears.
The only reason I can figure why this movie has such extremely high ratings is that people are (still) really afraid of what their neighbors might be up to (greatly renewed post-9/11), are proud voyeurs themselves, or are simply lobotomized.