‘Rear Window’ 70th anniversary: Alfred Hitchcock’s influential thriller earned 4 Oscar nominations
Undeniably one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, Alfred Hitchcock directed 53 films in a 50-year period, many of which are considered some of the greatest of all time. His ability to create suspenseful, extraordinary situations for ordinary people make his stories relatable, and his spot-on timing adds an edge to otherwise mundane moments. One of his most popular, most acclaimed and most-often imitated films is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year. “Rear Window” had its nationwide box office premiere on September 1, 1954, and remains one of the most influential thrillers of all time.
These days, we have televisions, phones and streaming services to occupy our time during moments of boredom. But in days before instant entertainment at our fingertips, people actually had to find ways to past the time when confined to a space, or lunching alone, or lazing in a park, and “people-watching” could be an amusing pastime. Hitchcock’s tale follows such a situation, with world-traveling photographer L.B. “Jeff” Jefferies (James Stewart) confined to a wheelchair after breaking his leg. Bored after being accustomed to the fast-paced action of his profession, his only distractions are his beautiful girlfriend Lisa Fremont (Grace Kelly), his wise-cracking nurse Stella (Thelma Ritter) and the activities of his various neighbors around the courtyard. From his window, Jeff observes all levels of human emotion and interaction amongst those fellow apartment-dwellers, from despair and loneliness to joy and newlywed bliss, and creates scenarios for all of his spied-upon neighbors. It’s all in fun until he witnesses what might very well be the after-effects of a man who possibly murdered his wife.
Hitchcock was a master of turning a limited setting into a feature-length suspense thriller with a slow build that could keep an audience’s attention, and had explored this concept with “Lifeboat” (1944), “Rope” (1948) and “Dial M for Murder” (also 1954). But it was perhaps in “Rear Window” that he perfected the style, with Jeff’s apartment the only viewpoint as all other scenes are played out through the windows of the other apartments. The director had an entire replica of a Greenwich Village courtyard built on the Paramount lot, with meticulous attention given to every detail, including a massive drainage system for a scene involving rain and a lighting system that could simulate natural-looking light for day and night.
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“Rear Window” was the second collaboration each for two of Hitchcock’s favorite stars. Stewart had appeared in “Rope,” and would go on to make “The Man Who Knew Too Much” (1956) and “Vertigo” (1958) with the director. Kelly became one of his favorite actresses to film in Technicolor, beginning with “Dial M for Murder.” Before marrying Prince Rainer III of Monaco in 1956 and retiring from acting, Kelly only made 11 films, and three were for Hitchcock (the third being “To Catch a Thief” in 1955). Rounding out the main cast was Ritter, the Brooklyn-born prolific character actress who earned the distinction of most Oscar nominations (six) for Best Supporting Actress of all time, although she never won.
This is one of my favorite Hitchcock films, and each time I rewatch it I find a new element that I enjoy. In an era when women were largely portrayed as already married or looking for a husband for the sole purpose of being married, Hitchcock gives us Kelly as Lisa. She is a model who “never wears the same dress twice,” but her career is not presented as a frivolous way to pass her time until she lands a husband, but as an important aspect of who she is. As intelligent and well-spoken as she is beautiful, Lisa is willing to sacrifice her comforts to be with the man she loves – not just to “land a husband,” but because she actually loves him. And she is no shrinking violet — she is assertive, and does not think twice about her decision to spend the night with Jeff, perhaps innocently, perhaps not — and is not the least concerned when Jeff’s police detective acquaintance stops by and raises a brow at her suitcase.
That is not to say Hitchcock fails to highlight her beauty. She is luminous in her opening scene with Stewart, with a close-up of their faces portraying her yearning for his returned affection and his hesitancy to commit himself to a permanent situation. And her wardrobe, designed by Edith Head, is fabulous, from a smart suit to an elegant evening gown to her lingerie for her “spend-the-night” with her beau.
Almost all of the dialogue in the film takes place in Jeff’s apartment among Stewart, Kelly and Ritter. Although Lisa and Stella initially think Jeff has imagined things, the two women soon start helping him piece together clues, and even do a little detecting themselves as he can’t leave the apartment. Raymond Burr, who ironically would become one of television’s most popular lawyers, Perry Mason, plays the bad guy, with a menacing stare that would eventually have Mason’s suspects caving, but in this film gives the viewer a spine-tingling chill. Despite having almost no dialogue, he remains one of the most memorable big screen villains of all time.
Throughout the film, we feel the sultriness of the New York City heatwave, the heaviness of the rain and the compactness of this world. All the sounds and music are in the world of the people in the courtyard as opposed to a score (other than the opening and closing credits). Despite the confines of the situation, Jeff feels worlds away as he sits helplessly watching Lisa’s daring move to find proof of the crime, and is caught by the murderer in his apartment. And his fear is palpable when he hears the perpetrator approach his own apartment, and realizes that he must face the consequences of his voyeurism.
Although critically praised at the time, “Rear Window” failed to win any of its four Oscar nominations. Hitchcock received his fourth of five failed bids for Best Director (losing to Elia Kazan for “On the Waterfront”), and the film also received bids for its screenplay (losing to “The Country Girl”), cinematography (losing to “Three Coins in the Fountain”) and sound (losing to “The Glenn Miller Story”). Kelly won Best Actress that year, but for “The Country Girl,” and Head won Best Costume Design for “Sabrina.”
A few years ago, I talked my two teens into watching this one with me (they didn’t inherit my cinephile gene), and they admitted to liking it, although it was “slow.” I explained that I wanted them to see this movie because of its impact on filmmaking, as well as the fact that it is one of the best productions from one of the best directors. I hope that one day they will rewatch it like I have many times, and appreciate that “slow” build that can be hard for modern viewers who have grown used to constant action. Here we don’t have special effects or varying locations, but a tight script with top-notch performances and a well-constructed set that builds to a climatic finish that makes us viewers want to rethink “people watching.”
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