In these uncertain times we are all looking for things to keep us occupied into the outside world is back up and running. For me this includes getting back into writing film reviews. However, as I am also someone who loves a bit of gallows humour and so I will only be writing reviews no films about the end of the world, viruses, quarantine or being stuck in one place for prolonged periods of time for the foreseeable future. I will also most likely watch a lot of shit during this period so I thought i'd kick everything off with an absolute classic in the shape of Alfred Hitchcock's 'Rear Window' (1954). The film follows L.B. Jeffries (James Stewart), a photographer who has been confined to a wheel chair after an accident on the job. To pass the time he takes up spying on his neighbours and soon becomes convinced that one of his neighbours has committed a murder. With the help of his girlfriend Lisa (Grace Kelly) and his nurse Stella (Thelma Ritter) he attempts to find enough evidence to force the police to arrest the neighbour, all while being stuck in his apartment.
When writing about a film like 'Rear Window' it is really hard to find anything new to say about it, so I'm not going to bother trying. I mean, whats the point? The film is great and is rightly up there as one of Hitchcock's greatest. The Master of Suspense does not let you down with this. Every narrative beat has you edging closer to the screen, tensing up more and more as it keeps moving. It is paced brilliantly and is able to mix moments of levity and humour in with the tension. It is a mastefully made film which will come as no surprise seeing as it comes from the mind of one of cinema's greats. The true strength of the film comes in its use of POV. We as the audience are not only watching a voyeur in the form of Jeffries, but we also become the voyeur. This helps add to the tension as it becomes far more personal for us as the viewer. We almost become compliant in Jeffries spying. It also allows for the film to have several small stories within the larger narrative. Although the main focus is on the neighbour who are characters accuses of murder, we also get a view into the lives of the other surrounding neighbours. This is an aspect of the film that I appreciated a lot more upon this rewatch and I found myself enjoying the little stories that are going on outside the larger narrative more than the narrative itself. I would also be remiss to not mention the rather silly climax to the film. I can imagine that at the time of release the ending was not as awkward and weird as it is through modern eyes, but unfortunately it hasn't aged well. It is not heinous in anyway and it does not ruin the film at all, its just a little hokey. Regardless, it should not take away from the fact that this is top tier filmmaking and, in my eyes, may be Hitchcock at his finest.
When it comes to performances within the film there is not exactly a huge cast to talk about. There are only 4 major speaking roles within the film, the rest of the performances being played out in small chunks and at a distance. But all the neighbours put in good performances, especially Judith Evelyn as Miss Lonleyhearts who managed to get me fully invested in her story despite very little screen time and even less speaking time. All four of the major speaking roles are well performed. Wendell Corey is good as Det. Doyle, managing to come across exasperated with Jeffries insistence that a murder has occured as well as showing that h actually doubts whether the man is innocent. Thelma Ritter also performs well as Stella, bringing a sense of comic relief as well as performing well when the tension really cranks up. The two starring roles, however, belong to Grace Kelly (before her big break in that one Mika song) and James Stewart. Kelly puts in a brilliant performance, being able to put across a sense of glamour and sophistication as well as getting her hands dirty when she needs to. She is both charming and funny but also does really well in the scene of tension and suspense. However, the MVP of the film (and the MVP of almost all films he was in) is Jimmy Stewart. He runs the gamut of emotion throughout the film but is particluar good in his moments of terror. He has a charm and charisma to him which is impossible to take your eyes off and it is no different in this film. He is superb and I couldn't see anyone else pulling thisperfromance off as well as he does.
'Rear Window' is an undeniable classic of cinema. It is a film that has lasted the tests of times and is still taught in film classes today (I know this from experience) and will be for several more years to come. It is an almost perfect film if there is such a thing, and is a film that I would recommend to anyone interested in filmmaking. And for those of you who are just interested in watching a good film then you need look no further. With 'Rear Window' you will get a brilliantly shot and performed film with an engrossing narrative. And it also fits into my theme of being stuck in one place for a prolonged period of time so you may be able to relate to it on that level. Although I wouldn't recommend taking up the hobbies of our main character to overcome your own quarantine boredom.