Rear Window (Alfred Hitchcock, 1954): USA

Reviewed by Emily Day. Viewed at AFI Fest 2010.

Alfred Hitchcock’s thriller, Rear Window captivates a cinema audience once again 50 plus years after it’s first debut. AFI Fest movie goers familiar and unfamiliar with this film were charmed by the witty dialog and beautiful suspense created by Hitchcock in this thriller. Selected by AFI honored guest director David Lynch, Rear Window was chosen due to the great influence he felt the film had on him before he started directing. A wonderful addition to the American Film Institutes festival, this film was shown in it’s original media of 35 mm. The talented Jimmy Stuart paired with the lovely Grace Kelly make for a wonderful beginning to a great cast of characters.

The film follows a man who’s previous profession as a location photographer was one of adventure and excitement but due to an injury must remain in his apartment until his broken leg heals. Grace Kelly plays his doting sweetheart and potential fiance and adds grace and beauty to a film about murder. Their romance is hanging on the hinges of whether or not marriage is in their future. Grace Kelly’s character is devoted and desperate to settle down while Stuart’s can’t fathom the idea. The setting, which takes place in and around the courtyard of an apartment complex is almost as interesting as the residents who live there.  It would seem that the main character, Jeff’s only entertainment is watching the bizarre lives of his neighbors through his rear window. When Jeff notices something out of the ordinary occurring in one of the apartment rooms across the courtyard, his suspicions that a murder has taken place seem to grow more and more as he continues to watch from his window. As he involves his girlfriend, the nurse, and his old buddy a detective, they all must decide if his suspicions are valid or just the result of cabin fever inducing paranoia.

Rear Window is no exception to the number of wonderfully entertaining thrillers created and directed by Hitchcock. This film’s use of romance, intrigue, suspense and action make it pleasing to a wide variety of the audience. Hitchcock has a special way of pleasing everyone by way of using many genre’s in his film but still standing by the overall thriller title.  Perhaps the most pleasing aspect of this film is the witty dialog. As many blockbusters of today’s movies promote special effects, harsh language, crass humor, and explicit nudity, it was refreshing to watch a film that’s excellence derived from smart screenwriting, superb acting, and creative cinematography. This film though limited by certain resources, shines in a way incomparable to any other film I have ever seen.