Rear Window

What a masterpiece! A phenomenal masterclass in tension and suspense and directing. Through 112 minutes, the story telling was simple but the tension was unrelentless. Truly, you never knew who to trust, who to believe and who is telling the truth until the final few moments. And even then, who will survive? Who will make it out?

Simply, masterful!

Also ironically, this was the perfect self-quarantine, lock-down, shelter-at-home, circuit-breaker movie. Stuck at home, with nowhere to go? Have your lobster thermidor delivered, your daily nursing care coming in to give you a massage and your telephoto-lens and/or binoculars handy for some neighbourly spying.

And of course, make sure you have the gorgeous, stunning, absolutely lovely Grace Kelly coming to visit you daily, dressed to the nines (thank you Costume Designer Edith Head!). Has she ever been more beautiful in a film?

Plot-wise, Rear Window was deceptively simple, but looking deeper, John Michael Hayes' screenplay also examined the concepts of stereotypes and inherent biasness, the evolution of relationships, emotional dependency, herd mentality, truth vs fiction, the voyeurism of film, and to put a modern spin, toxic-masculinity and liberal feminism. This film was truly fascinating. It has aged well and worked incredibly on so many levels.

However, the real gem was Hitchcock's masterful direction. No blood, no violence yet a violent crime has been (or has it?) been committed. We see what James Stewart's crippled, home-bound, photographer / photojournalist sees and our information is as limited as his and our view point as shaped as what Hitchcock wanted us to know. Every other speaking-character was the perfect foil for Stewart's conspiracy theory, throwing in doubts and providing reasonable counter-arguments...that is until they too were convinced by the circumstantial evidence and the story told by Stewart. It was like a lawyer weaving the best story of the evidence available to convince the jury of their case. Simple but so effective.

Stewart was a great everyday man to be put in this scenario. He had that sensibility that allowed him to be highly relatable, yet just a hint of danger to be make every man want to be him. Of course, having Kelly has his paramour definitely helped his allure. But Kelly was more than just a pretty face here - and that poise!!! - and like most Hitchcockian leading ladies, she also served to propel the narrative and incite character development in the leading man. Notwithstanding, she was also shown to be smart, brave and resourceful, but as the times had it, also dependent on the man.

Music was by Franz Waxman, who also did Sunset Boulevard, and it really helped to enliven the lived-in feeling of being in a NYC neighbourhood and tightened the screw of suspense and melancholy.

Rear Window was utterly riveting and unbelievably tensed. Hitchcock achieved so much with seemingly so little. Brilliant!