Rear Window (1954)

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Stars: James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Wendell Corey

Runtime: 112 minutes

Synopsis: A wheelchair-bound photographer spies on his neighbors from his apartment window and becomes convinced one of them has committed murder.

Performances: 9/10

Screenplay: 9/10

Editing: 9/10

Cinematography: 9/10

Score/Soundtrack: 8/10

Enjoyment Factor: 9/10

Verdict: What's extraordinary about Alfred Hitchcock's "Rear Window" is the fact that it serves as two movies in one. I've seen it twice by now, and each time got a very different experience out of it.

When I first watched it, about a decade ago when I was still introducing myself to the master of suspense, I was mesmerized by the mystery surrounding the film's claustrophobic setting. Entirely set in a small apartment, I had a lot of fun following James Stewart, Grace Kelly, and Thelma Ritter as they attempt to incriminate a neighbor who they suspect committed a heinous murder. As per Hitchcock's standards, you're glued to your chair, trying to figure out what happened alongside the main characters (one of which is also glued to his chair, but for very different reasons). And even though the conclusion wasn't as satisfying as the film itself, which admittedly does contain a few moments that are difficult to logically buy, the experience of it all was well worth sitting through.

However, when I decided to revisit the film to check if it would still hold up despite knowing how it ends, it was an entirely different experience that awaited me. Suddenly, I was much more interested in the characters rather than the mystery. I was interested in the man who, due to his inability to leave the house (I'm sure a lot of people can relate right now) was slowly losing his sanity and decided to fix it by spying on his neighbors and coming up with narratives to keep him entertained. I was interested in his girlfriend who, seeing that their relationship wasn't going anywhere, decided to go along with his insanity, hoping that they'll grow closer as a result. I was interested in the idea that every character, important or not, was the lead of their own life, their own narrative. I was even interested in the irony of the entire setting, thinking that it would be hilarious for the film to contain a final reveal showing another person with binoculars spying on our protagonists from their window only to immediately realize that the audience is that very fictional person.

"Rear Window" is an incredibly entertaining but also very human movie, which is probably why it's regarded as one of Hitchcock's best works. It's also a magnificently crafted picture, in which the editing and cinematography play a role as important as the characters in it. They're the reason why you feel present in the neighborhood, why you feel the heat that's burning its residents. The camera movement makes the movie dynamic, and the use of shadows turns up the mysterious atmosphere. The only element I still cannot completely get behind is its conclusion which, even on my second, wasn't nearly as impactful as the build-up that came before it. But don't let that stop you from checking the movie out if you still haven't.

FINAL GRADE: 9/10