One of the Most Thrilling Films Hitchcock Ever Directed

Rating: Null/10 (17 July 2000)

I saw this last night on AMC and was blown away by the plot, the characterization, the setting, and of course, the suspense. I am a huge Hitchcock fan, some of my favorites being "North by Northwest," "Psycho," "Lifeboat," and now this.
L.B. Jefferies, known as Jeff by his friends, is wheelchair-bound in his Manhattan apartment, dealing with a broken leg. With nothing else to do but look out the window, he takes to watching the lives of his neighbors around the center courtyard: the struggling musician, Miss Torso, the dancer, the eccentric couple with the curious dog, the newlyweds, Miss Lonelyheart, and of course, the Thorwalds, right across the way. Lars Thorwald and his bed-ridden wife become Jeff's focal characters to observe...until Mrs. Thorwald disappears, and Lars becomes progressively suspicious. He quickly involves his uptown girlfriend, Lisa (Grace Kelly) who opts to do some investigation, and then involves his nurse, Stella (Thelma Ritter). Helpless in his apartment, he works through them and the moderate help from his friend, Doyle (Wendell Corey), a detective. Questions continue to arise, and Jeff, Lisa, Stella, and Doyle seem to be coming to a conclusion. Yet, this is Hitchcock, and our team of protagonists aren't close to just solving the case and moving on. Oh no, the last twenty minutes or so prove to unbearably suspenseful as Lisa investigates the Thornwald's apartment while it's unoccupied, and Jeff and Stella watch helplessly as Lars comes home....
This truly is an amazing film. James Stewart and Grace Kelly give amazing performances, and Thelma Ritter is wonderful as the witty nurse. The vignettes on the lives of each of Jeff's neighbors are all quite interesting, and I found Miss Lonelyheart's story in particular to be absolutely wonderful. I also loved how Jeff was helpless, while the two women were off doing what one would think to be the man's role in the movie. Lisa, particular, is quite an innovative character. First of all, she's very funny. I love when Jeff is telling her the rough aspects of a traveling photographers life, and how when he asks her something in the way if she had ever been 5000 feet up, struggling to stay warm in twenty below zero weather, and she replies, "Well, when I get a few minutes after lunch...." She also takes that role of the elegant uptown girl and admits her sophistication and perfection, like when Jeff comments on how she never wears the same dress twice, and Lisa notes light-heartedly, "Only because it's expected of her [me]." And then, when she takes all those risks to uncover the truth in the end. Not only could I not sit still, I was so scared (which is rare for me with most horror movies) but I was amazed at how she proved that she wasn't afraid to risk anything. Now, that's one hell of a heroine, and perhaps the greatest Hitchcock woman ever.
I also loved Stella. She had some of the greatest lines in the movie, and I love when she's commenting to Lisa and Jeff on the probable gory details of Lars's act. She was definitely memorable with all her witty lines, and had me laughing many times.
And of course, James Stewart gave a great performance, conveying that feeling of helplessness, and near claustrophobia being in that apartment, unable to do anything, and just as he's safe in his apartment watching everyone, he goes through hell trying to figure out what to do when Lars comes home while Lisa is still at his apartment.
The movie is enthralling from the amazing opening to the wonderful epilogue, and the title music totally sets the scene for some fun. I recommend this movie to anyone, it is an amazing film.