Rear Window Review

I suppose I just don’t really get the work of director Alfred Hitchcock. My idleness and lack of care for a handful of his films comes perhaps from the near impossible high of how well regarded his work is perceived. North by Northwest, Psycho and Rope are all diligently enjoyable films, but I feel out of place when I say I don’t think they’re all that interesting. So when I went into Rear Window expecting a similar scenario, I wasn’t all that surprised when it turned out to be true. But the one-roomed Hitchcock thriller has its tremendous highlights throughout that elevate it above the majority of his other pictures.

The inclusion of James Stewart, an actor who has more consistency than most when it comes to varied film performances, leads the way as L.B. Jefferies, a man who, in isolation, finds himself looking through the windows of his neighbours. Jefferies, suffering from his isolation (how fitting given the timing of this review) begins to suspect a neighbour of foul play, having offed his wife. All evidence points to this figure leaving the country and covering his tracks, but Jefferies’ photography skills and immense boredom make him fixate and debate with his nurse, Stella (Thelma Ritter) and girlfriend, Lisa Fremont (Grace Kelly).

Stewart brings a great performance to the table, I found myself on the edge of my seat for most of the running time. My main gripe with Hitchcock is how his surprise twists are either predictable or just what you would’ve expected to happen in the first place, but Rear Window actually feels like a film where the twist is justified. A hell of a lot of well-rounded build-up doesn’t come off in the payoff you’d like to have seen. If anything, it feels a tad rushed and should’ve been handled so much better than it turned out.

Still, at least I enjoyed myself, far more than I would’ve done had I stared at the wall or counted my legs or whatever else people do to pass the time these days. Rear Window is quite the good film, and I do feel like I’m underselling the film somewhat. I am underselling the film, but for reasons that won’t really be all that clear until you watch it for yourself. By all means is it a good film, but to consider it as one of the finest mystery films to have ever graced the art of the genre is a tad overstated. Stewart and the supporting cast provide excellent performances, but once again, the problems lie with the simplicity of Hitchcock’s craft.